Dr. Helly Hirsh was appointed Co-Director of the Research and Development Department in January 2026, after approximately four years as coordinator of the Geographic Committees and Urban Renewal portfolio, during which she also established the Renewable Energy project. Helly holds a bachelor’s degree in community social work from the Hebrew University and master’s and doctoral degrees in urban and regional planning from the Technion. Her research focuses on critiquing eviction and displacement processes through conceptualizing the experiences of displaced residents, and on the phenomenon of excluding disadvantaged populations from planning processes in Israel and globally. She has published articles on these topics. Helly has extensive experience in research, teaching, and private sector planning.

Helly is raising two daughters, a dog, and a cat together with her partner Angel.