Prof.Avia Spivak
Avia Spivak is Chairman of The Center for Pension, Insurance and Financial Literacy.
Professor Spivak was a co-founder of the program for economics and a senior fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. He served as a Deputy Governor of the Bank of Israel during 2002-2006 and was in charge of significant reforms in Financial Stability, the payment system as well as others. [Including the issuing of the new 2NIS coin.] .
He served as Chair of the Economics Department and Dean of The Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, as well as the president of the Israel Economic Association. Professor Spivak is one of the prominent researchers in Israel in the field of pensions; he has published many scientific reviews and articles including analysis of the reforms carried out in Israel, including suggestions for future changes. Professor Spivak is among the founders of the Economics Department at BGU. He educated many generations of students, including advanced MAs and PhDs.
He served on many national committees, including the Alon fellowships, the Israel prize in Economics and Postdoctoral fellowships of Yad Hanadiv.
SELECTED SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS
Z. Kril, D. Leiser and A. Spivak. “What Determines the Credibility of the Central Bank of Israel in the Public Eye”. International Journal of Central Banking. V. 12 No. 1 (March) pp. 67-93.
A. Spivak: “Discussion of: Alex Cukierman: The Great Depression, the Current Crisis and Old versus New Keynesian Thinking. What have we Learned and What Remains to be Learned?” in: Arnon, A., J. Weinblatt and W. Young (eds.), Perspectives on Keynesian Economics, pp. 270-273, Springer-Verlag, 2011.
Spivak, A. and N. Sussman: "The Inconsistencies of the Fiscal Rules in the Budget of 2011-12 and a Suggestion for an Alternative Rule". The Van Leer Institute, May 2010.
A. Arnon, A. Spivak and O. Sussman: "Incomplete Contracts, the Port of Gaza and the Case for Economic Sovereignty", Ch. 11 in Cobham D. and N. Kanafani (eds.), The Economics of Palestine: Economic Policy and Institutional Reform for a Viable Palestinian State, London, Routledge, 2004.
A. Arnon, I. Luski A. Spivak and J. Weinblatt: The Palestinian Economy in the West Bank and Gaza Strip: From Imposed Integration to Voluntary Separation, A book published by: E.J. Brill, Leiden, The Netherlands, 1997.
Arnon, A., A. Spivak and J. Weinblatt: "Potential For Trade between Israel, The Palestinians and Jordan", The World Economy 19, pp. 113-134, 1995.
A. Arnon and A. Spivak, eds., "Government Involvement in Immigrant Absorption", A Symposium published in: The Economic Quarterly, No. 149, pp. 298-331, September 1991 (Hebrew).
A. Spivak and J. Weinblatt, "Industrialists' Expectations in Israel" in: Studies in the Economics of Israel, 1982 (Hebrew).
A. Spivak and J. Weinblatt, "The Variability of Real Wages in Israel" in: Studies in the Economics of Israel, 1981 (Hebrew).
A. Arnon and A. Spivak: “Monetary Integration between the Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian Economies”, Weltwirschftliches Archives, Vol. 132 (2), pp.259-271, 1996.
A. Arnon, A. Spivak: “On the Introduction of a Palestinian Currency", The Middle East Business and Economic Review, Vol. 8 (1), pp.1-14, January 1996.
A. Arnon and A. Spivak: “Remarks on ‘The Protocol on Economic Relations’ between Israel and the Palestinians - the Monetary Aspect”, The Economic Quarterly, Anno 42, No.1, pp. 155-159, April 1995. (Hebrew).
A. Levy, A. Spivak: "How does the Public Perceive an Unprecedented Rise in Inflation: The Case of Inflationary Expectations in Israel", Journal of Macroeconomics, Vol.10, No. 2, pp. 273-82, spring 1988.
A. Spivak, J. Weinblatt and B.Z. Zilberfarb, "Inflation and Wage Indexation with Multiperiod Contracts", European Economic Review, Vol. 31, pp. 1299-312, 1987.
U. Litvin, L. Meridor and A. Spivak, "Inflation and the Money Supply Process in Israel", in: Bank of Israel Review, No. 62, pp. 63-79, June 1987 (Hebrew).
A. Spivak, J. Weinblatt and B.Z. Zilberfarb, "Wage Indexation and Economic Stability: An Empirical Result", Economics Letters, Vol. 17, pp. 331-3, 1985.
Carmel, E., Carmel, D., Leiser, D., & Spivak, A. (2015). Facing a biased adviser while choosing a retirement plan: the impact of financial literacy and fair disclosure. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 49(3), 576-595.
Leiser, D., Spivak, A. and E. Carmel. "Choosing Today for Tomorrow: the Insurance Agent's Influence over the Choice of Pension Savings Track." Israel Economic Review vol. 13, No. 1 (2016), 23-42.
Achdut, L. and A. Spivak. "The Pension System in Israel after 15 Years of Reforms." Van Leer Series in Economic Research, Policy Study no.8. (Hebrew).
Gavious, I., Spivak A. and Yosef, R.: "Pension reform in Israel under mandatory pension law." Pensions (2009) 14, 4–13.
Yosef, R. C. Lavon and A. Spiva2007k, . “Spotlight on Pensions: an Analysis of the Compulsory Collective Pension Agreement,” Association of Certified Public Accountants, 450(2): 115–125 (Hebrew).
Spivak, A., Yosef, R., "The Benefits of the New Pension Reform in Israel and their Influence on Pension Annuities”. Invited Paper, The Journal of Gerontology, vol. 33(1), 2006, and pp.35-65. (Hebrew).
Spivak, A., Yosef, R., "The Reform of 2003 of the Pension Plans in Israel and the Impact of the Reform on the Pension Rights ". Quarterly Economic Journal. March 2005, pp. 609-635. (Hebrew).
Spivak, A., Yosef, R., "A Requirement of Compulsory Pension Law in Israel". Iyunim Betkumat Israel, Studies in Zionism, the Yishuv and the State of Israel, vol. 14, 2005, pp, 309-429. (Hebrew).
Lavon, H., Spivak, A., Yosef, R., "The Tax and Pension Regulation Reform and Their Applications to the Pension Rights ". Invited Paper, Association of Certified Public Accountants,, Vol. 450, No. 2, pp. 115-125. (Hebrew).
Spivak A.: "The Pension Fund Reform". In: Avi Ben-Bassat (ed.) The Israeli Economy, 1985-1998, From Government intervention to Market Economics pp. 221-242, The MIT Press, Cambridge MA, 2002.
Also in: A. Ben-Bassat (ed.): The Israeli Economy 1985-1998: From Market Intervention to Market Economics, pp.257-290. (Hebrew), Am-Oved Publishers, Tel-Aviv, 2001.
E. Terkel and A. Spivak: “Towards Mandatory Pension Coverage in Israel” The Economic Quarterly 3(1), pp. 317-334, 2001.(Hebrew).
Y. Lavi and A. Spivak: “The Impact of Pension Schemes on Saving in Israel”, Applied Economics, vol. 31, pp. 761-774, 1999.
Also as: Y. Lavi and A. Spivak: “The Impact of Pension Reform on Saving and the Capital Markets in Israel: Alternative Scenarios”, The Economic Quarterly, Anno 43, No.1, pp. 202-235, 1996. (Hebrew)