Policy Programs

The Policy Programs are the backbone of the Taub Center’s policy research studies, providing direction and analysis of work and policy papers.  Policy Fellows include leading academics and professionals with extensive policy-making experience.

Economic

The underlying determinants of poverty and income inequality are inexorably related to the country’s rates of economic growth.  The Economic Policy Program examines these issues from both long-run and short-run perspectives as well as from an international focus, separating between business cycle issues and factors that determine the placement and slopes of Israel’s long-run trajectories.

Education

Education is Israel’s primary national infrastructure.  As a primary factor in providing equal opportunities for full realization of individual abilities, it is vitally important to understand which policies work and which do not.  The Education Policy Program concentrates on these issues while examining achievements, budgets, regional and ethnic characteristics, and a host of other related issues.

Health

Examination of Israel’s health system over time and in comparison with other health systems abroad is essential for making better use of existing health care resources.  The Health Policy Program focuses on various facets of the system, including differences in the accessibility of health care and coverage, costs, and the supply of health care professionals.

Labor

Issues of employment and compensation are the focus of the Labor Policy Program.  The goal is to examine and suggest ways for improving the functioning of labor markets, encouraging employment and promote adequate remuneration through incentives and support systems.  Topics include labor force participation, unemployment and hours worked, job creation and destruction, occupational choice, wage determination and earnings inequality, human capital and mobility, minimum wage, foreign workers, gender and minorities, pensions and retirement.

Social Welfare

Israel’s social welfare system provides an array of social services and benefits for the nation’s weakest population groups.  The Social Welfare Policy Program analyzes the availability, accessibility and the extent of coverage of various programs as well as the degree that these programs are understood and utilized by the intended recipients.