This is the twenty-second volume in the Resource Allocation for Social Services series, which has been published ever since the Center was established a quarter of a century ago.
The Israeli economy has been expanding rapidly for several years, and the accepted estimates for this year point to continued strong growth by the standards of developed European countries. The social services provide a less encouraging picture. Israeli society has faced difficult challenges in its history and has stood up to some of them with considerable success, but some of its basic problems remain unsolved. Foremost among them are income polarization and a high incidence of poverty – meaning that not all Israelis are benefiting form current or past economic growth.
The Report that follows reviews Israel’s main social systems and discusses their development and trends in recent years.