Welfare

Welfare System Performance During the War and Policy Proposals

The full research is available in Hebrew only. With the approach of the one-year anniversary of the October 7 War,...

Who Provides Welfare and Education Services? Local Spending on Welfare and Education in Israel

Local elections are just around the corner, prompting the release of a new study by the Taub Center which analyzes...

The Welfare System During a Period of Dramatic Political Change

Since the end of the COVID-19 crisis, political changes in Israel have significantly impacted the welfare sector, leading to notable...

The October War and Its Impact on Israel’s Society and Economy

In this chapter, Taub Center researchers review the impact of the October 7th war on each of the Center's policy...

Nutrition Insecurity in Israel: Are Food Vouchers the Solution?

Some 16% of families in Israel suffer from food  insecurity and 21% of the population live below the poverty line...

Israel’s Social Welfare System After the COVID-19 Crisis: An Overview

Executive Summary During the pandemic, social expenditure in Israel hit a high of more than 20% of GDP. In 2021,...

The Social Welfare System in Transition: An Overview

Key findings: In 2020, Israeli social expenditure grew by NIS 55 billion, mainly due to the need to address the...

A Sociodemographic Profile of the South

This study focuses on changes in the sociodemographic and economic profile of Israel’s Southern District, which broadly includes the Negev....

Looking forward: How we move ahead a year after the coronavirus crisis struck Israel

In these early months of 2021, Israel has been both evaluating the scope of the losses experienced during this unprecedented...

In the Wake of COVID-19 – Important Questions for Israel in 2021 and Beyond

Taub Center researchers have mapped out challenges and opportunities expected in the coming years in the fields of macroeconomics, the...

Investing in the future – Israel’s approach to social welfare

In the past decade, welfare state scholars have begun to distinguish between welfare programs providing “social protection” (e.g., income support...

The Welfare System: An Overview

Despite the persistent severity of social problems facing Israel over the past two years, including high rates of poverty and...

Why are there so many children in Israel?

Fertility in Israel stands at 3.1 children per woman – the highest fertility rate in the OECD, and almost one...

Executive Summary: Welfare Nonprofits in Israel – A Comprehensive Overview

Civil society organizations (or nonprofit organizations) are playing a growing role in the field of welfare in Israel. In 2016,...

Executive Summary: The Income-Expenditure Gap and Household Debt in Israel

How do Israeli households sink into debt? Given the difficulty of assessing actual debt due to data limitations, the gap...

Israel’s Social Welfare System: An Overview

Data on Israeli social welfare spending in recent years, and decisions by the government and its ministries on issues relating...

Welfare Nonprofits in Israel: A Comprehensive Overview

Executive Summary Civil society organizations (or nonprofit organizations) are playing a growing role in the field of welfare in Israel....

Mapped out: welfare nonprofits in Israel

Civil society organizations (nonprofits) play a major and growing role in the provision of welfare services in Israel. Organizations active...

Socioeconomics in Israel at a glance: what is the picture of the nation?

The Taub Center’s A Picture of the Nation 2018, generously supported by the Koret Foundation, presents a complex picture of...

The places that need welfare funding the most are getting the least

In Israel, local authorities are primarily responsible for providing the welfare services needed by individuals, families, and communities. Social workers...

The Income-Expenditure Gap and Household Debt in Israel

Executive Summary This study analyzes the gap between Israeli household income and expenditure, and examines this gap alongside characteristics such...

Developments in Israeli Social Welfare Policy

The full chapter can be accessed using the link on the right.   Israeli social welfare policy, as reflected in social spending...

Social Service Budgeting in Israeli Local Authorities

Welfare services in the local authorities are budgeted according to the “matching” method: for every shekel invested by the local...

Does more competition make social services better? Outsourcing by the Ministry of Labor and Welfare

The privatization of social welfare services in Israel has been an on-going process since the 1980s, and has not been...

“The War Against Poverty” – Where do things stand?

In 2014, the Committee to Fight Poverty in Israel (the Elalouf Committee) presented a detailed list of recommendations to cut...

Introduction: Developments in the Social Welfare Field

Social welfare and social security issues have not been at the center of the Israeli government’s agenda in the last...

Public Spending on Social Welfare

This chapter surveys developments in government welfare services over the past fifteen years. Israeli public spending on welfare services –...

Poverty and Inequality in Israel: Trends and Decompositions

This study examines the trends in inequality and poverty rates between 2002 and 2014. Most of the analyses relate to...

The Outsourcing of Welfare Services: Trends and Changes

The privatization of social welfare services is a process that has been on-going since the 1980s. This chapter sheds light...

Implementation of the Elalouf Committee Recommendations

The Committee for the War Against Poverty in Israel (the Elalouf Committee) was established in November 2013 at the initiative...

A helping hand: social welfare spending in Israel

Government social welfare expenditures in Israel come in two forms: first, through cash transfers intended to ensure the social security...

Child Development Accounts in Israel: Background and Review of Options

Welfare states have in recent years emphasized social investment as a major focus of their activity. Using a variety of...

The Young Unemployed and Unemployment Benefits in Israel

Unemployment insurance is intended to help those who are temporarily unemployed to maintain their standard of living while encouraging them...

Poverty and Inequality in Israel: An International Perspective

This chapter examines the rates of poverty and inequality in Israel over time and in comparison with other OECD countries....

Social Welfare Expenditure

This chapter surveys developments in government allocations for social welfare since the beginning of the millennium, with an emphasis on...

The Economic Condition of the Elderly Population in Israel

The population of the West is constantly aging. This trend is linked to poverty and inequality, since most elderly no...

Welfare Budgets for Israel’s Elderly Population

The review points to an increase in the allowances provided by the National Insurance Institute and the success of these...

Poverty Within the Elderly Population in Israel

While there has been an increase in poverty among the general population, the findings point to a decline in poverty...

Social Expenditure Tables

This section of the State of the Nation Report contains data tables aggregated by the Taub Center on final budget...

Patterns of Expenditure on Food in Israel

This chapter attempts to define the normative per capita expenditure on food in Israel; the normative expenditure refers to one...

Gaping Gaps: Income Inequality in Israel

A study by Taub Center Executive Director, Prof. Dan-Ben David, and Taub Center researcher Haim Bleikh in the State of the...

Family Structure and Well-Being Across Israel’s Diverse Population

Some of the Brief’s highlights include: Israel has the highest birth rates in the developed world (3.0 children per woman...

Material Hardship in Israel

The study, based on the Central Bureau of Statistics Social Survey data, reveals that a large number of Israelis experience...

Behind Israel’s Middle Class Protest – Not Just a Gut Feeling

Spontaneous protests over economic conditions usually break out among disadvantaged populations, as occurred in Israel with the “Black Panther” riots...

The Privatization of Social Services in Israel: Considerations and Concerns

 This chapter examines whether the statistical data supports this concern. The picture of the scope of social services that have...

The Cost of Social Welfare: Israel in Comparative Perspective

Compared to the five Western European countries included in this research, Israel’s public social expenditure is low, and in most...

Working and Poor

The poverty rate among Israel’s working population is high and trending upward; working families currently account for most of Israel’s...

A Work in Process or a Much Needed Change? Regulation in the Personal Welfare Services in Israel

The current study examines the regulatory patterns of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services. The findings show that...

Making Fathers Care – Parental Leave for Fathers in Israel – Policy Recommendations

This program has become a failure. Through a survey of comparative analysis of the policy regarding such leave in other...

Trends in Welfare Benefits and Services

In the area of welfare benefits and services, 2009 was a year of changing trends alongside the creation of a...

A Demographic Look Ahead at Israel

In 1960, 15 percent of all primary school pupils were enrolled in either the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) or in the Israeli...

Personal Social Services

The expenditure for personal social services provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services and many non-governmental entities...

The Social Security System

This system focuses on providing allocations to varied population groups. Despite the growth in parts of the system’s components in...

Local Social Services and Escalating Poverty: Practice, Perceptions and Expectations

This research focuses on identifying the way that department heads perceive the issue of poverty, the ways in which they...

Access to Social Justice in Israel

Access to justice and to resources is crucial in insuring that individuals and groups realize their fundamental human rights.  Despite...

Government Expenditure on Social Services – 2008

The last three years were characterized by impressive economic expansion, following on the heels of a slowdown during the period...

The 2008 Social Survey

As in previous years, this year’s survey included several questions that were phrased identically to those of earlier surveys; this...

Summary of Findings – Israel’s Social Services 2008

The following policy areas are reviewed: Economic Developments; Employment, Unemployment and Wages; Government Expenditure on Social Services; The Education System;...

A Strategy for Narrowing Social and Economic Gaps

The Task Force was a joint effort of the Taub Center and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services...

Protecting Mortgage Holders

Until recently, this has been a rare phenomenon in Israeli society and appropriate methods for dealing with this have not...

Personal Social Services – 2007

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, and the municipal welfare departments, are responsible for developing the services, determining...

The Social Security System – 2007

These programs offer a safety net for individuals and families in the case of lack of work related income or...

The 2007 Social Survey

This year, as every year, several questions were repeated with identical phrasing in order to allow an analysis of trends...

Policy Guidelines for the Elderly in Israel

Demographic and social developments among the elderly are also presented as background for the discussion of issues of work and...

Personal Social Services – 2005

The challenge these services face is complex. The proportion of households, children, and elderly under the poverty line has been...

Immigrant Integration in the Social Security System

The social welfare system is intended to insure a minimum standard of living for all members of society and particularly for...

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Formulating Welfare Policy in Israel, 2000-2005

Among the principle factors were: the political ideological changes in the years 2000-2005; the radical change in the welfare system;...

Partial Privatization of the Personal Social Services

This is not a new phenomenon. Privatization has been happening at different levels and at different rates in many service...

Privatizing Public Housing: A Change or a Continuation of Housing Policy

Since then, the number of apartments in public housing has declined rapidly. In the year 2006, it was estimated that...

Reform in Immigrant Integration: The Move from Institutional Absorption to Direct Integration into the Community

New immigrants began what was called a "direct integration track" into the community. More than one million immigrants were dealt...

Policy Towards Persons with Disabilities: From Social Legislation to Legislating Rights

In general, policy and legislation can be divided into three main periods: From the establishment of the State until the...

A Turnaround in Children’s Rights and Social Services for Children

This process and the public, societal and legal support for it, is indicative of a more general support for human...

Personal Social Services – 2006

The Ministry of Social Affairs and the local welfare departments are responsible for developing the services, determining their contents, and...

The Social Security System – 2006

The system encompasses a lengthy series of programs, most run by the National Insurance Institute and administered by various government...

The 2006 Social Survey

The survey, based on a public opinion poll, illuminates the Israeli public’s sense of well-being and social confidence as well...

Rights of the Elderly

The rate of increase of those over age 75 is even faster.  At the same time, the natural population growth...

Efficiency and Quality in Old-Age Nursing Homes: non- versus For-Profit Facilities

Policy recommendations regarding the government's role in regulating this service are offered. This paper is in Hebrew only....

The 2005 Social Survey

Survey questions also examine social policy issues and reflect the public’s value preferences in regard to several matters on the...

Transfer Payments – The National Insurance Benefits – 2005

They are administered largely in the form of financial support that recipients may use in accordance with their needs and...

Teaching Social Policy: A Conceptual Framework

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Employment, Unemployment and Welfare Policy

This new work world is characterized by globalization of the workforce, rapid change due to many and varied processes, as...

Summary of Findings – Israel’s Social Services 2004

Main findings are presented in the following areas: Economic Developments and Government Expenditure; Education; Health Care; Personal Social Services; Transfer...

The 2004 Social Survey

The survey complements our analysis of allocations for the social services by illuminating the opinions of the service recipients —...

Transfer Payments – The National Insurance System – 2004

Decisions about National Insurance benefits and their position in Israel’s overall social welfare fabric, as well as the issue of...

Personal Social Services – 2004

The focus is on three main elements:  the extent of financial resources available for personal social services; the legislative infrastructure...

Personal Social Services – 2003

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Summary of Findings – Israel’s Social Services 2003

Findings in the following areas are presented: Government Expenditure; Education System; Health Services; Personal Social Services. This is a part...

The 2003 Social Services Survey

The survey is a complementary tool to those used by the Center to analyze resource allocation for social services by...

Personal Social Services – 2003

...

Local Leadership Leading to Change – Another Way Is Possible: Success in Local Authorities

At the base of this work stands the question of the socioeconomic advancement of communities from a different perspective. That...

The National Insurance System – 2002

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Personal Social Services – 2002

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Summary of Findings – Israel’s Social Services 2001-2002

The following areas are summarized: The State of the Economy and Its Budgetary Ramifications; Developments in the Scope and Use...

Welfare Services Survey – 2000

This paper appears in Hebrew only....

Society’s Health – Selected Indicators – 2000

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Personal Social Services – 2000

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Compensation and Assistance for Victims of Violent Crime

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Pluralism and Homogeneity in Israel’s Social Services

This publication is in Hebrew only....

A Decade of Implementing the Long-Term Care Insurance Law – Implications and Lessons

This paper appears in Hebrew only....

Action Plan – Personal Social Services

Their main challenges are to make meaningful contact with population groups in need, to provide them with services tailored to...

Personal Social Services – 1999-2000

The total expenditure does not reflect the full extent of resources pledged to the personal social services; these services have...

Gender Equality in the Israeli Welfare State

This paper is in Hebrew only....

Personal Social Services – 1998-99

These services serve the most vulnerable groups in Israeli society, such as children at risk, disabled or needy elderly, teenagers...

Personal Social Services – 1997

This publication is available in Hebrew only....

Government Expenditure on Social Services – 1997

This publication is available in Hebrew only....

Social Expenditure and Its Composition – 1997

This publication is available in Hebrew only....

Government Expenditure for Social Services – 1996

this report analyzes government expenditure for social services in 1996 and the planned budget for 1997. The analysis also looks...

Economic Inequality

This paper looks at economic inequality, its measure and its meaning. This paper appears as a chapter in the Center's...

The Equality Dimension in the Activity of the Personal Social Services

In an examination of the issue of equality in the policies and activities of the personal social services, four main...

Bequething of Economic Assets – Home Ownership

It is part of a more extensive study based on a comprehensive survey, in which 1,600 people were chosen randomly...

Government Expenditure on Social Services 1994-1995

This report analyzes actual government outlays for social services in 1994 and the budget for 1995. The findings are analyzed...

Israel Towards the Twenty First Century – Social Report

The overarching examples of change looked at here in education, health, and income maintenance point to the emergence of new...

Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union – Between Separatism and Integration

This publication is in Hebrew only and is available upon request....

Development of Personal Social Services: Processes and Trends in the 1980s and the Early 1990s

This publication is available upon request and is in Hebrew only....

Social Indicators: Changes and Implications

This study is the "first installment" of a comprehensive report that will be included in the Center's annual publication, complementing...

Government Social Expenditure 1992-1993

The various sections in this review examine developments in the Israeli economy in the early 1990s with emphasis on 1992...

Demographic Changes in Israel in the Early 1990s

This publication appears as a chapter in the Center's annual publication, Israel's Social Services 1992-1992, and is available upon request....

Welfare Profile of major Israeli Cities: Population, Immigration and Resources

This publication appears as a chapter in the Center's annual publication, Israel's Social Services 1992-1993 and is available upon request....

Population, Resources and Welfare

This publication is available by request and is in Hebrew only....

Intra-Generational Income Transfers in Old-Age Insurance

This publication is available upon request and is in Hebrew only....

Integration of Immigrants, Demographic Trends, and Deployment of Services in the Southern District

This publication is in Hebrew only and is available upon request....

1988-1989 Government Expenditure on Social Services

These fields are surveyed as they stand at present and are compared with corresponding magnitudes in the past, with special...

Basic Commodity Subsidies and Income Distribution

Subsidization of basic foodstuffs and public transport is an important element in the phalanx of systems meant to narrow income...

Fiscal Welfare Issues in Anticipation of Direct-Tax Reform

This paper gives thoughtful recommendations to taxation reform in Israel. This paper is in Hebrew only and is available upon...

New Models for Aliya and Absorption

A short version of this paper appears as a chapter in the Center's annual publication, Israel's Social Services 1987-1988.  The...

Trends in the Income-Maintenance System

This paper appears as a chapter in the Center's annual publication, Israel's Social Services 1987-1988. This publication did not appear in...

Government Social Spending in the 1980s

This paper appears as a chapter in the Center's annual publication, Israel's Social Services 1987-1988. This year it did not...

The Jewish Agency Department of Immigration and Absorption: Options for Change 1987

This study sought to identify central or strategic issues in the operation of the Department of Immigration and Absorption, which,...

Government Expenditure – Structure, Target Population, and Forecast of Needs

There is no doubt, however, that deliberations on the annual budget ought to be guided by multi-year considerations and anticipated...

Social Service Expenditure in 1986/87: Where Do We Go From Here?

One of the most troubling findings in the study of Israel's social situation today may be the perceptible slack in...

Social Policy Toward Families of Working Parents with Preschool Children

The proposals are mostly built with a view not to exceed the present costs of the maternity allowance program, thus...

Lessons from the Analysis of Social Expenditure

Most of this report is addressed to government activity in these fields, because of our special interest in government social...

Social Services in Israel 1986-87

It draws on selected studies undertaken by the Center's researchers, as well as deliberations with other policy experts from academia,...

Israel’s Social Services 1985-86

It points to the current need for finding ways of trimming and containing public expenditure for human services by a...

Distribution of Family Income and Taxes

This study summarizes the first stage of research and surveys the current situation and examines income and tax distribution from...

Government Expenditure on Social Services – 1985

The centerpiece of economic policy at the time was the first so-called "package deal," an accord between the government, the...

Fiscal Policy

It has become a major factor in the planning of wage and price policy, as well as what is known...

The Non-Profit Sector and Volunteering

Alongside these two sectors there has been a broad and varied group of organizations operating without the aim of earning...

Integration of Assistance Programs for the Young

Israeli society accepts its obligation to extend the necessary support - the current programs designed to meet this need receive...

Social Implications of Subsidies on Necessities

As a consequence, subsidies on necessities are an efficient instrument reducing the economic burden on poor families in Israel. This...

Social Services in the Eighties – A Turning Point?

The deepening economic crisis has cast major doubts on the government's ability to persist in expanding its budget faster than...

Government Outlays on Social Services – 1984

To understand what happened in 1983 and 1984, however, requires a larger canvas. Consequently, we are presenting the data for...