Jailing Debtors

Author: Taub Center Experts, published under Economics
a27 May 2013

This position paper by Dr. Asher Meir preceded the discussion in the Knesset of imprisonment of debtors. It calls for a complete abolition of the practice of imprisoning debtors with “normal” levels of debt.

The Start-Up Nation’s Threat from Within

Author: Dan Ben-David, published under Discussion Papers & Economics
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

Three main vantage points are brought together in this chapter: (1) Israel’s relatively good economic performance in recent years – at least, in comparison with other Western countries that have still not emerged from the recession; (2) motivations for the wave of social protests that erupted in Israel in the summer of 2011, and; (3) the big picture, which is the primary one, incorporating the first two vantage points with additional issues, and framing them within long-run and international contexts.

A Macro Perspective of the Economy and Society in Israel

Author: Eran Yashiv, published under Discussion Papers & Economics
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

This chapter surveys macroeconomic developments in Israel during 2011 and discusses the difference between cyclical/temporary problems and structural problems. It also takes an in-depth look at possible solutions to the economy’s structural problems.

The Impact of the Expected Tax Rate Changes on the Middle Class

Authors: Ayal Kimhi, Kyrill Shraberman, published under Discussion Papers & Economics
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

In light of the current budget situation, the Israeli government decided to raise the VAT by 1 percent as of September 2012, and to impose higher income tax rates and National Insurance payments on higher-earning Israelis starting in 2013. This paper examines the impact of this decision on the different strata of Israeli society.

The land of (expensive) milk and honey

a28 Dec 2011

A summer of protests – high prices, low incomes, and a growing realization of what is only the tip of the socioeconomic iceberg.

Implementation of the Compulsory Education Law for Ages 3-4: Challenges and Recommendations

Authors: Nachum Blass, Haim Bleikh, published under Discussion Papers & Education
Policy Program Paper
a11 Mar 2013

Amongst the many recommendations of the Trajtenberg Committee, the central one in the field of education was a call for the immediate implementation of the Compulsory Education Law for ages 3-4.  The work presents some suggestions that could reduce the expected costs significantly, as well as initial data on the implementation of the law thus far.

Trends in the Development of the Educational System

Author: Nachum Blass, published under Discussion Papers & Education
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

The tracking of the educational system’s development in this chapter places special emphasis on the demographic changes taking place in the system and the relative shares of its components.

A Vision and Set of Recommendations for the Israeli Education System

Authors: Carmel Blank, Yossi Shavit, Nachum Blass, published under Discussion Papers & Education
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

Following the social protest movement of the summer of 2011, several focus groups came together with the aim of formulating concrete demands and recommendations for socioeconomic policy changes.  This chapter relates to “protest documents” that were formulated by four groups and focus on their recommendations in the area of education.

Compensation Incentives to Boost Teacher Productivity

Author: Adam Gamoran, published under Discussion Papers & Education
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

Three rigorous studies of compensation incentives in the US indicate that paying higher salaries to more effective teachers does not lead to higher overall levels of student achievement.  The results were similar whether incentives were provided to individual teachers, or on a school-wide basis.  One interpretation of the findings is that teachers were motivated to improve performance, but lacked the tools to do so.  Other teacher quality initiatives should be evaluated with the same rigor as has been applied to the compensation reforms.

Teacher Quality: Literature Review and Policy Directions

Authors: Yael Navon, Yossi Shavit, published under Discussion Papers & Education
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

Research indicates the importance of teachers in impacting their pupils’ achievements.  However, the specific teacher characteristics that affect achievements are not known.  Thus, it is unclear how to improve the quality of teachers.

Israel’s Healthcare System

Authors: Dov Chernichovsky, Eitan Regev, published under Discussion Papers & Health
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

The recently resolved labor dispute between Israeli physicians and the state cast a shadow on the Israeli healthcare system’s achievements of the past two years: the dental care reform, the reduced copayment burden, and other easing of the financial burden, e.g., the elimination of the Tipat Halav fee.  Manpower increases were recently authorized for the system, and access to healthcare in Israel’s periphery is expanding.  Some of these measures represent promises to the public which, hopefully, the government will be able to keep.  These changes do not, however, have the power to bring about structural change in terms of financing, organizing or managing the system.

Israel’s Healthcare System

Author: Dov Chernichovsky, published under Health
Policy Program Paper
a2 Oct 2011

This appears as a chapter in the Center’s annual publication State of the Nation Report – Society, Economy and Policy 2010.

Changes in Healthcare System Allocation to Promote Equality Between the Center and the Periphery. Is It for Real?

Author: Dov Chernichovsky, published under Health
Policy Program Paper
a16 Mar 2011

From the beginning of the year the healthcare system has been implementing a new capitation formula that is intended to narrow the large gaps between the Center and the periphery and bring about changes to the advantage of the periphery. Unfortunately, the implementation will not bring the desired change primarily because it does not into consideration the representation of the sick funds in the periphery, their ability to compete, and their ability to move resources from the Center to the periphery while expanding their services.

A “Malignant Growth” in the Share of Private Expenditure for Healthcare and Its Price

Authors: Dov Chernichovsky, Guy Navon, Ronni Gamzu, published under Health
Policy Program Paper
a25 Jul 2010

The achievements of the Israeli healthcare system have been exposed in the past decade to an increasing risk following the steady decrease in the share of public funding of the system, and a corresponding rise in the share of private funding.

Dental Health: The Burden on Households – Implications for National Health Insurance

Authors: Guy Navon, Dov Chernichovsky, published under Health
a30 May 2010

The study recommends a process for including dental health care in National Health Insurance, with the required budgetary back-up that will be required. This process is likely to bring real relief in the medium and long-range in terms of an improvement in dental health in Israel and a savings in national expenditure for dental health.

Labor Market Trends: Employment Rate and Wage Disparities

Author: Ayal Kimhi, published under Discussion Papers & Labor Studies
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

Israel is characterized by exceptionally low employment rates of men and by high wage gaps amongst the working population. The conclusion is that employment gaps and wage gaps in Israel are, to a large degree, correlated with education.  The skills that workers with no more than 12 years of schooling have do not allow them to integrate in a satisfactory way into the modern labor market.

Changes in Labor Force Survey Data and Their Meaning

Author: Eran Yashiv, published under Discussion Papers & Labor Studies
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

In 2012, the Central Bureau of Statistics began to conduct its labor force surveys in a new way: the central differences were major changes in the sampling and a move from a quarterly to a monthly survey.  The change brought about some significant differences in the data.

Reforming Foreign Worker Employment in Israel

Author: Yoram Ida, published under Discussion Papers & Labor Studies
Policy Program Paper
a3 Dec 2012

In 2005, comprehensive reforms were instituted regarding the employment of foreign workers in the construction sector, in whose framework the Restrictive Employment Arrangement was repealed and an alternative system was implemented, referred to as the Corporations Arrangement. This study examines the effects of this change and makes recommendations regarding extending this arrangement to other sectors where foreign workers are employed.

Income Inequality Between and Within Population Groups in Israel: 1997-2010

Authors: Ayal Kimhi, Michal Shafir-Tidhar, published under Labor Studies
a18 Sep 2012

Decomposition of income inequality in Israel by population sub-groups shows that neither the level of inequality nor its increase over the years can be explained by gaps in average income between population sub-groups.

Employment patterns differ between generations, and depend on gender and education

a28 Dec 2011

The employment behavior of Israeli men and women born in different decades has changed from each generation to the next  – with differences in education levels the key divider between groups.

The Water Economy of Israel

Author: Yoav Kislev, published under Discussion Papers & Other
Policy Program Paper
a22 May 2012

In the future, the tasks of the water economy in Israel will be even more difficult than they are at present; hence the importance of examining the structure of the water economy and its suitability for the job and especially the strengthening of public participation in its on-going activities.

Government Expenditure in the Water Economy: Final Expenditure and Adjusted Budget

Authors: Yoav Kislev, Yulia Cogan, published under Discussion Papers & Other
a11 Jan 2012

This paper is a follow-up to The State Budget in the Water Economy in the Last Decade (Research Paper No. 11-01).

In Hebrew only.

The 2010 Social Survey

Authors: Dalit Nachshon-Sharon, Nachum Blass, published under Other
Policy Program Paper
a2 Oct 2011

This appears as a chapter in the Center’s annual publication State of the Nation Report – Society, Economy and Policy 2010.

The State Budget in the Water Economy in the Last Decade

Authors: Yoav Kislev, Yulia Cogan, published under Discussion Papers & Other
a24 Aug 2011

In the past the government subsidized water prices, particularly prices to agriculture. Recently all costs of the major suppliers – Mekorot and the urban corporations – have been covered by the payments of water users; but the state is still allocating significant sums to the water economy. In the last decade the lion’s share was allocated to supporting investment in sewage systems and recycling facilities. The budgets allocated to urban corporations and local authorities have also increased substantially. Recent developments indicate that the government will have to continue its budgetary support of the water economy in the coming years and that it can be expected that the regulatory aspects of the budget will grow in complexity.
In Hebrew

Transporation Mobility and Its Influence on Accessibility in Israel

Authors: Yoram Ida, Gal Talit, published under Other
Policy Program Paper
a17 Oct 2010

The researchers call for a change in public policy that gives preference to private vehicle users over public transportation users. Ultimately, the current policy is harmful to economic efficiency and increases the inequality in society.

The Economic Background of the Social Protest of Summer 2011

Author: Michael Shalev, published under Discussion Papers & Economics & Social Welfare & Social Welfare
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

The social protest of summer 2011 was largely one of younger Israeli-born Jews.  The centrality of this group in the protests may be explained by trends in their socioeconomic position.  Analysis of the period between 1995 and 2010 shows that in the five years prior to the summer of 2011, the income of the typical working family headed by a young Israeli-born Jew, relative to all Israeli households, declined to unprecedented levels.

The Cost of Social Welfare: Israel in Comparative Perspective

Authors: Michael Shalev, Sagit Azary-Viesel, Johnny Gal, published under Discussion Papers & Social Welfare
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

Data collected by the OECD make it possible to compare the share of national resources devoted to social welfare (including health and housing) in Israel with other advanced economies from 1995-2007.  Compared to the five Western European countries included in this research, Israel’s public social expenditure is low, and in most areas except health, it is similar to the United States.  The Israeli government spends relatively little in areas which have the potential for improving the long-term economic well-being of citizens: active labor market policies, housing and support for families with children.

The Privatization of Social Services in Israel: Considerations and Concerns

Author: Reuben Gronau, published under Discussion Papers & Social Welfare
Policy Program Paper
a11 Dec 2012

Privatization of social services has become one of the most controversial issues in socioeconomic discourse in Israel. This chapter examines whether the statistical data supports this concern. The picture of the scope of social services that have been transferred is unclear: in the past decade there has been no significant change in the transfers from the government to the local authorities, the non-profits and the business sector, or in the relative contribution of public bodies involved in the provision of services.

The land of (expensive) milk and honey

a28 Dec 2011

A summer of protests – high prices, low incomes, and a growing realization of what is only the tip of the socioeconomic iceberg.

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

Authors: Lihi Lahat, Gal Talit, published under Social Welfare
Policy Program Paper
a26 Oct 2011

Personal welfare services in Israel, like in many other Western countries, are provided through a variety of organizations from different sectors. The current study examines the regulatory patterns of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services.