Public Sector Reform Program

IDI’s program for reform in Israel’s civil service promotes a broad variety of structural changes and better policies relating to Israel’s public sector, including: strengthening public trust in government; consolidating the checks and balances that are fundamental to Israeli democracy; enhancing equal opportunity; preventing harm to underprivileged sectors of the population; improving public services; streamlining regulations and bureaucracy, and minimizing incentives for corruption.

The program promotes trust building in an efficient, effective, smart, proactive public sector.

Some of the systemic challenges for which the program’s researchers are seeking solutions include: a lack of long-term strategic planning and the erosion of accountability and coordination mechanisms, politicization and weakening of the professional senior leadership and a lack of synchronized data systems.

The program operates in congruence with the UN’s SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) on a number of systemic challenges, specifically relating to SDG16 goals that aim to build efficient, effective, responsible and inclusive institutions. 

The program focuses on four primary areas:

  1. Streamlining the processes, structure and operation of public services in central and local government.
  2. Improving the effectiveness of services provided to the general public and to the business sector.
  3. Improving inter-governmental coordination and synchronization when implementing strategic innovations.
  4. Building trust in government institutions and decision makers.
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    Adv. Rita Golstein-Galperin

    Head

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    RitaG@idi.org.il

    Rita is a senior practitioner in the fields of public policy and innovation, she joined the Institute after holding a variety of senior positions in the public service. Rita founded the Israel's Economic Attaché delegation to the OECD in Paris and led of the exclusive training program, "Civil Service Cadets ".
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    Dr. Assaf Shapira

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    assafs@idi.org.il

    Assaf Shapira received a PhD in Political Science from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was a post-doctoral fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute for International Relations at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and at the Centre d’études européennes (Center for European Studies) at the Sciences po (Paris).

    His research largely focuses on political representation, political parties, the role of money in politics, and reforms in Israel's public service.

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    Dr. Ariel Finkelstein

    Researcher

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    ArielF@idi.org.il

    Dr. Ariel Finkelstein holds s bachelor's degree from the Integrated Program for Philosophy, Economics and Political Science at Hebrew University, and a Master's degree in Public Policy, with a specialization in local government administration and management from Haifa University, as part of the Ministry of Local Government's "Cadets for Local Government" program.

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    Shahar Livne

    Research Assistant

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    Shahar holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master's degree in Emergency and Disaster Management from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, both with exceptional distinction. Currently, she is pursuing a doctoral degree in Health Systems Management at the same university, focusing on readiness and coping with the climate crisis in resource-scarce environments as part of an international team.

    She has experience in policy research, evaluation and measurement, and strategic planning from various research institutes in Israel and from service in public sector. She is skilled in designing and editing interdisciplinary research and conducting mixed-methods studies, as well as facilitating public engagement processes with diverse audiences.

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    Maayan Sacher Pelleg

    Research Assistant

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    maayanp@idi.org.il

    Maayan is a policy researcher with management experience in organizations focused on human rights advocacy, economic justice, and social impact innovation. Prior to joining the Institute, Maayan served as an account manager at a social impact incubator, a disability case manager, braille teacher, and a researcher at international organizations, including the UN and the OECD. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Columbia University as an International Fellow grantee and obtained her Bachelor’s degree (BA) in Anthropology and Political Science from the University of Pennsylvania as a Civic Scholar.

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    Ofir Mohaban

    Research Assistant

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    ofirm@idi.org.il

    Holds a Bachelor’s in PPE (Philosophy, Political Science and Economics) and the Amirim Interdisciplinary Honors Program in the Humanities from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

    Worked as a research assistant for several political science researchers in Israel and abroad. Assisted in research projects about analyzing levels of nationalism and populism in the UK and US, ranking levels of populism and nationalism in past speeches given by Israeli prime ministers, and the effects of gender biases on violence against women in the US.

    Also assisted Dr. Elyakim Cislev from the Federmann School of Public Policy and Governance in the Hebrew University with the analysis of responses given by the elderly in Israel to a survey on the government’s responsive policy towards senior citizens following the events of the 7th of October, 2023.

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