economy

Press Release | IDI Eli Hurvitz Conference 2025 | May 28

Press Release | IDI Eli Hurvitz Conference 2025 | May 27, Afternoon Session

Press Release | IDI Eli Hurvitz Conference 2025 | May 27, Morning Sessions

This study was released ahead of the Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society 2025.

This research was released ahead of the Israel Democracy Institute's annual Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society, 2025.

This survey is the second in series taken since the outbreak of the Iron Swords War assessing the financial impact of the war on the Israeli workforce. 

The recently proposed bill runs counter to accepted budgeting principles and undermines the autonomy of local governance. 

 A survey of daycare subsidies in Israel and recommendations for improved criteria that would encourage participation in the labor market among the ultra-Orthodox. 

It is increasingly clear that Israel’s future depends on the forging of two coalitions. One is a multinational alliance determined to turn the Palestinian issue from a driver of conflict into an engine of peace. The other, is an internal Israeli coalition ready to pursue a series of bold social, economic, and political reforms.

This study describes the employment trends among men registered in ultra-Orthodox yeshivas between the ages of 18-25. The findings are based on a reported work, or "legal work," so it is very likely that this is an underestimation of reality. 

Technological advancements, rapid globalization, and structural changes in the Israeli economy over the past few decades have led to significant shifts in the demand for workers and in the tasks required of them, as well as in the characteristics of their skills and qualifications. This study offers insights on these questions using a variety of data sources and by employing two distinct empirical approaches.

In May 2023, the Knesset approved a two-year state budget for 2023–2024. However, following the outbreak of the war in Gaza and the accompanying conflict in the north, the budget's composition, safety cushions, and especially the priorities it reflects are no longer suited to Israel’s economic and geopolitical realities.

Debilitating the judicial system would deal a blow to overseas investors’ motivation to invest in Israel and lead to a sharp drop in its credit rating. We need only look at the precedents of Turkey, Hungary, and Poland, to understand just how serious the threat is.

The UN Human Rights Council published a database of Israeli and international companies operating in the West Bank - what are the ramifications and possible outcomes?

The Israel Democracy Institute Names Former Bank of Israel Governor Karnit Flug William Davidson Fellow - new partnership will focus on ensuring Israel’s continued economic vitality.

Prof. Karnit Flug, Vice President of IDI and Former Governor of the Bank of Israel spoke at the 2019 Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society: “With no government in place, the ability to make economy-related decisions is impaired. In the current situation, what is done depends entirely on what the Knesset Finance Committee is prepared to do."

Benny Gantz, Chair of the Blue and White party and former IDF Chief of Staff spoke at the 2019 Eli Hurvitz Conference: "Government ministers bicker daily with the professional echelon - a situation that harms Israelis"

Yohanan Plesner, President of the Israel Democracy Institute and Prof. Eugene Kandel, CEO Start-Up Nation Central, open the two day conference, welcoming senior executives from the public and private sectors. 

Excerpts from the presentation of Prof. Karnit Flug, IDI’s newly appointed Vice President, at the ‘Globes’ Governors Conference”

Israel improved by five spots over last year in the index of 190 countries. In first place is New Zealand, followed by Singapore, Denmark, Hong Kong, and South Korea. The Ease of Doing Business Index is an international indicator of how easy it is to do business in various countries.

Guaranteeing an independent Supreme Court. Integrating the Ultra-Orthodox into the IDF. Boosting participation of Arab women in the workforce. Improving the ease of doing business in Israel. These are some of the challenges facing IDI’s new cadre of program and center directors.

On the occasion of this year’s Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society (June 19-20) the Israel Democracy Institute published a special survey to assess public opinion on Israel’s economic future.

Israel suffers from a shortage of skilled workers in manufacturing industries and hi-tech and an overflow of the service sector; priorities in the allocation of public resources for the training of human capital must be changed to better fit the needs of the economy.

The number of vacation days in Israel is among the lowest in the world. Research by Prof. Yotam Margalit presents a new model which will ensure a minimum of 18 vacation days for each worker.

Survey to serve as backdrop for discussion at Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society – June 19 and 20

In a dynamic labor market, challenged by technological disruption and increasing longevity, flexibility is key.

srael's GDP is 40 percent lower than that of the U.S. and its level of productivity is 33% less than most OECD countries, according to a presentation by Dr. Karnit Flug, governor of the Bank of Israel.

As the Israel Democracy Institute's annual Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society kicks off today in Jerusalem, IDI's Guttman Center for Public Opinion and Policy Research sheds new light on Israeli socioeconomic discourse.

Israel Democracy Institute's leading economic conference will focus on integrating innovation into the government, actuarial crisis,
and role of business press, among other topics

Following the publication of the Poverty Report, Dr. Sami Miaari points out the large percentage of Arab Israelis that live in poverty. He says the current situation requires a new strategy and economic investment on several levels simultaneously. This article first appeared on Times of Israel.

In this article, originally published in Haaretz on April 1, 2010, IDI Senior Researcher Prof. Avraham Ben-Bassat warns that Israel's policy of reducing taxes should be frozen since it may precipitate an economic crisis, and advocates giving preference to increasing public spending while preserving the economy's stability.

For Israel's economy to grow, significant investment in building a strong and effective infrastructure for occupational training and reemployment is critical.

With the featured participation of: Bank of Israel Governor, Education Minister, Economy Minister, Director-General of the Finance Ministry, Director-General of the Prime Minister Office, Chairman of the Histadrut Labor Federation, Director-General of Bank Leumi, Director General of Microsoft Israel and other VIPs

80% of Israelis are proud to be Israeli; 71% are optimistic about Israel’s future; and 38% see social gaps as a major challenge

Top Israeli economist, Professor Eytan Sheshinski, has joined IDI as a senior researcher in the Center for Governance and the Economy, under the leadership of Dafna Aviram-Nitzan.