Economy and Politics

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.

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. 

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.

Israel's Supreme Court convened to hear arguments on the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students who no longer are exempt from military service, and the legality of providing funding for yeshivas that enroll them as long as no new law has been legislated on this issue.

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.

Daphna Aviram Nitzan presents an analysis of unemployment in Israel in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Prof. Karnit Flug's press briefing today focued on the Coronavirus’ effect on the Israeli economy and policies that could mitigate the damage inflicted by the pandemic.

What will be the economic ramifications of the coronavirus outbreak on the Israeli economy? Prof. Karnit Flug explains.

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?

Prof. Karnit Flug, former Governor of the Bank of Israel and currently Vice President for Research at the Israel Democracy Institute, analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the Israeli economy.

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. 

Profit remains the ultimate objective, but the focus should be on profit for all those with a stake in a company, and not just its shareholders

In response to the Ease of Doing Business 2020 index that was published this morning, Daphna Aviram-Nitzan, director of the Center for Governance and Economics at the Israel Democracy Institute, who leads the regulation reduction project at the Institute, commented on Israel moving up 14 slots to the 35th place after 5 points improvement last year.

Two and a half weeks ahead of the elections, a special IDI survey reveals that the Israeli public gives government economic policies a failing grade and supports increasing the budgets allocated to health, education, welfare, and public transportation services

In light of their demographic growth, the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel have to attempt to become part of in the broader Israeli society.

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.

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.

Dr. Peter Jarrett, the head of the Country Studies Division at the OECD, says the government must do more to integrate all Israelis into the economy if it is to continue to prosper and grow. "Boasting that Arabs and Ultra-Orthodox Aside, Israel's Situation is Excellent - is Simply shortsighted and Foolish."

An ambitious plan aims at slashing the 4-6 years it currently takes to pass all the regulatory hurdles in Israel

Poorly funded and under threat from personalization and social media, political parties are in decline.

Donald Trump’s surprise win seems to illustrate the awesome power of the Internet-savvy individual in politics.

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.

Dr. Benny Porat discusses the precept of debt cancellation during the sabbatical year (Shemita) and proposes ways in which to update this practice to suit the economics of contemporary Israel and create a model society. 

Dr. Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler discusses the challenges to transparency in the budgets of Israel's local authorities, including the need to make budgets accessible, to enable searches within budgets, and to facilitate comparisons between the budgets of different authorities.

An exploration of the existential, social, and economic dimensions of the Shmita year, that calls for bringing together social, moral, cultural, religious and national forces to implement the idea of Shmita in non-agricultural and national contexts in Israel.

Ronit Levine-Schnur analyzes the Bill to Regulate Bedouin Settlement in the Negev 5773–2013, warns that it seems to be motivated by an exaggerated fear of a Bedouin takeover of the Negev, and offers an alternative approach. 

An article on the role of the State in the redistribution of economic resources during the first decade of the 21st century, which was written as part of IDI’s Arab-Jewish Relations project.

Despite last summer's war in Lebanon, Hamas's rise to leadership, Hizbullah rockets being aimed at Israeli cities, and international boycotts, Israeli economy is thriving, the national debt and unemployment have significantly dropped, and investors continue to look to Israel as fertile ground for investment.

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

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.