ANNUAL REPORT DECEMBER 2020 Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Jerusalem, Israel Table of Contents

1 | Introduction: The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel in 2020 4

2 | Publications 5

3 | State of the Nation Report 2020 6

4 | A Picture of the Nation 2020 7

5 | Other Publications in 2020 8

6 | The Taub Center’s Response to Coronavirus in Israel 9

7 | Spotlight on Education: From Crisis to Opportunity 11

8 | Spotlight on the Pandemic’s Impact on Women 13

9 | Impact on Government 15

10 | Impact on Civil Society and the Private Sector 18

11 | International Presence 20

12 | Spotlight on Early Childhood 21

13 | Taub Center in the Media 23

14 | Online Outreach 25

15 | The Taub Center’s Annual Herbert M. Singer International Policy Conference 28

16 | Spotlight on Israel’s Unique Demography 30

17 | Partnerships Update 31

Taub Center Board of Directors 32

Taub Center General Assembly 32 1 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

Prof. Avi Weiss, Prof. Yossi Shavit, Dr. Yariv Feniger, Nachum Blass, and Prof. Hanna Ayalon, panelists at the launch of Educational Inequality in Israel: From Research to Policy, January 2020

The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel is an independent, non-partisan, socioeconomic research institute based in Jerusalem. The Center conducts high-quality, impartial research on socioeconomic conditions in Israel, and develops innovative, equitable and practical options for macro public policies that advance the well-being of Israelis. The Center strives to influence public policy through direct communications with policy makers and by enriching the public debate that accompanies the decision making process. 2 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

In Memoriam: Professor Dov Chernichovsky z”l

The Taub Center mourns the passing of Professor Dov Chernichovsky z”l, Chair of the Health Policy Program at the Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel.

Dov was a member of the Taub Center team from the day the Center was founded in 1982. For years he worked vigorously to address health and social issues in Israel within government, the media, and many other arenas.

Dov was Professor Emeritus of health economics and policy in the Department of Health Administration at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and was the chair of the Israeli Nutritional Security Council. Just a few months ago, he was appointed by Minister of Health to serve as a member of the Prof. Dov Chernichovsky z”l National Health Council of the Ministry of Health.

Dov served on many public committees, including the State Commission of Inquiry that led to the enactment of the National Health Insurance Law. He published articles at the Taub Center and in leading scientific journals, and served on the board of several such journals. Among other topics, Dov was a leading voice on the issues of long-term care and the financing of Israel’s healthcare system, and has worked tirelessly for equality in access to the health system and food security.

During his time at the Center, Dov researched some of the most critical issues facing Israel’s health care system, promoted a spirit of intellectual curiosity and inquisitiveness, and served as a mentor, teacher and esteemed colleague to so many. His contributions over the years shaped the development of the Taub Center, and his warmth, intellect and kindness will be sorely missed.

May his memory be a blessing. 3 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

IN THE PUBLIC EYE

op-eds 2020 AT A published 409 57 GLANCE UNIQUE MEDIA radio, podcast, MENTIONS and television 19 interviews

REACHING TARGET AUDIENCES 84

128 273 61 meetings with Israeli & foreign meetings with EVENTS & MEETINGS WITH civil society, private government sector & other non- MEETINGS FOUNDATIONS & officials government entities PHILANTHROPISTS

RESEARCH ONLINE 14,650 followers of the 5,984 907 HEBREW and ENGLISH LIKES, COMMENTS listens to the Facebook pages AND SHARES ON Center’s podcast, 197,404 FACEBOOK DataPoint VISITS TO THE TAUB CENTER WEBSITE

PUBLICATIONS

8 A Picture 14 of the Nation STAND-ALONE new chapters in the 2020 PAPERS AND State of the Nation POLICY BRIEFS Report 2020 4 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

1 | Introduction: The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel in 2020

Since its inception in 1982, the Taub Center has played a critical role as one of Israel’s leading social policy think tanks. Our mission has taken on even greater significance with the outbreak of COVID-19. During these challenging times, the Center’s unparalleled reputation for non-partisanship and excellence has uniquely positioned our experts to provide evidence-based analyses to audiences including policy makers, the public, and philanthropists around the world. Since March, the Center has quickly pivoted its efforts in order to ensure that critical real-time information is made available to Israel’s leaders and citizens. Of the 14 stand-alone research papers published in 2020, seven directly examine the impacts of the pandemic on Israel’s health system, economy, schools, teachers, families, and employees. A new blog, “Viral Economics,” was created to serve as a platform for distributing current, reliable data and the Center’s expert analyses on the pandemic. The blog has become a go-to resource for stakeholders both in Israel and abroad.

THE TAUB CENTER INFLUENCES THE FUTURE BY STUDYING THE PRESENT, ASKING QUESTIONS, DRAWING CONCLUSIONS, AND PRESENTING THE DATA AND CONCLUSIONS TO HIGH-LEVEL, INFLUENTIAL ISRAELI AUTHORITIES. ­— Dr. Orna Blondheim, Former CEO of Emek Medical Center

As meetings and events have moved online, our outreach to communities outside of Israel has expanded, and we are able to provide evidence-based analyses to inform relief efforts. In an unprecedented year of change and uncertainty, the Taub Center has proudly served as a reliable source of information. We are deeply grateful to our steadfast supporters, who have made our work possible. 5 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

2 | The Taub Center Publications

Taub Center President Prof. Avi Weiss, Director General Suzie Patt Taub Center supporter and Former Board Chair Greg Rosshandler Benvenisti, and Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships Michal attends a special briefing on education in the Arab sector. Pictured: Prof. Pozmanter Avi Weiss, Suzie Patt Benvenisti, Michal Pozmanter, Greg Rosshandler, and Prof. Alex Weinreb

The Taub Center’s annual body of work includes timely, high-quality research publications addressing Israel’s most pressing issues in our five policy program areas of macroeconomics, labor markets, education, health, and welfare, as well as expanded areas of analysis such as early childhood inequality and demography. This year, our work was quickly adapted to the new and changing needs to provide up-to-date information on the pandemic’s impact, while also maintaining a focus on previously planned areas of research. Throughout the year, staff worked remotely and kept up a steady publications schedule, including stand-alone policy papers, briefs, and our two flagship publications,A Picture of the Nation 2020, generously supported by the Koret Foundation, and the Singer Series State of the Nation Report 2020.

3 | STATE OF THE NATION REPORT 2020

The Herbert M. Singer Series State of the Nation Report: Society, Economy, and Policy in Israel 2020, presents an overview of the most important issues facing Israeli citizens alongside cutting-edge research in each of the Center’s five policy areas. The 2020 report examines these issues holistically, analyzing Israel’s macroeconomics as well as honing in on the coronavirus’s impact on specific areas. The incorporated studies focus on topics such as alternative models for the education system in light of the coronavirus; characteristics of Israel’s doctors; "over-education” (mismatching between education level and job) in Israel’s labor force; and the ability of different Israelis to work from home. TheState of the Nation Report 2020 stands at the crux of the Center’s dissemination efforts moving into the year ahead, and will undoubtedly play a major role in shaping policy conversations as Israel plans its pandemic recovery efforts. 6 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

The State of the Nation Report 2020 includes chapters featuring research published throughout the year, as well as the following new research papers and overview chapters:

ä The Battle Against the Coronavirus From the Perspective of the Healthcare System: An Overview, by Dov Chernichovsky z”l, Prof. Benny Bental, Rachel Arazi, and Elon Seela ä Physicians in Israel: Trends in Characteristics and Training, by Aviad Tur-Sinai, Noam Zontag, Orna Blondheim, Alex Weinreb, and Dov Chernichovsky z”l ä The Impact of the Coronavirus on the Economy of Israel: An Overview, by Prof. Benny Bental and Labib Shami ä The Israeli Labor Market Under the Coronavirus Crisis: An Overview, by Noam Zontag, Gil Epstein, and Avi Weiss ä Overeducation Among Academic Degree Holders in Israel, by Haim Bleikh ä The Social Welfare System and the Coronavirus Crisis: An Overview, by John Gal and Shavit Madhala ä Opportunities and Risks to the Education System in the Time of the Coronavirus: An Overview, by Nachum Blass ä The Education System in Israel in the Time of the Coronavirus: Three Alternative Frameworks, by Nachum Blass

Global Impact

Reaching worldwide audiences with Taub Center research:

ä Australia ä USA: ä England § Albuquerque, NM ä Finland § Baltimore, MD ä Germany § Chicago, IL ä Israel § Detroit, MI ä The Netherlands § Los Angeles, CA ä Russia § Miami, FL ä Uzbekistan § New York, NY § St. Louis, MO § Whippany, NJ 7 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

4 | A PICTURE OF THE NATION 2020

One of the Center’s most popular publications, A Picture of the Nation, is widely regarded as an invaluable overview of current trends in Israeli society and used by stakeholders in government, civil society, philanthropy, and academia as a go-to resource. The 2020 edition, published just two months after Israel’s first coronavirus lockdown began, was especially timely as leaders from all sectors sought to understand the pandemic’s impact on Israel. The Center’s staff edited the already completed handbook immediately prior to its publication to accurately reflect the rapid and drastic changes to Israel’s labor market, health system, and economy.

Since its May publication, 11,240 copies of the 2020 edition have been distributed in both Hebrew and English, in hard copy and via the Center’s website, as well as via the monthly newsletter, blog posts, and social media. Findings have been shared with stakeholders in virtual briefings including with Members of (MKs) from across the political spectrum; the Equal Opportunities Commission of the Ministry of Labor and Social Services; leading professionals in health care, such as the CEO of Jerusalem’s Shaarei Tzedek Hospital and the director of the Leumit Health Fund; the director general and senior staff of the Bank of Israel; and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Board of Directors.

The Taub Center sincerely appreciates the Koret Foundation’s support of the Picture of the Nation series. Thanks to the Foundation’s generosity, in recent years the Center has produced an annual video featuring a brief summary of research findings. In the first week following its release, the 2020 video was viewed over 1,200 times.

5 | OTHER PUBLICATIONS IN 2020

Despite unprecedented challenges, our experts maintained a prolific publication schedule publishing 14 stand-alone policy papers and briefs including seven studies addressing the coronavirus crisis in Israel:

ä The Ability to Work from Home Among Workers in Israel, by Shavit Madhala and Prof. Benny Bental, November 2020 ä Educational Frameworks for Young Children and Academic Achievement in Israel, by Noam Zontag, Yael Navon, Dana Vaknin, Liora Bowers, Carmel Blank, and Yossi Shavit, November 2020 ä The Non-Observed Economy in Israel, by Labib Shami, September 2020 ä Survey of Teachers in the Israel Teachers’ Union, by Nachum Blass, September 2020 ä Social Investment in Israel, by John Gal, Shavit Madhala, and Guy Yanay, August 2020 ä Early Childhood Education Frameworks in Israel in International Comparison: Participation Rates, Maternal Employment, Quality Indices, and Future Achievements, by Dana Vaknin, August 2020 ä What Can Be Learned from the Economic Policies of Other Countries in Response to the Coronavirus Epidemic, by Benny Bental and Zvi Eckstein, July 2020 (in conjunction with the Aharon Institute at IDC Herzliya) 8 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

ä The Coronavirus Crisis and Its Impact on Women in the Labor Market: Permanent Damage or a Short- Term Setback with Long-Term Potential? by Liora Bowers, June 2020 ä Expenditure Per Student and Per Class in Primary Education, by Nachum Blass and Haim Bleikh, May 2020 ä The War on Corona and Its Funding in View of the National Health Basket, by Benny Bental and Dov Chernichovsky z”l, May 2020 ä Population Projections for Israel, 2017-2040, by Alex Weinreb, April 2020 ä Coronavirus Through the Eyes of an Economist, by Benny Bental and Zvi Eckstein, April 2020 (in conjunction with the Aharon Institute at IDC Herzliya) ä Anticipating the Total Mortality Impact of Coronavirus in Israel, by Alex Weinreb and Dov Chernichovsky z”l, March 2020 ä Achievements and Gaps: The Education System in Israel – A Status Report, by Nachum Blass, February 2020 9 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

6 | The Taub Center’s Response to Coronavirus in Israel

During a year of unprecedented challenges and uncertainty, the Taub Center has been proud to serve as a source of trusted information. Thanks to their multidisciplinary focus, the Center’s experts have been uniquely positioned to publish and disseminate reliable, real-time data and analyses on the pandemic and its impacts on Israel’s society and economy. The Center made a seamless transition to remote operations, and this enabled our researchers to provide their input and insight into Israel’s pandemic response.

Responding to the immediate need for evidence-based analyses of the pandemic and its effects, the Center published seven stand- alone research papers focused on the pandemic. Published in March, the policy brief, Anticipating the Total Mortality Impact of Coronavirus in Israel, by Alex Weinreb and Dov Chernichovsky z”l, was the first study published to examine the issue of “collateral mortality” in Israel. This paper described the risk of a significant increase in Israel’s overall mortality due to the diversion of limited medical resources to handling the virus. The policy brief has garnered significant media attention, and we anticipate that it will help shape future health care policy conversations.

In a timely recognition, Health Policy Program Chair Professor Chernichovsky z”l was honored by the Israel Gerontology Society for his achievements in the field of long-term care and for laying the groundwork for major reforms in the National Healthcare Law. His two-part THE RESEARCH THE TAUB CENTER CONDUCTS research series on the acute FOCUSES ON NONPARTISAN, REAL FACTS AND care hospitalization system TRENDS IN ISRAEL FROM WORKFORCE ISSUES, in Israel, published in July HEALTH CHALLENGES LIKE COVID-19, AND 2019, was widely cited in EDUCATION DEFICIENCIES TO THE CHALLENGES the media during the onset AFFECTING ITS VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. ITS of the pandemic, as Israel REPORTS CONTAIN THE ESSENTIAL INFORMATION contended with the threat THAT ALLOWS THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND of the already overtaxed NONPROFITS TO CREATE THE ACTUAL POLICIES system crashing due to a AND PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS. flood of coronavirus patients. ­— Thankfully, this possibility Judge Ellen M. Heller, Taub Center Board Member has thus far been averted but remains a major concern. 10 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

Days after Israel’s government declared the country’s first lockdown of the pandemic, we launched the “Viral Economics” blog featuring research, data and commentary on the pandemic’s social and economic implications for Israel. Since then, the blog has become a critical resource, both for those working in Israel and for foundations and federations overseas seeking to better understand Israel’s current reality.

Since March, the Center’s experts have served in an advisory capacity to Israel’s policy makers as well as to philanthropists Prof. Alex Weinreb presents to the Maryland Israel Development Center (MIDC) about COVID-19’s impact on in urgent need of data to inform their pandemic response. Israeli society and economy In an ongoing series of meetings, Economics Policy Program Chair Professor Benny Bental has advised staff at the Ministry of Finance, including the Chief Economist. In recognition of the important role his research has played in past years and most recently during the pandemic, Prof. Chernichovsky z”l was invited by Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein to serve as the economist on the newly-formed National Health Council.

RISING TO THE MOMENT: RESPONDING TO THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS

32 210 220,106 STUDIES AND coronavirus- views of coronavirus- BLOG POSTS 120 related media 12 related posts on CORONAVIRUS- briefings on mentions and Facebook and Twitter, RELATED pandemic interviews with 2,474 likes, impact OP-EDS comments, and shares 11 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

7 | SPOTLIGHT ON EDUCATION: FROM CRISIS TO OPPORTUNITY

Recognizing that current challenges present opportunities for positive change, our experts have emphasized that the government’s crisis response can expedite long-needed reforms in many areas of Israeli society, especially in education. Between May and December, Education Policy Program Chair Nachum Blass convened a forum of policy makers and education experts for eleven policy discussions focused on implications of the coronavirus for the education system. While the forum has existed for years as an email discussion group, the onset of the pandemic provided a catalyst for incorporating a live, Zoom-based discussion format in the forum, raising its efficacy in shaping policy discourse. The sessions addressed issues such as: distance learning; the roles of principals, teachers, and the Education Ministry; and how the crisis has changed expectations of both parents and teachers. Blass also oversaw the design and distribution of a survey completed by nearly 6,000 teachers, which described their experience with distance learning during school closures.

Blass developed a framework for a gradual return to in-person learning, which he first proposed to the forum in early May. In July, he presented the framework to MK Ram Shefa (Blue and White; Chair of the Knesset Committee on Education, Culture and Sports). On August 5th, he presented them to Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services Itzik Shmuli (Labor). The same day, Blass’ work was featured in a profile covering two full pages of Haaretz/The Marker in which he analyzed the current challenges facing Israel’s educational system. In the article, Blass laid out his detailed strategic alternative to the government’s back-to-school plan, which offered creative, workable solutions to allow for more in-person instruction for all grades. Three weeks later, Blass presented his plan to the advisory staff of the Minister of Education. When the new school year

ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE TAUB CENTER ARE STATIONS ON THE WAY TO BUILDING WHAT [ISRAEL] WILL BE 50 YEARS FROM NOW. ­— Shireen Natour-Hafi, Principal of the ORT Lod Arab High School for the Sciences and Engineering

began in September, a number of cities and local authorities opted to open their schools according to Blass’ framework, while others did so following subsequent school closures.

In addition to Blass’ work to advise the government regarding education during the pandemic, he and other Center researchers conducted a series of meetings with policy makers throughout the year on other critical issues in the education system. Blass held a number of meetings about differential budgeting in education, including with: the staff of the State Comptroller’s Office; MK Tehila Freedman (Blue and White) and the Knesset Research and Information Center, presenting alongside Researcher Haim Bleikh; and the Knesset 12 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

Education Committee. Blass met with the Director of the at-risk youth division at the Ministry of Education; and discussed research on dropout rates, technological education, and achievements and gaps with senior staff at the Ministry of Education.

Blass’ research, Achievements and Gaps: The Education System in Israel – A Status Report, was featured on the front pages of Haaretz/TheMarker and Calcalist, and also circulated an announcement of his report via their mobile app. This research was also cited extensively in a Bank of Israel report.

In December, Blass’ Education Forum convened for a virtual meeting and hosted a fascinating conversation with Andreas Schleicher, Division Head and Coordinator of the OECD Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the OECD Indicators of Education Systems program (INES), about the long-term effects of the coronavirus crisis on education. Schleicher said during the meeting, “I think hybrid learning should mean, ‘I know as a teacher who learns best in what context, and how do I support students in their individualities?’ I think teachers are moving very fast. In these months we have seen less reform but a lot more change. There is a lot of dynamism in the system that we can better support.” The recording of the meeting was posted on the Center’s English Facebook page, and was viewed 487 times.

Looking ahead, Blass and his forum have developed a list of policy recommendations and areas for further study. These recommendations are aimed at encouraging policy makers to take concrete steps now while learning from the crisis and making long-overdue changes. The Taub Center will continue convening Blass’ education forum to ensure that planning is already underway to rehabilitate the education system and begin closing the gaps that are forming as a result of the crisis. In 2021, the Center will continue to track and analyze the pandemic’s ongoing impact, providing the research to inform evidence-based recovery plans.

8 | SPOTLIGHT ON THE PANDEMIC’S IMPACT ON WOMEN

The coronavirus crisis has exacerbated already existing disparities among different sectors of society. The Center researched the pandemic’s outsized impact on women in Israel. In June, the Center published the research paper, The Coronavirus Crisis and Its Impact on Women in the Labor Market: Permanent Damage or a Short-Term Setback with Long-Term Potential? by Liora Bowers. The study found that the economic shutdown resulted in higher rates of unemployment among women in Israel than among men. Although women make up just under 50% of employees in the economy, they accounted for 56% of unemployment claims between March 1, 2020 and May 10, 2020. Women’s employment may have been more negatively impacted by the crisis – they were more likely to lose their job or be put on unpaid leave – because, despite Israel’s relatively high rate of female labor market participation, women tend to work fewer hours, hold part- 13 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

time positions, be employed in less senior positions, earn less, and have more difficulty accruing tenure as a result of periods of maternity leave.

These findings have been presented to broad audiences in order to bring attention to the multifaceted issues presented in the paper. Chief Financial & Operating Officer Liora Bowers presented this research: in the Knesset Committee Liora Bowers presents to the JDC Board of Directors for the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality; as part of the Jewish Federations of North America’s (JFNA) newly launched Jewish Together series; in a briefing for the Miami Jewish Federation, alongside MK Tehila Friedman (Blue and White); and in a briefing to the JDC Board of Directors along with Director General Suzie Patt Benvenisti who described the pandemic’s impact on young children and families. These research findings were also cited by Judge Varda Wirth Livne, Chief Justice of the National Labor Court, in her lecture at the Israel Bar Association’s 2020 legal conference.

FOUNDATIONS AND PHILANTHROPISTS NEED ACCURATE DATA IN ORDER TO MAKE SMART INVESTMENTS. THE TAUB CENTER PROVIDES THOSE SOCIOECONOMIC DATA AND TRENDS, ALLOWING PHILANTHROPISTS TO INVEST WISELY, AND NOT ONLY FROM THE HEART. ­— Alan Gill, Taub Center Board Member

The paper also received widespread media attention, garnering 20 unique mentions and 28 republications. It was featured on the front page of Haaretz/TheMarker, and Bowers was quoted in the New York Times article, “Pandemic Will ‘Take Our Women 10 Years Back’ in the Workplace,” by Amanda Taub. Bowers was interviewed for Radio Kan English and on the Knesset Channel. 14 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

9 | Impact on Government

While analyzing the pandemic’s impact was a central focus of 2020, the Taub Center staff also played a critical role in informing policy discussions on an array of other critical socioeconomic issues. Throughout the year, our experts held 74 online meetings and briefings with Israeli government stakeholders. In January, the Center held the sole in-person public event of the year, a launch event for our first-ever book dedicated entirely to education policy research, Educational Inequality in Israel: From Research to Policy. The event featured presentations by the authors, as well as additional experts from the field of education policy, and MK Yousef Jabareen (). As in past years, government outreach at the beginning of 2020 centered on presenting the State of the Nation Report 2019 to key government stakeholders. In February, the Center held State of the Nation Report briefings with: the Ministry of Finance; senior staff at the Ministry of the Economy; the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services; the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Welfare; and the National Economic Council. During the meetings, staff shared the Center’s most current findings on topics including labor productivity; decreasing drop-out rates among Arab high school students; Haredi participation in the labor force; and the effects of relatively low levels of social investment on Israel’s high rates of inequality.

The pandemic widened the gaps already existing in Israeli society. Our staff worked to ensure that key socioeconomic issues – even those impacted indirectly by the pandemic – remained on the agendas of policy makers from across the political spectrum. Towards this goal, the Center held two meetings with senior staff at the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services to present findings from the studySocial Investment in Israel, by John Gal, Shavit Madhala, and Guy Yanay. In the first meeting, Taub Center President Professor Avi Weiss and Welfare Policy Program Chair Professor THE TAUB CENTER ADDRESSES CRITICAL Johnny Gal presented findings DOMESTIC ISSUES IN ORDER TO SAFEGUARD from the study and from A ISRAEL’S LONG-TERM SECURITY FROM WITHIN. Picture of the Nation 2020 to ­— Director General Dr. Avigdor Col. (Res.) Miri Eisin, Taub Center Vice Chair of the Kaplan, Senior Deputy Director Board for Planning and Resource Development General Nir Kaidar, and staff from the labor branch of the office. In the second meeting, Prof. Gal and Researcher Shavit Madhala met with Dr. Kaplan, Mr. Kaidar, and Deputy Director Avi Motola and presented their research on social investment policies in Israel in comparison to other countries, and how these might be affected within Israel by the coronavirus crisis. Prof. Gal, Shavit Madhala, and Researcher Haim Bleikh also advised the State Comptroller’s Office on welfare budgets in local authorities. Prof. Gal maintains that, “Social investment programs have the potential to improve the human capital of citizens. 15 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

But we have to be careful that they do not replace social protection and that they reach those that most need them, particularly high-quality early childhood education for children in poor families and effective job programs for disadvantaged adults seeking decent jobs.”

Inequality in the labor market was another critical Dana Vaknin and Prof. Yossi Shavit Prof. Johnny Gal presents to issue discussed extensively with government meet with Adv. Vered Vindman, senior staff at the Ministry of Director General of the National Labor, Social Affairs and Social officials. In July, Prof. Weiss and Suzie Patt Benvenisti Council for the Child Services met with Mariam Kabaha, Commissioner of Social Equality at the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services. Their presentation focused on issues including the coronavirus’s impacts on women in the labor market; parents’ work hours in different sectors; and technological education in the Arab sector, especially the growing trend of female Arab high school students studying science and technology. Prof. Weiss also presented findings on Arab women in the labor market, especially in high tech, to MK Aida Touma-Suleiman (Joint List), in Prof. Avi Weiss and Dr. Labib Shami present to the Bank of Israel addition to the coronavirus’s impacts on education and employment. In September, Professors Weiss and Bental shared findings about the integration of Arab Israelis into the high tech sector at a meeting of the Knesset’s Science and Technology Committee. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministries of the Economy, Education, Social Equality, and a number of Members of Knesset. Following this meeting, their presentation was featured on the Knesset website, and they were Shavit Madhala presents to senior staff at the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services invited to submit a list of suggestions, which will be taken into account in the Committee’s summary and recommendations to government ministries.

Israel’s economy was a central focus area in 2020. Prof. Weiss met with MK Orna Barbivay () to discuss the coronavirus’s impact on Israel’s deficit, and with MK (Joint List) on the growth in per capita income in Israel in recent years. In November, Prof. Weiss and Senior Researcher Dr. Labib Shami presented Dr. Shami’s new research paper, The Non-Observed Economy in Israel, about Israel’s shadow economy to the CEO of the Bank of Israel. Dr. Shami’s findings indicate that one impact of the pandemic may be an increase in tax evasion and in the size of the non-observed economy in Israel. 16 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

Government ministries and quasi-governmental bodies have cited Taub Center research in their published resources and reports. The Center is included on the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) website as a social policy resource, and a summary of the research paper on the non-observed economy was presented at the Knesset Special Committee on Eradicating Crime in Arab Society. Taub Center research has been cited in two Bank of Israel reports in 2020, as well as in reports by the Ministry of Science and Technology Council for the Advancement of Women in Science and Technology; a government report for professional development among civil service managers; and in a report submitted to the Minister of Labor, Social Affairs, and Social Services about employment in 2030.

In the coming months, the Center’s outreach efforts will focus on presenting theState of the Nation Report 2020, which discusses key issues and trends in each research policy area in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

Government Meetings

84 total government meetings, including:

ä 38 meetings with the Ministries of: Finance, Education, Health, Labor and Social Services, Economy, Defense, Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Prime Minister’s Office.

ä 36 meetings with other government offices and national institutions: Bank of Israel, Central Bureau of Statistics, IDF, National Security Council, and the State Comptroller’s Office; and MKs from: Blue and White, Joint List, Labor, , , Yesh Atid, and Yisrael Beitenu

ä 10 meetings with foreign embassies and government officials: Australia, England, Finland, Germany, the German State of Bavaria, the Netherlands, the OECD, Russia, USA, and Uzbekistan 17 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

10 | Impact on Civil Society and the Private Sector

Suzie Patt Benvenisti educates the next generation of Israeli Suzie Patt Benvenisti presents to the leadership team of leaders by teaching Paula Ben Gurion Elementary School’s national service organization Bat Ami third graders about conducting and analyzing surveys

Over the course of the year, staff briefed a broad range of non-governmental organizations and individuals and informed civil society work plans, participated in various advisory forums, and educated future leaders. In February, Suzie Patt Benvenisti presented to the national service organization Bat Ami, about Israel’s unique birth rates across different sectors and women’s participation in the labor market. Her presentation helped to inform their five-year strategic plan. She also consulted to the Israel Venture Network on the pandemic’s impact on the Haredi community. Researcher Shavit Madhala consulted to civil society and private sector organizations regarding her research on occupations at risk in the future labor market, including a major Israeli construction and infrastructure company and two prominent foundations considering investing in this area, and participated in the Israel Democracy Institute’s (IDI) Future Labor Market Roundtable.

In June, Prof. Benny Bental emceed the Israel Economics Association’s annual conference, where Prof. Zvi Eckstein, Dean of the Tiomkin School of Economics and Head of the Aaron Economic Policy Institute at IDC- Herzliya, presented a research paper co-written with Prof. Bental: What Can Be Learned from the Economic Policies of Other Countries in Response to the Coronavirus Epidemic. Additional speakers at the virtual conference included leading Israeli and international academics in the field of economics, as well as the Governor of the Bank of Israel. 18 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

Prof. Avi Weiss and Director General Suzie Patt Benvenisti

Following the release of A Picture of the Nation 2020, Prof. Weiss, Prof. Chernichovsky z”l and Suzie Patt Benvenisti presented the book to Prof. Ofer Merin, Director General of Shaarei Tzedek Hospital. Their presentation focused on demographic projections and the impact of coronavirus on health care, specifically on Israel’s hospitalization system. Researcher Noam Zontag presented studies from the book to a group

THE TAUB CENTER CONSISTENTLY PRODUCES THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND HONEST ANALYSIS OF ISRAEL’S SOCIETY AND ECONOMY. NOT ONLY IS IT FUNDAMENTAL TO THE WORK I DO AS AN ISRAEL EDUCATOR BUT IT IS ALSO A FASCINATING READ THAT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL HAS DEEPENED MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE COUNTRY I NOW CALL HOME. ­— Ronit Davis, Israel Engagement Manager, United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA)

of approximately 50 participants in the Rothschild Cadets for Local Government program, which trains exceptional young Israelis to work in Jewish and Arab municipalities in Israel’s periphery. The presentation focused on the pandemic’s impacts on Israel’s economy and health system. Prof. Avi Weiss also presented findings from the book to a group of high-achieving students from the Ramon Foundation, an Israeli non- profit that provides advanced educational programs in the fields of science, aviation and space. 19 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

11 | International Presence

Despite travel restrictions during the majority of 2020, the Center continued to reach global audiences and strengthen diplomatic relationships. Prior to the pandemic outbreak, Prof. Weiss was invited to attend a reception in honor of Prince Charles’ first official visit to Israel at the residence of the British Ambassador to Israel. In October, Prof. Weiss was a panelist at an online conference of the Association of European Businesses, an independent non-profit umbrella organization for over 500 European and Russian companies. The conference was organized in Hosting the RC28 Conference virtually partnership with the Consulate General of the Netherlands, Consulate General of Finland, Consulate General of Israel and the Russian-German Chamber of Commerce (AHK).

Researchers also presented at a number of online academic and private sector conferences. In August, the Taub Center co-hosted a virtual conference together with the International Sociological Association’s Research Committee 28 on Social Stratification and Mobility (ISA RC28) on the topic of social stratification during COVID-19. Taub Center Initiative on Early Childhood Development and Inequality (IECDI) Chair Professor Yossi Shavit is the past president and current vice chair of the Committee. Taub Center Senior Researcher Dr. Yael Navon and Prof. Shavit presented findings from the IECDI’s internet survey at this conference. In September, Prof. Chernichovsky z”l provided the keynote address at “Pharminar” Israel 2020, a conference hosted by Israeli and European pharmaceutical companies. He also presented about the economic impact of coronavirus in Israel at the international conference of the Risk Adjustment Network (RAN), a collaborative of economists on the science and practice of regulated competition in health insurance. In addition, Prof. Johnny Gal participated in a Washington University policy discussion on Child Development Accounts (CDAs), savings or investment accounts that begin when a child is born.

INTERNATIONAL RANKING The Taub Center’s international reputation for the quality of its research earned us a spot as one of the top 50 think tanks in the Middle East and North Africa in the University of Pennsylvania’s annual Think Tank Index Report. The Taub Center was also ranked among the top 60 think tanks worldwide in the categories of: Best Transdisciplinary Research Think Tanks, Think Tanks with Outstanding Policy- Oriented Research Programs, Best Use of Social Media and Networks, and Best Use of the Internet. 20 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

12 | Spotlight on Early Childhood

The Taub Center Initiative on Early Childhood Development and Inequality (IECDI), made possible through the generous support of the Bernard van Leer Foundation, the Beracha Foundation, and Yad Hanadiv, was launched in August 2019 with the goal of creating a base of empirical research focused on early childhood in Israel. The research team is led by IECDI Chair Professor Yossi Shavit, and includes Dr. Carmel Blank, Dr. Yael Navon, Dana Vaknin, Research Assistant Hai Vaknin, and Noam Zontag.

The research team of the Taub Center Initiative on Early Childhood Development and Inequality: Dana Vaknin, Prof. Yossi Shavit, Dr. Carmel The IECDI team has published two studies to date: Blank, Noam Zontag, and Dr. Yael Navon Early Childhood Education Frameworks in Israel in International Comparison: Participation Rates, Maternal Employment, Quality Indices, and Future Achievements, by Dana Vaknin; and Educational Frameworks for Young Children and Academic Achievement in Israel, by Noam Zontag, Yael Navon, Dana Vaknin, Liora Bowers, Carmel Blank, and Yossi Shavit. During Israel’s lockdowns in April and September, the team took advantage of the unique research opportunity by creating and distributing two surveys to families of young children. These surveys helped gather data on how families with children under the age of seven were affected by extended periods without educational frameworks. These results will be published in a research paper in early 2021.

In order to provide comprehensive training to emerging Israeli leaders in the field of early childhood, the Center is currently hosting a training seminar. The seminar was launched in October, and is taking place virtually over ten monthly sessions. The group of 20 seminar participants includes professionals in the field of early childhood from academia, government ministries, and the education system. The seminar aims to provide them with an interdisciplinary foundation in key areas of early childhood development and inequality, and equip them to formulate new policy options in these areas.

All of the Initiative’s activities are overseen by an Advisory Board, consisting of leading academics, policy makers, practitioners and civil society leaders committed to the advancement of effective policy making in the field of early childhood development. The Advisory Board met twice in 2020, and provided crucial input as the IECDI team strategized and pivoted to address the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. 21 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

The IECDI team has conducted briefings for stakeholders to raise awareness of the importance of addressing inequality during early childhood and to advance potential collaborations. In early 2020, these meetings included findings from the Center’s 2019 research paper,Emerging Early Childhood Inequality: Early Childhood Poverty and Future Academic Achievements, by Dana Vaknin, which preceded the IECDI and was supported by the Bernard van Leer Foundation. Meetings were held with Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services Itzik Shmuli; Director General of the Ministry of Economy and Industry Shai Rinsky; the staff of the National Authority for Measurement and Evaluation in Education (RAMA); the Director of the Israel National Council for the Child; Levinsky College for Education; the Oranim Academic College of Education’s Early Childhood Program; then-Minister of Education Rafi Peretz; and the Rashi Foundation.

Findings from this paper were also included in broader presentations. For instance, Director General Suzie Patt Benvenisti included early childhood findings in her presentations to the Australia Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC); JFNA professionals; The Women’s Division of the Baltimore Associated Jewish Federation; and the Leadership Briefing to the boards of the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation of New York, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), and community trustees. Prof. Weiss also addressed early childhood in a number of large presentations to: the United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA) Board of Directors; senior civil service cadets at the National Institute for Leadership; the international relations department at the JDC; the Jerusalem Press Club (JPC); and the National Economic Council (NEC). Researcher Noam Zontag presented to the Rothschild Cadets, and Researcher Dana Vaknin presented at a meeting of the Early Childhood Coalition of the advocacy organization 121 – Engine for Social Change.

The Center also worked to raise awareness via the media and online dissemination about the effects of the coronavirus crisis on very young children. Press releases for both of the studies published in 2020 were sent to a list of over 1,000 journalists and media outlets, resulting in press mentions in leading publications: two interviews on Kan 11 English Radio, one with Suzie Patt Benvenisti and one with Liora Bowers; and two television appearances by Senior Researcher Dr. Carmel Blank on Channel 12 News. In addition, Prof. Yossi Shavit published an op-ed in eJewishPhilanthropy.com, “To Tackle Inequality in Israel, We Need to Look to Early Childhood.” The op-ed was featured in the magazine’s online newsletter and emailed to all subscribers. Dr. Carmel Blank wrote an op-ed that was published in Globes on the impact of lockdowns on young children.

As the Center continues to highlight growing gaps in Israeli society further exacerbated by the pandemic, we will continue to promote awareness and policy development focused on addressing inequality during early childhood through the Initiative. We are grateful to our partnering foundations for making this work possible. 22 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

13 | Taub Center in the Media

Prof. Avi Weiss presents A Picture of the Nation 2020 to the Jerusalem Prof. Avi Weiss interviews for the BICOM podcast Press Club

2020 has been a news-worthy year, and the Center’s marketing team worked tirelessly to ensure that the Center’s research continued to make headlines and reach target audiences. During the course of the year, the Center’s research was mentioned over 420 times in the media. A Picture of the Nation 2020 was featured on the home page of Ynet News, Haaretz/TheMarker, and the Jerusalem Post online editions. Within its first week of publication, the State of the Nation Report 2020 was already featured on the front pages of Calcalist, Haaretz/ TheMarker, Walla, and Ynet News.

The Center’s experts have been interviewed widely on prominent television, radio and podcast shows. Professors Weiss and Gal were interviewed on Galei Tzahal (IDF Radio) in January 2020, following the release of the State of the Nation Report 2019. Prof. Weiss also appeared on i24 News on two separate occasions to discuss the economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. Prof. Chernichovsky z”l and Nachum Blass were both interviewed on television about the impacts of the crisis on the health and education systems, respectively. Prof. Bental was interviewed for a Channel 12 news story comparing Israel’s pandemic response to that of other countries. Additionally, Prof. Gal was a guest lecturer on Galei Tzahal’s radio show, “Broadcast University,” on the topic of unemployment.

In 2020, staff members published 19 op-eds in prominent publications, approximately twice the number published last year. Prof. Chernichovsky z”l wrote analyses of the pandemic’s impact on Israel’s health system in Maariv, Globes, and the Times of Israel. Prof. Gal wrote three op-eds covering the coronavirus and unemployment (Calcalist), the national “Savings for Every Child” program (Globes), and the impact 23 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

of coronavirus on the welfare system (Meidaos). Prof. Weiss and Dr. Labib Shami published op-eds in Maariv and Globes, respectively, on the economic impacts of the crisis. Liora Bowers published an op-ed calling for companies to allow employees to work from home during the pandemic in the Times of Israel. Nachum Blass published two op-eds on education in the time of the pandemic in local papers, Al Tzad Smol and Zman Mevaseret. Suzie Patt Benvenisti published op-eds on the impacts of distance learning on inequality among children, two in English in the Times of Israel and one in Hebrew in Globes. IECDI team members Prof. Yossi Shavit and Dr. Carmel Blank published op-eds on inequality in early childhood in eJewishPhilanthropy.com and Globes, respectively.

MEDIA

409 unique media 19 mentions 228 OP-EDS Republications 57 WRITTEN BY TV, radio TAUB CENTER and podcast STAFF interviews 24 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

14 | Online Outreach

While the Center has hosted webinars in the past, this year we dramatically increased our offering of online briefings. We hosted two Taub Center presentation series for exclusive audiences including foundation representatives and philanthropic individuals, and presented to diverse groups including the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA), the

Prof. Benny Bental presents in an online briefing for the JDC board American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and the JDC Board Forum. In total, we hosted 14 presentations for overseas audiences, attended by 614 individuals. A number of these briefings featured Taub Center experts in conversation with government and civil society leaders: Dr. Yossi Bachar z”l former Chair of Israel Discount Bank; Dr. Orna Blondheim, former CEO of the Emek Medical Center; Joseph Gitler, CEO of Leket Israel; Ayman Seif, Coronavirus Project Coordinator for the Arab Sector; and Professor Yuli Tamir, veteran Israeli politician and President of Beit-Berl Teachers’ College. The briefings provided unique perspectives on many of the socioeconomic impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, covering all five of the Center’s policy programs: macroeconomics, welfare, health, education and labor.

Following this first series, and on the heels of the October Herbert M. Singer Annual Conference, a second lecture series was conducted, which focused on Israel’s unique demographics and helped to bring highlights from the conference to the Center’s overseas partners. The first briefing focused on the future of Israel’s higher education and the labor market. It was moderated by Prof. Benny Bental and featured Chair of the Planning & Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education Professor Yaffa Zilbershats, and Prof. Avi Weiss. A second briefing addressed the needs of Israel’s aging population, moderated by Suzie Patt Benvenisti and featuring Sergio Della Pergola, Professor Emeritus of Population Studies at Hebrew University, and Dr. Yoram Maaravi, a senior Geriatric physician at Hadassah Medical Center and Head of the Home Rehabilitation Service of Clalit Health Fund in Jerusalem. The final briefing of the year focused on inequality 25 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

and social mobility. It was moderated by Prof. Johnny Gal and featured the Head of the Employment and Diversity Administration at the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services Yulia Eitan and Vice President of Research & Development at the Rashi Foundation Omri Zegen.

Taub Center experts were also invited by a variety of audiences to serve as a resource and share the Center’s findings about the pandemic’s socioeconomic impact in Israel. Suzie Patt Benvenisti and Prof. Alex Weinreb presented to AIPAC staff members in Jerusalem and D.C. about Israel’s infection and mortality rates and the effect of the pandemic on Israel’s healthcare system. Professors Weiss and Weinreb were hosted by the Maryland Israel Development Center (MIDC) and presented about COVID-19’s impact on Israeli society and economy. The event was co-sponsored by 16 local Baltimore organizations and attended by more than 170 participants. Other audiences included the JDC board, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, Jewish Federation of Greater Miami, Jewish Federation of New Mexico, Park Avenue Synagogue and Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York, and a study group from Melbourne, Australia.

The Center has also hosted a number of live briefings open to the broader public on its Hebrew Facebook page. In one briefing, Prof. Weiss provided a presentation on the pandemic’s impact on Israel’s economy. His presentation was subsequently viewed over 1,100 times. In another, Prof. Chernichovsky z”l convened a meeting of the CEOs of all four of Israel’s HMO health funds (kupot holim) to discuss their role during the pandemic. The meeting represented the first time that all four health fund CEOs had ever come together for a discussion. The event was widely attended by key stakeholders, and the live stream had an estimated reach of over 5,100 people.

In 2020, three new episodes of our podcast DataPoint were released: a two-part series in Hebrew called “What We’ve Learned” on the future of Israel’s education system; and “Israel 2040 – Milk, Honey, and Loads of Kids,” an English episode about the implications of Israel’s unusually high birth rates featuring insights from a couple with five children who both work in high tech. This episode was made possible by the Herbert and Nell Singer Foundation, and was released at the Herbert M. Singer International Policy Conference: “Israel’s Unique Demography – Implications and Planning for the Future.” DataPoint is a unique and engaging platform for conveying how the topics addressed in Taub Center research impact the everyday lives of Israelis. This year’s podcast episodes have been listened to over 900 times.

On social media, the Center’s posts were viewed over 400,000 times, with 5,984 engagements including likes, comments, and shares. Our findings and materials were also shared by influential stakeholders, including Robin Moss, Director of Strategy at UJIA, who tweeted about A Picture of the Nation 2020 and about the policy conference; health journalist Meital Yasour, who live-tweeted the virtual discussion with Israel’s four major health funds; and Nitzan Horowitz, Chair of the Party, who posted about the State of the Nation Report 2020 on Facebook. We also reached approximately 7,500 subscribers through the Center’s monthly Rosshandler newsletter in English and Hebrew. 26 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

DIGITAL AND ONLINE MARKETING

197,404 14,650 950 Twitter followers in FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS IN website visits English and Hebrew ENGLISH AND HEBREW

402,107 83,908 TOTAL VIDEO views of Facebook posts, and VIEWS ACROSS 5,984 engagements including likes, ALL PLATFORMS comments, and shares 27 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

15 | The Taub Center’s Annual Herbert M. Singer International Policy Conference

The October 2020 Herbert M. Singer International Policy Conference, hosted online for the first time ever, focused on “Israel’s Unique Demography – Implications and Planning for the Future.” With its high overall population growth, high fertility, and rapidly aging population, Israel’s demography is an outlier among developed countries. The Singer Conference addressed issues related to Israel’s unique age structure, including the implications of today’s high fertility rate for the education system; planning for a large influx of young adults into higher education and the labor market; and the degree to which Israel’s health system is equipped to care for the growing elderly population.

The conference’s two keynote speakers were Professor Herb Smith of the University of Pennsylvania and Professor Ron Lee of the University of California at Berkeley. Prof. Smith spoke about changing age structures in the world population as well as within many countries in recent years, focusing particularly on the implications of aging populations. Prof. Lee spoke about National Transfer Accounts (NTA) and changing population age distributions in Israel and in other high-income countries. National Transfer Accounts are a tool for planning for the future that take into account dependency ratios of one age group on another, as well as factors such as labor income, consumption, and asset income by age.

The conference’s second session contained three panels focusing on the effect of Israel’s demographic trends on different areas of strategic policy planning: education, economics, and health. In the education panel, moderated by Nachum Blass, Moti Taubin, Head of the Strategy Unit at the Ministry of Education, discussed 28 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

the need for Israel’s education system to invest more in teaching skills in preparation for the labor market, to improve social mobility. Professor Yaffa Zilbershats, Chair of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Israel Council for Higher Education, then presented on trends in higher education learning in Israel in recent years as well as anticipated future trends.

In the panel about economic strategic planning, moderated by Prof. Avi Weiss, Professor Michel Strawczynski, Director of the Research Department at the Bank of Israel, discussed the economic implications of demographic changes in Israel, emphasizing that education is critical and the most important element for the government to plan for in the coming years. Einav Aharoni Yunes, CEO of JDC-Tevet, raised awareness of three important groups that must be better integrated into Israel’s labor market: disadvantaged population groups, such as Haredim and Arab Israelis; the adult population of those aged 45+; and the younger population, which is in need of more vocational training.

The final panel on health was moderated by Prof. Dov Chernichovsky z”l, and featured three speakers: Professor Yitzhak Brick, of the Department of Gerontology at the University of Haifa; Dr. Bishara Bisharat, Chair of the Israel Medical Association’s Society for Health Promotion in the Arab Community in Israel and Rachel Berner Shalem, Deputy Director of Strategy at the Ministry of Health. Prof. Yitzhak Brick explained that about 80% of Israel’s aging population is independent and in relatively good health, and shared that he believes policy directed towards this age group “should be an enabling policy, a policy that removes barriers, and a policy that is based on the dignity of this population and living in dignity.” Dr. Bishara Bisharat raised particular health challenges facing the Arab population, a population that is aging at a faster rate than the Jewish population, and the importance of health education and leadership. Ms. Rachel Berner Shalem discussed the implications of the increase in consumption of health services among the elderly population in Israel, specifically highlighting the need to improve services provided to the elderly.

Thanks to the generous support of the Herbert and Nell Singer Foundation, the Taub Center launched a new episode of its popular podcast, DataPoint: Israel 2040 – Milk, Honey, and Loads of Kids, providing an individual perspective on some of the issues discussed in the conference. The podcast, videos from the conference and related findings have been posted online and are widely available.

THE TAUB CENTER PROVIDES DATA AND RESEARCH UPON WHICH ISRAEL RELIES TO FORMULATE EFFECTIVE AND JUST SOCIAL PROGRAMS. ALTHOUGH IT IS OF MODEST SIZE, THE CENTER PLAYS AN OUTSIZED ROLE IN SHAPING ISRAELI SOCIETY. ­— Jim Angell, Taub Center First Vice Chair of the Board and Vice Chair for Governance and Administration 29 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

16 | Spotlight on Israel’s Unique Demography

In April, the Center published Population Projections for Israel, 2017-2040, by Prof. Alex Weinreb. The study, building on prior Taub Center publications on Israeli demography, forecasts future fertility, mortality and migration patterns among the Jewish and Arab Israeli populations. Its findings have been featured in major publications such as Calcalist, Globes, Haaretz/ The Marker, and the Jerusalem Post, and in additional publications in both French and Russian. Findings have also been presented in meetings with government, civil society, and philanthropic stakeholders. For example, Prof. Avi Weiss and Research Director Prof. Alex Weinreb met with the National Security Council to discuss demography and participation of Arab Israelis in education and the labor market. Findings were also featured in the winter lecture series held for Taub Center supporters, which provided a more in-depth look at the topics presented during the policy conference.

Forthcoming Taub publications in the area of demography will include estimates of excess mortality due to COVID-19 and their effects on Israeli life expectancy; a study on how much Israel’s higher education system needs to expand to maintain current levels of higher education among Israel’s growing population; studying population characteristics of different regions in Israel; and a projection on households in Israel, examining the various implications of increased numbers of single-member households, especially among young adults and the elderly.

The Taub Center congratulates Prof. Weinreb and Researcher Kyrill Shraberman on their work that led to the Taub Center being named the host institution and sole Israel representative for the National Transfer Accounts (NTA) Network. Prof. Weinreb will serve as team leader and Kyrill Shraberman will serve as co- chair. Other team members include the Center’s President Prof. Avi Weiss and Prof. Benny Bental. The NTA Network, which includes research teams from more than 60 countries, aims to understand how population growth and demographic changes affect larger socioeconomic trends, allowing for collaboration on data, methods, and outreach to policy makers across its member countries.

Prof. Weinreb said of the opportunity: “The Taub Center is uniquely positioned in Israel to host the National Transfer Accounts. No other think tank or research institute in Israel has such broad-ranging expertise across the fields of macroeconomics, microeconomics and demography. Israel is also unique among developed countries in having both a very young age structure and a rapidly growing elderly population. We therefore provide a unique model for studying the interaction between age structure and socioeconomic trends. This is why other members of the NTA network were so excited to welcome us.” 30 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

17 | Partnerships Update

In a year of unprecedented challenges, the Taub Center’s dedicated and growing base of partners in the United States, Australia and Israel made the Center’s work possible. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Board of Directors, the Council, foundations and individuals whose support enables us to conduct research of the highest caliber and disseminate our findings widely and effectively, both in Israel and overseas.

We owe our primary endowment donors our deepest gratitude for providing the foundation of our financial stability: The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation, the Herbert and Nell Singer Foundation, Jane and John Colman, the Kolker-Saxon-Hallock Family Foundation, the Milton and Roslyn Z. Wolf Foundation, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

Despite limitations on travel this year, staff continued to keep in regular contact by increasing the scope of existing Zoom briefings. At the outbreak of the pandemic, a five-part “Viral Economics” briefing series was launched with the goals of addressing the effects of the pandemic on multiple sectors in Israel and featuring Taub Center researchers alongside experts from the field, as highlighted in the “Online Outreach” chapter. A second lecture series was launched following the Herbert M. Singer International Policy Conference, further exploring its key topics. By bringing together research THE TAUB CENTER LOOKS AT ISRAEL UNDER A and practice, these briefings MICROSCOPE, AND THERE’S NO ONE BETTER highlighted the importance IN THE STATE OF ISRAEL WHO DOES THAT. THE of Taub Center findings in CENTER LOOKS AT THE MACRO DECISIONS, AND informing both policy on the HOW THEY AFFECT PEOPLE’S LIVES ON A MICRO government level and practice LEVEL, IN THE MOST MEANINGFUL WAY. within civil society. ­— Rabbi Charles Savenor, Park Avenue Synagogue We look forward to serving as a critical resource to foundations and philanthropists around the world, virtually and, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, in person. Thank you to our supporters, Board of Directors, General Assembly, and staff for your meaningful contributions to the Center’s success this year. 31 / ANNUAL DIRECTOR’S REPORT 2020

Taub Center Board of General Directors Assembly

Helen Abeles, Chair of the Board Michael Saxon, Chair

Jim Angell, First Vice Chair of the Board and Vice Helen Abeles Chair for Governance and Administration Penny Blumenstein John Davison, Vice Chair for Budget and Finance Zvi Feine Col. (Res.) Miri Eisin, Vice Chair for Planning and Resource Development Amir Halevy

Penny Blumenstein Ellen M. Heller

Dennis W. Carlton Steve Lieberman

John Dunn Asher Ostrin

Martha Freedman Stanley Rabin

Anat Gafni Mark Sisisky

Alan H. Gill Steven Taub

Ellen M. Heller Caryn Wolf Wechsler

Jim Koshland

Steve Lieberman

Michael P. Lustig

Michael Saxon

Mark Sisisky

Caryn Wolf Wechsler http://taubcenter.org.il [email protected] @TaubCenter | @TaubCenterIL @TaubCenterEnglish | @TaubCenter

Established in 1982 under the leadership and vision of Herbert M. Singer, Henry Taub, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Center is funded by a permanent endowment created by the Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation, the Herbert M. and Nell Singer Foundation, Jane and John Colman, the Kolker-Saxon-Hallock Family Foundation, the Milton A. and Roslyn Z. Wolf Family Foundation, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.