SEPARATING MAINTENANCE for purpose of investigation to deter­ Summary and Conclusion The and its Social Welfare mine the client's assets, or for purposes of clarifying any particulars related to This paper has addressed separation his income . . . documents, certificates, of income maintenance and treatment RICHARD E. ISRALOWITZ, PH.D. and to request information and clarity in the Israeli social welfare services. In Director, Center for Human Services Development and Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Work, from any person who may have knowl­ the light of the long tradition during Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, edge of these matters short of entering which assistance was inextricably tied to a person's abode without a permit of treatment, separation presents a major . . . it is more plausible that attention will be given to ways in which the Negev can develop its entry." The National Insurance Insti­ policy innovation. The thrust for sep­ human services through being more effective and cost efficient, in other words, adopting a tute may petition other persons to elicit aration was an outcome of professional strategy of "doing more for less". Through this approach, the planning process will take on information. thinking in freeing the social services greater importance, especially in terms of four basic tasks: 1) information gathering and problem definition; 2) setting objectives (or describing options) and prioritizing them; 3) What is particularly regressive is the from the "albatross of relief" and help­ choosing objectives (or options) and allocating resources; and, 4) collecting data on program punishment that may arise in the form ing clients deal more effectively with implementation and then interpreting the information. of financial fines and recall of funds for their needs. Treatment would become clients presenting misinformation. In more meaningful, new services would addition, there are residency laws which be initiated, new target populations and Introduction Background high-risk groups would be reached. state that the recipient must reside in The social welfare of Israel reflects a The Negev the country for a period of 24 months While progress has been reported in range of problems and needs that re­ before receiving benefits. It should these areas, whether clients are indeed quire attention at a time when resources David Ben-Gurion said that "the fu­ ture of Israel is in the Negev." Few can also be noted that the law often fails to benefitting from separation remains are becoming increasingly scarce. While contest this statement in terms of the specify what constitutes need, what ser­ questionable. many persons involved with human ser­ region's vastness and potential for de­ vices are to be provided, or what is con­ Access has been a central problem for vices are concerned with issues such as velopment. Yet, throughout Israel's sidered adequate relief. Lazin has put it clients in post-separation situations. maintaining present levels of service brief history as a modern nation, the in these terms: "Ministry administrative They are not knowledgeable of services provision, there is one region which has Negev has been on the periphery of the guidelines and regulations clarify broad and even if they were, it would take remained a priority for new program­ country's social, cultural and economic statutes, but detailed laws are absent." more than knowledge to bring them to ming and initiatives for more than thirty development. While the region consti­ While the above features place the agencies. Evidence clearly suggests that years—the Negev. tutes nearly two-thirds of Israel's land, client in a vulnerable position, there are welfare clients desire and are in need of In response to this situation, Ben- less than ten percent of its population a number of positive steps which the law professional help. Separation has lim­ Gurion University's newly established (i.e., approximately 300,000 people, has introduced. Emphasis is placed ited these opportunities. Center for Human Services Develop­ 60,000 of whom are Bedouin) reside in upon retraining, enabling clients to re­ Professionals who view separation as a ment, the American-Israel Joint Distri­ the area. turn to the marketplace with new skills progressive step in welfare policy ques­ bution Committee and the Israel Minis­ In spite of the absence of any clear and opportunities. In addition, persons tion its efficacy for clients. Concerned try of Labor and Social Affairs initiated national policy regarding the Negev's receiving children's allowances also about access, their own advocacy role, an effort in 1984 at a systematic assess­ development over the past few years, it qualify for public assistance. These and the creaming off phenomenon, ment of the Negev's needs—specifically, cannot be said that the region has been benefits are computed independently. they see as crucial the price that is being in terms of human services, manpower without a purpose. During the 1950's, But in the main, the law is heavily paid for separation. Finally, the re­ development and training, service pro­ effort was generated to: 1) found and weighted toward the means test, placing gressive features of legislation place into vision, and research. The purpose of develop new towns and settlements, in­ barriers before the clients' rights to as­ question forward-looking welfare policy this assessment was to lay the founda­ cluding Beer-Sheva as a regional city sistance. in Israeli society. tion for an incremental but planned ap­ and primary industrial center, as part of proach to upgrading the region's so­ a strategy for dispersing the waves of cial welfare. This article describes the newly arrived immigrants; 2) establish a Negev, its background and demo­ presence of sovereignty over the largely graphic characteristics, and reviews as unpopulated territory for defense pur­ well key findings of the assessment poses; and, 3) utilize the area's un­ 1 study. tapped natural resources and incorporate

2 1 This study was funded by a grant provided by it into the national economy. the American-Israel Joint Distribution Commit­ tee. 2 For a detailed description of the Negev's de-

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The settlement of people in a desert A second approach to the establish­ of unemployment and poverty relative best be met. It is unlikely, especially at a environment was of special concern to ment of towns in the Negev was based to national averages. time when Israel is faced with reducing the founders of Israel. "Conquest and on the region's raw natural resources. The Negev's primary population its level of spending, that government cultivation of the neglected desert areas During the early 1950's, two govern­ center is Beer-Sheva where nearly half funds will be available to supplement were major objectives of the Zionist ment owned companies were orga­ of the region's Jewish population reside. the present level of service provision. movement"3 With a shortage of water nized—the Dead Sea Potash Company Considered as the Negev's capital city, Rather, it is more plausible that atten­ and fertile land, however, the Zionist and the Phosphate Mining Company Beer-Sheva's population characteristics tion will be given to ways in which the ideology using agriculture as the in­ —along with smaller companies are similar to those of the region's small Negev can develop its human services strument for developing the Negev was for the production of kaolin and development towns and nearly half of through being more effective and cost not particularly feasible. Gradus and gypsum. The need for workers' housing the local social welfare agency's clientele efficient. In other words, adopting a Stern have noted: became central to the planning and cre­ are residents of the "Dalet" neighbor­ strategy of "doing more with less". Through this approach, the planning Successful absorption of the masses of new ation of Arad, , Yeruham and hood including Dalet North, East and 6 process will take on greater importance, immigrants required that they be placed Mitzpe-Ramon located east and south of Central. especially in terms of four basic tasks: 1) mainly in urban centers rather than in ag­ Beer-Sheva. Table 1 provides key demographic information gathering and problem ricultural settlements. The agricultural sector By the early 1960's, it became evident characteristics of the Negev's population in the country was not suited to realizing the definition; 2) setting objectives (or de­ that the region's development towns centers. From the data, it is interesting Zionist dream due to natural constraints, as scribing options) and prioritizing them; well as the lack of employment opportunities were not succeeding. Among the rea­ to note that most locations show a mod­ 3) choosing objectives (or options) and due to mechanization. In addition, the new sons being: kibbutzim and moshavim est population rise in terms of percent­ allocating resources; and, 4) collecting immigrants had been predominately city had their own marketing and purchas­ age, however, the actual increase in dwellers in their countries of origin. In order data on program implementation and ing organizations by-passing the towns numbers of people has remained low to avoid the formation of large urban agglom­ then interpreting the information. erations, it was decided to create a network of set up for that purpose; the quality of reflecting almost no population migra­ small urban centers which would be inter­ minerals was inferior and world market tion to the region over the years. Also, it At every level of human service orga­ linked with the agricultural settlements—a com­ prices were low, necessitating govern­ is important to point out that in all loca­ nization (i.e., national, regional and 4 promise between ideology and reality. ment subsidies to cover plant losses; the tions, crime and delinquency rates are local), there should be a reasonably ac­ curate assessment of needs for the Thus, in the areas north and west of number of plant workers was too small above the national norm; in most cases client. Also, this is true for the service Beer-Sheva, four towns were established to support the towns' economy; the considerably so. provider particularly in those regions as goods and services centers for their work, especially that associated with 5 mining, was physically demanding, such as the Negev where knowledgeable agricultural surroundings: Qiryat Gat , The Study and experienced personnel, working Sederot, and Ofaqim. limiting the participation of women in the labor force. General agreement exists among pro­ with adequate resources, are in short velopment, see Yehuda Gradus and Eliahu Stern, From the beginning of the develop­ gram and policy makers in Israel that supply. Long range organizational de­ "Changing Strategies of Development: Toward a ment towns' existence, their population the Negev is an underdeveloped region velopment is absolutely dependent on Regiopolis in the Negev Desert", Journal of the knowing the nature and scope of such American Institute of Planners, October, 1980, pp. has consisted primarily of immigrants and its network of human services must needs. And, because such needs change 410-423. from North African and Middle Eastern be built up. Basic services are present

3 over time as a result of new policies and E. A. Altman and E. R. Rosenbaum "Principles countries. These people have been and most crisis situations are addressed; decisions, economic conditions and of Planning and Zionist Ideology; the Israeli De­ characterized as having low levels of however, there is a need to improve the velopment Town," Journal of the American Institute shifting population trends, such infor­ education, large families, and a lack of manner in which human services are of Planners, 1973, p. 316. mation gathering or needs assessment 4 professional training. Substantial re­ managed and how clients' needs can Yehuda Gradus and Eliahu Stern, op. cit., p. should be current. 411. sources have been committed to up­ 6 5 Various definitions exist regarding the ter­ grading the quality of life of the devel­ Approximately two-thirds (66%) of Beer There are many ways of conducting a Sheva's population are people from North Af­ ritorial parameters of the Negev including its opment towns' population through a needs assessment. The study carried out population centers. For purposes of this article, rican and Middle Eastern countries including patch-work of special projects; yet, time by the Center for Human Services De­ the Israel Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs' their Israeli-born children. This proportion is velopment focused on the Negev's definition is used including the city/towns of: and effort do not seem to have sig­ lower than the average 75% found among the Beer-Sheva, Dimona, Arad, Yeruham, Mitzpe- nificantly altered the profile that has development towns but higher than the 50% human services manpower development Ramon, Netivot, Sederot, Ofaqim and Elat. The emerged of these locations. That is to amount for the nation. For a detailed description and training, service provision, and re­ of Beer-Sheva and its social welfare problems see 7 people of these locations as well as the region's say, the towns are characterized by small search. kibbutzim, moshavim, Bedouin "settlement" Richard Isralowitz, "Beer-Sheva, Capital of the populations with patterns of much tran­ towns (e.g., and Tel-Sheva) and nomadic Negev: A Profile of Social Welfare Problems", Bedouin constitute the Negev's approximately sience, low levels of health, education fournal of fewish Communal Service, Vol. 60, No. 3 7 Needs assessment, data collection and analysis 300,000 residents. and social services, as well as high levels (Spring, 1984), pp. 256-260. technology developed by the Human Services De-

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Table 1. one week to complete it. For those agen­ —among the "professional" workers, 53% Selected Demographic Characteristics of the Negev cies (i.e., director/personnel) slow or (140) have a B.A. degree and 32% (85) are graduates of the Ministry of Labor and So­ Dependency reluctant in completing the question­ Ratio: Rate of cial Affairs' Social Work Training Insti­ naire, key personnel of the Joint and the 1 (0-19 and Children Rate of tute. ' Fifteen percent (39) of the profes­ 65+ yrs per 1000 Juvenile Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of age population Crime Delinquency sional workers have advanced degrees or Population Percentage (0-18) Infant Rate per 1000 male telephoned the agency director to en­ training certificates; Increase of Large* 20-64 yrs placed in Mortality per 1000 population Population % Families of age Institutions Rates population aged 9-18 courage participation. Project staff —60% (84) of the "professional" workers with a B.A. degree have studied social work and Israel 4,063,300' 7.2 41.5' .99' 11.6' 63.4s 27.5" arranged with each agency director s s _ s s s 3,789,800 14.5" 1.02 7.05 13.8" 56.5 22.0 40% (56) have majors in social/behavioral when they would return to collect the Beer-Sheva 112.600' 9.0 38.5" .91' 6.2' 19.4' 111.4* 41.0' sciences, sociology, education, psychology, 103,300s 27.9" 92s 8.0s 19.5" 82.0s 28.9s completed forms. After a four week pe­ etc. Dimona 27,600' 1.1 50.1' 1.13' 9.3' 15.0' 96.2* 43.2" 27,300s 39.3« 1.19s 8.7s 23.7» 58.2s 42.6s riod which included the questionnaire's Elat 19,600' 7.7 34.6' 1.10' 2.6' 2 1' 154.9s 36.1' 18,200s 14.5« 1.13s 7.0s 13.8' 56.5s 18.0s distribution and collection, an 89% Manpower Development and Training Netivot 8,500' 13.3 59.2' 1.21' 11.6' 16.1' 99.9' 101.4' (N=405) return rate was achieved. In 7,500s 61.48 1.23s 19.3s 31.0' 67.3s 47.4s Arad 12,900' 27.7 37.0" 1.29' 3.2' 3.2' 111.1" 20.6" the words of a Joint Distribution Com­ 10,100s 15.7" 1.37s 5.5s 27.3" 76.3« 19.4s —among the respondents (317) to the question Ofaquim 12,700' 13.4 50.1' .93' 12.7' 15.6' 123.6" 69.8' mittee program officer, "this survey s s s s s whether in-service training is received to im­ 11,200 50.6" .89 11.7 18.4« 112.6 57.2 represents the most comprehensive ef­ Sederot 9,000' 8.4 48.6" 1.04' 7.8' 12.4' 74.1" 77.6' prove professional skills and abilities, 28% 8,300s 42.0" 1.11s 13.9s 31.8" 114.3s 23.6s fort of its kind in Israel to date and the (90) of the workers reported not receiving Yeruham 6,600' 8.1 57.6" 0.63' 16.2' 10.0' 83.8" 82.8' 6,100s 69.3« 1.02s 23.5s 5.8" 66.4s 35.1s level of cooperation received by agency any such assistance; —human service workers reported in-service * Families with four or more children. personnel exceeds expectations." training is needed to improve their skills and 1 1982. 5 1978. 2 1981. 6 1977. job performance in the following areas 3 7 Findings 1980. 1976. (listed in terms of priority): 4 1979. 8 1975. 1) the ability to work together as a team and Much data have been collected and is Note: The Negev's population, based in the cities and towns listed above, increased 9.1% from 1978 coordinate efforts more effectively; 2) inter­ (192,000) to 1982 (209,500). under analysis; for purposes of this personal and inter-agency communications; study selected worker related informa­ 3) effective client case review and monitor­ ing techniques; 4) family and group coun­ Subject and Measures The questionnaire used for this effort tion and responses are presented to seling methods; and 5) supervision of agency was developed from two sources: 1) the provide a preliminary profile of the personnel; This study was conducted during the National Child Welfare Center's survey Negev's human services situation. Be­ —a need for college level social work education first quarter of 1984 throughout the instrument for assessing child welfare cause this study has been conducted was expressed by 32% (145) of the Negev's Negev. The target population included inservice training (School of Social only in the Negev, national data and entire human service work force; workers providing social services for Work, University of Michigan, 1981); that from other regions in Israel are not —the major provider of social work related local and regional social welfare, health, in-service training (i.e., 36% of all training and, 2) the Urban Institute's (1979) available for comparison purposes. received by workers) is provided by the mental health, rehabilitation, probation 9 Among the major findings are: self-assessment checklists for local child Beer-Sheva Social Work Training Institute; (youth and adult), and national insur­ welfare services. Both instruments were —the principal provider of university training ance agencies as well as neighborhood modified and translated into Hebrew Human Service Workers for the Negev's human service workers is youth centers. Also, the three direct ser­ for use in the Negev. Tel-Aviv University at its main campus vice social workers of the Ministry of (Ramat-Aviv). A considerable amount of The survey questionnaire was distrib­ —a total of 456 persons were found to be pro­ Labor and Social Affairs who are re­ viding human services for those agencies time is lost and cost incurred for workers to uted to the workers at the beginning of surveyed; receive training from Tel-Aviv University sponsible for the Negev's Bedouin popu­ February. First, however, a letter of in­ —agency directors reported 58% (264) of their because of its distance from their place of lation were asked to complete the sur­ 12 troduction was sent to human service workers as having professional status and work. 8 vey forms. 10 agency directors explaining the as­ 42% (192) as being paraprofessionals; sessment's purpose. Next, a meeting was responsibilities or the person's education should

9 held with each agency director and the Statistics presented are calculated on the total be the criterion to determine the worker's status. sign Laboratory, School of Applied Social Sci­ 11 number of respondents to each survey form ques­ For a discussion of social work education in ences, Case Western Reserve University (Cleve­ agency's workers to discuss the survey tion. Israel see R. Isralowitz, "Beer-Sheva, Capital of land, Ohio) was applied to this study. The author forms, to solicit their cooperation and to 10 Disagreement exists among human service the Negev", op. cit. (footnote # 13), p. 257. of this article was Director of the Laboratory from 12 provide assistance, if needed, to help agency directors, representatives of the Joint Dis­ The need for regionalizing university in- 1978-1982. respondents understand the questions. tribution Committee, Ministry of Labor and Social service training for human service agencies is one 8 A total of 36 local and regional human service Affairs, and the Department of Social Work, Once the questionnaire was received by reason for the establishment of Ben-Gurion Uni­ agencies/organizations in the Negev were sur­ Ben-Gurion University as to who is a "profes­ versity's Department of Social Work. The De­ the workers they were given, in general, veyed. sional" worker. The issue is one of whether the job partment's first class of students will be graduating

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flection of the region's being on the Service Problems The Social Role of the Israeli Community Center* periphery of Israel's development. It has

13 —forty percent (4,234) of all human service been noted by Gradus that: Dr. URI YANAY agency cases in the Negev are considered to Israel, with its highly centralized, non-spatial, The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work, ferusalem be of a family/child welfare nature; 12% ideological, political system, tried to execute a (1,270) relate to issues of the elderly; and, national policy of balanced regional develop­ about 5% (529) deal with youth. The re­ ment, but failed because such development is There are opportunities as well as risks inherent in the development of community centers maining percentages and numbers are scat­ basically a territorial and bottom-up process, as [ Matnassim]. The greater the risks, the greater the chance that Matnassim will play an tered among problems and needs associated well as a process of allocating resources from increasingly larger role in Israeli society, not only in the realm of leisure time activities but also with the physically handicapped, develop- above. In the existing top-down system, the [in providing] . . . differentiated services . . . mentally disabled, physically ill, etc. gap between the affluent core and the rela­ —agency directors (29) reported nearly 10% tively impoverished national periphery is (44) of the region's human service positions ESPITE the interest in community growing. a particular organizational tie or other were unfilled as of September, 1983 primar­ D centers (Matnassim) in Israel, very prerequisites. It is evident that the problems faced ily due to the lack of qualified personnel; little research has been done and little In the wake of changes in Israeli soci­ —workers (266) reported the major agency by Israel's leaders especially those of an has been written on the subject there. ety and possibilities of financial assis­ problems affecting human service provision economic and security nature, super­ 1 This article will acquaint the reader with tance from abroad, a new generation of are (listed in terms of seriousness): 1) lack of cede the generation of new plans and organization and management of client case the historical background of the Mat­ community centers has risen which is initiative for vitalizing the Negev. Yet, it records; 2) caseworkers' difficulty in iden­ nassim, their operational principles and neither dependent, transient, indif­ tifying and setting priorities for their clients; seems that the Negev's immediate fu­ objectives and the social roles which they ferent to the environment, elitist, nor and, 3) an absence of uniform operating ture relies on these same leaders (those fulfill in Israel. profit-making.2 This generation is rep­ procedures among workers in similar situa­ from government as well as private or­ resented by the Matnas, an acronym tions and cases. ganizations) to prioritize the develop­ standing for culture, youth and sports ment of this region as a "new national Historical Background Research center. mission". Such an effort must include Community centers have existed and Matnassim were established by a gov­ policies which promote social, cultural —survey respondents (299) reported the most operated in Israel for the past seventy ernment association and today operate and economic development. Certainly, important areas for research are (listed in years. Originally, batei am, or cultural in some 100 cities and neighborhoods terms of importance): 1) the effectiveness or this cannot be done apart from a posi­ centers, were established by political throughout the country. The majority impact of services on clients; 2) the degree of tive, well-defined working relationship agency accountability (i.e., does the agency parties and ideological movements. The of Matnassim have been established in with Jewish communities outside Israel do what it is supposed to be doing); and, 3) a aim was to offer a variety of educational, distressed urban areas and neighbor­ including their associations with busi­ more specific understanding of client needs. cultural and recreational activities for hoods or development towns. Others ness, industry and universities. If this is various age groups. have been set up in well-established not done, the Negev's future does not 3 Conclusion In the course of their development, areas. In general, we tend to think of appear promising. three distinct types or models of com­ cities, especially large cities, as focal The Negev's human service problems munity centers emerged: First, there are points for many of the social and demo­ and needs are just one facet of the re­ 13 Yehuda Gradus, "The Emergence of Re­ those associated with social-ideological graphic problems of society. Govern­ in 1985 after completing the three-year under­ gionalism in a Centralized System: The Case of or political movements. Here, activities ment statistics indicate, however, that in Israel, Society and Space, Vol., 1984, p. 97. graduate program. tend to be unidimensional and such in­ stitutions are often short-lived, in part as a result of financial dependence on a 1 Chaim Zipori, The Emergence and Development single source of support. Second, there of Matnassim in Israel, Jerusalem, The Joseph J. Schwartz Graduate Program for Training Com­ are community centers based on the munity Center Directors and Senior Personnel at "country club" model. Activities are the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1972 (In provided with an aim towards profit- Hebrew). making and little concern for the needs 2 David Macarov and Uri Yanay, "Some Pre­ of the community. The third type of liminary Findings Concerning Community Cen­ ters in Israel," The Journal of Jewish Communal Ser­ community center is based on an elitist vices, 51, (4) (Summer 1975), pp. 332-340. model. Membership is contingent upon 3 Uri Yanay, "Community Centers in Israel as Service Delivery Agencies". An Unpublished Doc­ * Based on the Arnulf M. Pins Memorial Lec­ toral Dissertation. Jerusalem: The Hebrew Uni­ ture, 1983. versity of Jerusalem, April 1982A (In Hebrew).

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