Social Welfare

The National Insurance Institute of Israel has released data on the distribution of billions of shekels to 1.3 million families. The current system presents a complex dilemma for policymakers: how to ensure a safety net for children while maintaining incentives for parental employment.

Just days before September 1st, dozens of children are still waiting for a home that can take them in. While their friends prepare for the first day with their parents, some of them will return to emergency centers at the end of the school day. "They see others who found a home and ask: what is wrong with me?"

About 1.3 million families receive child benefits for approximately 3.2 million children, with the state depositing 58 shekels per month into each child's savings fund. While 28% of children in Israel live below the poverty line, studies indicate that reducing benefits has encouraged labor market participation while having a limited impact on birth rates.

Ahead of the elections, the Social Workers Union is demanding a cap on the number of cases per professional. Current caseloads are four times the target, with some security sector workers managing up to 1,000 disabled IDF veterans.