Regionalism
Strengthening and implementing the concept of Regionalism in Israel for the benefit of economic growth and reducing disparities, along with promoting social cohesion and regional resilience.
The Challenge
Built-in structural challenges deepen regional inequalities and hinder growth in Israel. The centralized government structure, fragmented local government, with a multiplicity of small and weak local authorities and a concentration of growth and wealth in the country's central region and conservation of polarization in Israeli society. Implementing Regionalism as an approach has the potential to meet these challenges; to promote economic growth and reduce disparities, while promoting social cohesion and regional resilience.
Our Response
Establishment and leverage of initiatives and infrastructure to strengthen regions and to promote a vision of regionalism in Israel.
Did you know?
There are 257 local authorities in Israel, half of which have less than 15,000 residents. Israel is one of the few countries in the OECD that does not have a regional layer of governance.
MAP - The unique intervention model for Regionalism
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Mindset - Changing perceptions, ways of thinking and attitudes
The “Regional Expert Forum” which operated during 2018 as a project to develop knowledge, conceptualization and perception of the field of regionalism in Israel in collaboration with experts from a variety of sectors and disciplines; “Israel’s Hope in Clusters” is operating for the third year to promote a practical concept of social cohesion in regional clusters.
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Ability - Building capabilities for systemic change, at the level of the individual and the organization
The “Regional Economic Development Program in the North” works to implement the strategy of making the North a regional growth engine in the 4.0 field by creating regional and national interfaces, transferring knowledge and strengthening infrastructure between communities and players operating in the North.
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Pipes & Mechanisms - Designing and improving infrastructure, mechanisms and processes
The “Regional Promotion Team in Israel” worked during 2019-2020, headed by the Director General of the Ministry of the Interior, to examine the impact of the governmental structure on the functioning of the system in the administrative, economic and social spheres and to formulate reform for regional promotion in Israel. This examination is based upon the “Regional Clusters” built and operated jointly by the ministry and Joint Elka between the years 2013-2018 as a structural infrastructure for the institutionalization of a regional governmental body as a responsible and coordinating mechanism.
