An evolving holiday Growing roots

Tu B'Shvat: Planting trees, eating dried fruit or paying your taxes? When Hebrew teachers in Israel wanted to help their students reconnect to the land of their forefathers, Tu B'Shvat left the realm of prayers and entered the ground - literally

Hi tech unions Lack of communication

Workers declare a labor dispute over merger between ECI and Ribbon Union and management have negotiated new terms regarding the merger with Ribbon Communications, but the agreement was not signed | "We are aware of the danger to workers caused by mergers with American companies, and are committed to ensure employment security for our workers."

Disability benefits Message from an activist

Michal Hasson, blogger and social activist, is preparing her wheelchair for the roadblocks Describing her struggle to survive on disability benefits and connecting her personal story to the wider fight for a more inclusive and moral society, Hasson is calling on the public to show their support

Political standstill Fighting for their lives

Activists return to the streets to demand a raise in disability benefits Despite a law unanimously approved in the Knesset, disability benefits have not risen, leaving people with disabilities in Israel no choice but to re-ignite their campaign | Eyal Cohen, an activist, said that the protests "quite simply shortens our lives, but we have no other option."

"Topmost priority" Elderly and poor

Is there a solution to the high poverty rate among pensioners? "The most crucial thing this year is raising state pensions. I am fully committed to this," said Arnon Bar David, head of Israel's largest labor union, calling on government and employers to "negotiate a tripartite agreement to raise pensions."

Education system Will he learn his lesson?

"Homophobia Begins in the Government Halls": students' response to the Education Minister's remarks This is not the first time that Education Minister Rabbi Rafi Peretz has expressed homophobic views, but this time the response of the students participating in the system he governs showed their LGBT classmates that they are not alone in fighting intolerance

Gig Economy Should Uber be unleashed in Israel?

Despite international criticism, senior officials are pushing for Uber’s entry into Israel While Uber’s ride-sharing service was banned from Israel in 2017, some in the Israeli Government are determined to do what it takes to get Uber authorized in Israel for “the good of the consumer,” - unperturbed by alarming reports of driver exploitation, investor fraud, and increased traffic

Extreme weather Who's Responsible?

Public agencies deny responsibility to issue extreme weather hazard warnings Even though recent extreme rainfall has claimed the lives of five people, no public authority sees itself responsible for issuing safety instructions to the public | With the advent of climate change, extreme weather events in Israel are predicted to increase in frequency and strength | Who will keep the public safe?

Workplace fatalities Sharp rise in casualties

Why are Israel’s builders increasingly falling to their deaths? The data is grim | While the government's aim was a 10 percent reduction, the results show a 22 percent upsurge in fatalities in 2019, the highest rate of fatalities seen in a decade | Unsurprisingly, the workers that die come from the most marginalized communities in Israel

Quality education Assisting the assistants

Improving the working conditions of preschool teachers' assistants Gil Bar-Tal: "We want a 36-hour work week, we want to limit the number of children to ten per staff member, and we want to emphasize that preschool assistants are education professionals and not merely caregivers"

Israel’s national lake In-depth vision

Forget about the water level: grab a microscope and take a look at the Sea of Galilee After 50 years of research, leading Lake Kinneret researcher Moshe Gofen has news for us | In his new book, Different Kinneret, Gofen paints a broad picture of the condition of Israel’s national lake over the last quarter century

An attitude shift Economic coexistence

Obscure resolution 922 and the revolution it is creating in Arab communities in Israel Executive director of the Injaz Center: "The historic importance of this decision, apart from its dramatic effect on welfare in Arab communities, is that it sets a precedent of cooperation" | Why did one of Israel's most right wing governments promote this resolution?

Festival of festivals Haifa’s struggle for coexistence

The complexities of embracing diversity in one of Israel’s largest mixed cities Haifa’s “Festival of Festivals” aims to unite all religions in Haifa | The festival is the city’s claim to coexistence, but what do the people on the ground have to say?

Escalation "A struggle against organized labor"

Histadrut Chief to Treasury: Repeal the policy undermining state employees' right to strike According to the new policy, state employees will be required to commit in writing to refrain from participating in work stoppages | Histadrut chief: “This is an attempt to intimidate employees who are exercising their rights”

The workers aren't backing down Has Samsung learnt its lesson?

Suny labor dispute: Union chairperson forcibly prevented from speaking to workers Tackled to the floor, dragged out of the building and sustaining a head injury - union chairperson Tal Shitrit only wanted to speak to the workers he is committed to | It seems that Samsung has failed to put to practice the lessons they claim they have learned regarding unionization rights