When Israel joined the OECD in 2010, it pledged to reduce the economic disparity between Jews and Arabs. However, a study funded by the Bank of Israel found that the unemployment rate among Israel’s Arab men is twice that of Jewish men, and rising. Arab women are three times less likely to have a job than Jewish women.

We will visit some of the local agencies that are wrestling with the causes underpinning these disparities. We will visit Israeli Arab towns close to the Green Line to explore the reasons behind these gaps.  We will also hear about some of the new investments and opportunities afforded to the Arab sector of Israeli society and discuss the achievements, challenges and opportunities for the future. 

Around 25% of first-grade pupils in Israel are Arabs.  On average, the strongest students among the Arab population still score 20% lower than the strongest Jewish students in matriculation exams.   Arab school graduates face a serious challenge when they enter the Israeli job market. 

What are Israeli Arabs doing to tackle the current reality for their children? How many Jewish and Arab youth in Israel actually meet one another during their youth? Would more integration into the wider Israeli population improve the forecast for their children? 

On this day, we will visit the Arab high school in Lod to discuss the place of the Arab minority in Israeli society, and their feelings towards their place in the Jewish State. We will also meet with representatives from Kids4Peace, a global interfaith youth movement working with Israeli and Palestinian youth in interfaith conflict resolution.