The Stephen H. Floersheimer Studies at the Institute of Urban and Regional Studies, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the successor of the Floersheimer Institute for Policy Studies.
The Floersheimer Institute for Policy Studies
Active between 1991 and 2007, the goal of the Floersheimer Institute for Policy Studies was to research fundamental processes taking place in the multi-cultural Israeli society that are likely to engage the attention of decision makers, to analyze the long-term implications of these processes and to propose alternative strategies of action. The Institute was a Jerusalem based non-profit organization established and supported by Dr. S.H. Floersheimer. Serving on its Board of Directors were Dr. Stephen H. Floersheimer – Chairman, Mr. I. Amihud Ben-Porath, Advocate – Vice Chairman, Mr. David Brodet and Mr. Hirsch Goodman. Professor Amiram Gonen served as the Institute's Director.
The Floersheimer Institute gained substantial prominence within Israel mainly in three fields:
Society, Space and Governance – primarily local government and local governance related studies. The Floersheimer Institute built up a unique reputation in this field in Israel based on high quality policy studies in Hebrew, as well as conferences and roundtables based on its studies and on issues on the public agenda.
Arabs and Jews in Israel – particularly aspects of governance and planning in Arab localities in Israel: overcoming external and internal barriers for development. The Floersheimer Institute was among the first to publish policy papers on these crucial issues.
Relations between religion, society and state – with a focus on integration of the Haredi community into the labor market – crucial for economic growth and reversing the trend of growing economic disparities in Israeli society.
Research in Floersheimer Studies
Floersheimer Studies is a singular study program based since 2007 at the Institute of Urban and Regional Studies of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, with the continued support of its founder Dr. S.H. Floersheimer. It is headed by Prof. Eran Razin from the Department of Geography and the Institute of Urban and Regional Studies.
Floersheimer Studies will build up on the achievements and reputation of the Floersheimer Institute, focusing on two major fields:
Society, Space and Governance (with an emphasis on local governance). Local government with its associated organizations and corporations are a substantial component of the public sector, crucial for quality of life, democratic values and representation in a multi-cultural society, as well as for norms of governance, local economic growth and urban development. Our broad vision is of (1) a modern and efficient local government that provides high-quality services to all citizens of the state; (2) decentralization of powers to local government, accompanied by unequivocal division of powers between local and central government, in which those holding the authority to perform specific functions are also held accountable for their outcomes; and (3) a local government system that promotes democratic values, participation and a well developed civil society.
Arabs and Jews in Israel (with an emphasis on society, governance and planning within Arab localities and in mixed cities). Despite substantial progress in the development of Palestinian-Arab localities in Israel – in terms of physical infrastructure, human capital, business creation and the proliferation of civil society organizations – post October 2000 realities of the re-intensifying Israeli-Palestinian conflict pose new challenges for the Arab community and for its relations with the Jewish state. Planning and development of Arab cities, towns and settlements, with an emphasis on overcoming external barriers for development (such as discrimination at the central government level) and internal barriers (embedded in traditional societies), are on the agenda of Floersheimer Studies.
Floersheimer Studies welcomes contributions also in the following field:
Relations between religion, society and state – integration of the Haredi community into the labor market. Such integration is crucial for economic growth and reversing the trend of growing economic disparities in Israeli society, and particularly crucial for the economic viability of cities such as Jerusalem. Local governance in Haredi cities, which faces unique challenges of economic viability and the need to bridge the gap between unique societal norms and tolerable practices of modern public administration, and local governance in "mixed" cities (where Haredim are a significant portion of the population) are also within Floersheimer's priorities.
Occasional conferences.
Publication of policy studies and policy papers, either commissioned studies or based on studies and dissertations supported by research grants and fellowships given to Hebrew University faculty and graduate students.
Website allowing free access to all our copyrighted publications and reports.
