On the occasion of 'Family Day': The Berl Katznelson Foundation's 'Family Policy Index' data presents a worrying picture of parents in Israel - torn between endless working hours and a suffocating cost of living.
The data shows that Israel ranks second from the bottom among the 32 OECD member countries in average working hours for full-time workers, second only to Chile. Even in countries like the US or South Korea, which are known for their particularly demanding work culture, the number of working hours is lower.
According to the data, workers in Israel are employed an average of 43.5 hours, compared to an average of 40.8 hours among the countries in the index. At the same time, another figure in the index shows that despite working more hours, the rate of Israelis who have difficulty closing the month is higher than the average in the index.
The CBS social survey allows us to delve into additional data, and shows that the problem is particularly serious among families with children.
• 661% of fathers of children in Israel, and 301% of mothers, regularly work more than the 42 hours defined in Israel as full-time work.
• Approximately 371% of fathers and 111% of mothers regularly work over 50 hours a week - a situation that is defined as "overwork" and has been proven to be a health hazard.
On the other hand, parents of children have difficulty closing the month with high rates:
• 51% of parents of children encountered a situation in the year prior to the survey in which their income did not cover the cost of living, compared to 41% among the population without children.
• For one in three (34%) parents, this is a permanent situation and they generally have difficulty covering all their monthly expenses. This rate is higher among parents without a college degree, at 44%.
In addition to long working hours, the average time parents spend on the road is also increasing.
Between 2017 and 2024, the average travel time for parents in Israel increased to nearly 10%.
Almost one in three (32%) parents of children testified in 2024 that commuting time bothers or bothers them a lot.
According to the Family Policy Index, Israel ranks second from last in average travel time among OECD countries. Only Latvia has a longer travel time.
Dependence on private cars deepens the crisis: According to social survey data, in 2015-24 the proportion of people commuting by private car to work increased from 591% to 671%, at the expense of using public transportation.
The trend is particularly noticeable in the cities of Haifa (from 52% to 62%), Jerusalem (from 49% to 61%), Rishon LeZion (from 60% to 73%) and Beer Sheva (from 56% to 64%). In contrast, Tel Aviv recorded stability in vehicle use (from 49% to 51%).
Yaara Mann, Research Director at the Berl Katznelson Foundation: "The data indicate a deep gap between the image of Israel as a country that sanctifies family and the actual daily lives of parents. Parents in Israel suffer from an unbearable burden - they work more hours than almost any other Western country, spend a lot of time traveling, enjoy very few days off, and at the same time, a high percentage of them have difficulty making ends meet.
""The international comparison reveals Israel's low position in indicators of shared time and quality of life for families, but it also allows us to learn from countries that do things differently and reminds us that this is not a decree of fate but the result of policy. And policy can be changed.""
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