Israel

January 5, 2010

Geographical map of the Middle East with Israel highlightedHistory
An alliance between the Ekstein House and Goodwill resulted in the creation of Goodwill-Israel.

Programs and Services
In partnership with Manpower Israel and Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh, Ekstein House/Goodwill-Israel is planning to offer a pilot welfare-to-work program in Israel.

Country Profile
Country name: Israel
Capital: Jerusalem
Population: 7,473,052
Land Size: 8,522 square miles (slightly smaller than New Jersey)
President: Shimon Peres
Prime Minister: Binyamin Netanyahu
Languages: Hebrew and Arabic
Unemployment: 6.7 percent
GDP (PPP): $219.4 billion
GDP (PPP) per capita/average income: $29,800
Statistics for Persons with Disabilities: According to Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) Social Surveys, 17.9 percent of adults aged 20–64 have a physical disability or health problem that impedes daily activities and has lasted at least six months (average rate, 2002–2006). Of those, 11.7 percent have moderate disabilities and 6.2 percent have severe disabilities. According to the Commission for Equal Rights of People with Disabilities, 85 percent of businesses do not currently employ any disabled people, with 25 percent of those questioned saying that they had no interest in hiring such a person in the future.

State of Disability Legislation
Israel has signed but not ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In 2005, Israel enacted a comprehensive law requiring accommodations for persons with disabilities in the justice system, and the country continues to develop to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.