(continued on page 6) Research in Action In 2014, MJB is celebrating 40 years of using applied social research to make a difference in Israel, the Jewish world, and the international community. See pages 4-5 for highlights of our landmark anniversary! Inside this issue: Reforming Israel’s Public Health Care System 1 Transforming Education in the Arab Sector 1 Spotlight on Quality Assurance 2 New Handbook on Shared Measurement 3 In Memory of Ralph Goldman 3 MJB’s 40th Anniversary 4 Selected MJB Publications 8 Fall/Winter 2014 May 13 marked an important milestone for Israel’s Arab education system when the Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, together with the Qalansuwa Municipality and the Ministry of Education, held a study day to focus and reflect on the Learning from Success method of collaborative learning as a lever for on-going learning and change in Arab education. The study day was the culmination of four years of intensive activity by MJB’s Learning from Success (LFS) Unit in schools in Qalansuwa, one of Israel’s socio- economically weakest Arab communities. Educators and leaders from Arab cities in Transforming Education in the Arab Sector: Learning from Success Israel’s Central Region came to learn how their colleagues used LFS to transform the educational climate to encourage greater collective learning among school staff and Israel’s health system has been recognized internationally as one of the most effective models of health care, both in terms of its emphasis on health in the community and its relatively low cost. There has been growing concern, however, that recent changes are threatening some of its most important achievements and are eroding the general public's confidence in the system. These include the decline in resources available to the publicly financed system, increasing use of private health insurance and private health care to supplement public care, and the movement of senior physicians and resources from the public to the private system. These trends have contributed to greater gaps in access to health care between those who can and cannot afford private care. In response to these concerns, Minister of Health Yael German established the German Committee to Strengthen the Public Health System, as reported in our Summer/Fall 2013 Newsletter. This past June, the Committee issued its report, which represents the most significant proposed reform to Israel's health care system since the 1995 introduction of national health insurance. The committee's 100+ recommendations have been designed to significantly strengthen the public system and prevent Israel’s Health Care Expenditures, 2005-2012 32 34 36 38 40 2005 2009 2012 % of total expenditure Source: Ministry of Health (2014) Private expenditure Public expenditure Sweeping Reforms Proposed to Strengthen Israel’s Public Health Care System (continued on page 7) Students and teachers from Qalansuwa
Transcript
(continued on page 6)
Research in Act ion
In 2014, MJB is
celebrating 40
years of using
applied social
research to make a
difference in Israel,
the Jewish world,
and the
international
community.
See pages 4-5 for
highlights of our
landmark
anniversary!
Ins ide th is issue:
Reforming Israel’s
Public Health Care System
1
Transforming Education
in the Arab Sector
1
Spotlight on Quality
Assurance
2
New Handbook on
Shared Measurement
3
In Memory of Ralph
Goldman
3
MJB’s 40th Anniversary 4
Selected MJB Publications 8
Fal l/Winter 2014
May 13 marked an important milestone for
Israel’s Arab education system when the
Myers-JDC-Brookdale Institute, together
with the Qalansuwa Municipality and the
Ministry of Education, held a study day to
focus and reflect on the Learning from
Success method of collaborative learning
as a lever for on-going learning and change
in Arab education.
The study day was the culmination of four
years of intensive activity by MJB’s Learning
from Success (LFS) Unit in schools in
Qalansuwa, one of Israel’s socio-
economically weakest Arab communities.
Educators and leaders from Arab cities in
Transforming Education in the Arab Sector:
Learning from Success Israel’s Central Region came to learn how
their colleagues used LFS to transform the
educational climate to encourage greater
collective learning among school staff and
Israel’s health system has been recognized
internationally as one of the most effective
models of health care, both in terms of its
emphasis on health in the community and
its relatively low cost.
There has been growing concern, however,
that recent changes are threatening some of
its most important achievements and are
eroding the general public's confidence in
the system.
These include the decline in resources
available to the publicly financed system,
increasing use of private health insurance
and private health care to supplement
public care, and the movement of senior
physicians and resources from the public to
the private system.
These trends have contributed to greater
gaps in access to health care between those
who can and cannot afford private care.
In response to these concerns, Minister of
Health Yael German established the
German Committee to Strengthen the
Public Health System, as reported in our
Summer/Fall 2013 Newsletter.
This past June, the Committee issued its
report, which represents the most
significant proposed reform to Israel's
health care system since the 1995
introduction of national health insurance.
The committee's 100+ recommendations
have been designed to significantly
strengthen the public system and prevent
Israel’s Health Care Expenditures, 2005-2012
32
34
36
38
40
2005 2009 2012 %
of
tota
l exp
en
dit
ure
Source: Ministry of Health (2014)
Private
expenditure
Public
expenditure
Sweeping Reforms Proposed to Strengthen
Israel’s Public Health Care System
(continued on page 7)
Students and teachers from Qalansuwa
Page 2 Research in Act ion
Among the key changes to the regulation
process introduced by the RAF are:
Upgrading and clearly defining the
standards and regulations
Introducing defined quantitative
measures, as opposed to general
subjective assessments, taking into
account inputs, outputs, and outcomes
Incorporating the client's point of view in
the regulatory process
Developing a provider-level workplan to
correct deficiencies and closely
monitoring it for implementation progress
Constructing a national database on the
quality of care provided by the different
facilities, including data on the extent of
compliance with the standards and
regulations of the service, data on the
background and key needs of clients, and
data on the implementation of the
regulatory process
Fully computerizing the entire system
Supporting the government’s decision-
making in developing national policies
and setting priorities for regulation and
quality-promoting activities
In 2015, MJB will be focusing
on work with other government
ministries, including a project
with the Ministry of Education
to upgrade the regulatory
system of residential
educational facilities.
MJB’s Quality Assurance work
is a classic example of the
Institute’s ability to work
behind the scenes with
governmental organizations to
transform the human services
and thus make a difference in
the lives of Israel’s neediest
citizens.
“Our challenge is to help the government
make sure that vulnerable populations
receive high-quality services,” explains Tamar
Zemach-Marom, director of MJB’s Center for
Quality Assurance in the Social Services.
Since the late 1980s, MJB’s unique Center
for Quality Assurance in the Social Services
has worked to assist the public sector to
improve the quality of care through better
regulation. It does this using the RAF
(Regulation, Assessment, Follow-up) Method,
developed and continually updated by MJB.
Since the 1990s, MJB has worked with the
Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services
to implement the RAF in almost all out-of-
home services targeting the main
populations served by the Ministry: children
and youth at risk, the elderly, people with
disabilities, and individuals with addictions.
The RAF method of continuous improvement
and quality monitoring has revolutionized the
Ministry’s regulation of human service
programs.
“When designing a system, we begin by
updating the standards and regulations,”
says Zemach-Marom, “and then we structure
ways to make sure they are implemented
properly.”
Spotlight on...MJB’s Center for Quality
Assurance in the Social Services
The RAF System for Quality Assurance
Page 3 Fa l l/Winter 2014
developing this government-JDC
partnership established MJB as an
institution uniquely positioned to
conduct applied research while retaining
independence and objectivity.
Ralph was a dedicated Board member of
MJB from its founding. His insight,
wisdom, and statesmanship contributed
greatly to the development of MJB’s
capacity to become a leading force in
efforts to increase the effectiveness with
which Israeli society addresses critical
social challenges to enhance the well-being
of, and expand opportunities for, its most
vulnerable members.
To the end, Ralph expressed much pride in
the Institute. Earlier this year, Ralph
participated in MJB’s 40th anniversary film.
“Looking back over forty years,” he said on
the film, “our dream has been fulfilled
beyond our expectations.”
From its inception, the Institute benefited
greatly from Ralph's guidance and support.
He will be sorely missed.
On October 7, 2014, the Myers-JDC-
Brookdale Institute lost one of its dearest
friends and supporters, Ralph I. Goldman,
who passed away at age 100 in Jerusalem.
Ralph was a visionary whose guiding hand
and unwavering passion served JDC, the
Jewish people, and the State of Israel for
many decades.
In 1974, Ralph was instrumental in
establishing the JDC-Brookdale Institute as
a center for applied social research serving
Israel, the Jewish people, and the
international community. (In 2004, the
Institute became MJB.)
At the time, JDC was making a strategic
shift from direct service delivery to
innovative service development. Ralph
identified the scarcity of relevant applied
social policy and service research, and its
vital importance as a guide for policy and
service development.
Together with Herb Singer and other JDC
leaders, Ralph helped JDC enter into a
partnership with the Government of Israel
to create the Institute. Their foresight in
In Memory of Ralph Goldman
Building on our research on outcomes
measurement (see the Summer/Fall 2013
Newsletter), MJB is releasing a handbook on
implementing shared measurements,
breaking ground on an issue increasingly on
the agenda of social organizations and
foundations globally.
The handbook provides a step-by-step guide
for practitioners and foundations to engage in
shared measurement, with chapters devoted
to the development and implementation
stages, major dilemmas and considerations,
and lessons learned in the field.
It also helps readers understand how shared
measurement can increase the effectiveness
of organizations that are working to achieve
common goals.
Through this cooperation, each organization
can deepen its understanding of the
effectiveness of its own efforts, and at the
same time, contribute to the larger picture.
The handbook, published in Hebrew, is
targeted to the growing community of
organizations in Israel interested in
outcome measurement and in developing
cooperation with other government, social
service, and philanthropic organizations.
In October, Yehonatan Almog, Director of
MJB’s Unit for Outcomes Oriented-Planning
and Shared Measurement, participated in a
panel discussion on shared measurement
from an Israeli perspective in the Collective
Impact Summit held in Toronto.
“We get many requests from organizations
who want to learn more about shared
impact,” Almog explained. “This handbook
is intended to help fill the void.”
To promote the handbook and to expose
Israel’s government, non-profit, and
philanthropic organizations to shared
measurement practices, MJB will hold a
joint conference with the Rothschild
Caesarea Foundation in January 2015.
MJB’s Handbook on Shared Outcomes
Measurement is supported in part by the
Rothschild Caesarea Foundation.
New Handbook on Shared Measurement
Ralph Goldman, 1914-2014
Page 4 Research in Act ion
40th Year Kicks Off with $10 Million Endowment Gift from
Myers Foundation
Jerusalem, May 2014
At the JDC Board meeting at the Knesset marking JDC’s 100th anniversary, MJB announced a
$10 million gift endowment from the Myers Foundation—matched by the JDC—to secure the
financial future of the Institute. Lee Kohrman, President of the Myers Foundation and former
MJB Chair, announced the gift with the following remarks:
Over the last 10 years, the Myers Foundation has invested some $9 million in
the Institute and has been a partner in its governance.
Today, I can say that the trustees of the Myers Foundation feel absolutely
certain that no other philanthropic investment by our foundation in Israel
would have had a greater impact in helping Israel avert and address social
crises and in fulfilling the social values dear to the Jewish people and the
Myers family.
Over the past 40 years, the Institute has played a key role in mobilizing both public and philanthropic funds and in guiding
them in the directions where they will make the greatest contribution.
Thanks to the work of the Institute, data-based decision making, evaluation, and on-going learning are now ingrained in
much of Israel’s social policy and program development.
In recognition of MJB's immense value to Israel, the JDC, the Jewish people, and the international community, I am
pleased to announce a $10 million endowment gift to the Institute.
MJB Staff Celebrate 40th Anniversary Jerusalem, July 2014
MJB Celebrates 40 Years!
The most important foundation of the government’s partnership with MJB is the Institute’s excellence
and professionalism. It has an ability to integrate economic and social considerations, and combines
academic research with knowledge of the best practices from around the world.
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Israel’s Economic Attaché in Washington and former MJB Board member
Fal l/Winter 2014 Page 5
MJB Forum Highlights 40 Years of Impact
The Myers-JDC-Brookdale
Institute is utterly indispensable
not only for the work that JDC
does but for our government
partners and for the rest of
society that wants the most
resilient, strongest, and just
Israeli society.
Alan Gill, CEO, American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee
I have been on the executive committee of the JDC for 44 years. During that time, one of our most
important acts was the creation of the Brookdale Institute. I am proud that I was one of the people
sitting there who voted for it. Government representatives have taught us that no research center
in the State of Israel has had more influence on the policies for disadvantaged people. I can still
remember what Ralph Goldman said to me years ago at a breakfast meeting: “No organization is
more important to the future of Israel than Brookdale.” Over the years, I have come to realize that
Ralph Goldman was right. And that’s why I am so proud to be on this podium.
Marshall Weinberg, long-time JDC Board member, founding contributor of the Institute, and founder
of MJB’s Marshall Weinberg Fund for Professional Collaboration and Development
Brookdale can do what it does because of its unique connection to the
Israeli government. Researchers across the world
would give anything to have this kind of relationship—
working with Director Generals to define research
priorities and knowing that the research will make a
difference in how policies are formulated. Prof. Gary Freed, University of Michigan School of
Medicine and School of Public Health, and Chair of MJB
Smokler Center’s Health Advisory Committee
When I go to the Knesset with a project and they
tell me that I have to evaluate it, the minute I say,
“Brookdale,” it’s accepted, because the Institute
has a reputation for objectivity and the highest
professionalism.
Prof. Shlomo Mor Yosef, Director General, Israel's
Social Security Administration and MJB Board member
MJB's applied researchers are spending half
their time in the field, meaning that their
research is based not only
on theoretical models but
also on the reality in the
field. In that sense, MJB's
evaluations are formative
evaluations and not just
summative evaluations,
and have a direct impact
on the project and its dissemination.
Prof. Yossi Tamir, Director General, JDC-Israel
New York, September 2014
At the JDC Board meeting, a special forum celebrated MJB’s
impact over the past four decades.
JDC President Penny Blumenstein
opened the Forum with tributes to
the government partners and
MJB’s philanthropic supporters.
MJB Chair Martin Paisner
moderated the Forum, which
included presentations from
JDC CEO Alan Gill, MJB Director
Prof. Jack Habib, MJB’s Smokler
Center for Health Policy Research
Director Dr. Bruce Rosen, and
Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Israel’s
Economic Attaché in Washington and former MJB
Board member.
further growth of the private health care
system. The government has already begun to
implement some of the recommendations,
including:
An immediate increase in the health
system's base funding by about 2%. Health
budgets will also be tied to a demographic
index and will grow as the population grows
and ages. This will prevent the erosion of
health care resources that characterized the
first two decades of national health
insurance.
An initiative to modernize the hospital
pricing system, to better reflect true costs,
provide incentives for greater efficiency, and
reduce incentives for cream-skimming.
An effort to reduce waiting times for surgical
operations in public hospitals, by providing
incentives for hospitals to staff additional
shifts in operating rooms, to expand staffing
slots for operating room nurses, and to
create a new profession of anesthesiology
assistants. The government is also planning
to publish hospital-specific data on waiting
times to push hospitals to reduce wait-times
and to guide hospital choice for patients
and health plans.
The limitation of private medical services
(known in Hebrew as sharap) to Jerusalem
medical centers where they currently exist,
with no expansion to hospitals elsewhere in
the country.
Encouraging selected senior physicians in
hospitals to become full-time hospital
employees. This would reduce the practice
in which doctors leave the public hospitals
to work in private clinics in the afternoons,
and would thus expand their availability to
treat patients and perform surgery in public
hospitals.
Israelis wishing to purchase additional
health insurance beyond the universal
basket of services will be able to choose
from a simplified array of options, with
greater competition among providers. The
goal is to reduce costly duplicate insurance
coverage and improve efficiency.
The rapidly growing medical tourism field,
whereby foreigners come to Israel to obtain
medical care, will be more closely
regulated so as to avoid negatively
impacting the care of Israeli citizens.
Minister German personally chaired the
committee, which included top-level
representation from government, the health
care system, and external experts.
MJB played multiple and significant roles in
the German Committee’s work. MJB's Dr.
Shuli Brammli-Greenberg, a senior
researcher at the Smokler Center for Health
Policy Research and Israel's leading expert
on the private health insurance market,
served on the 14-person committee. She
also served on the subcommittee on private
insurance and was part of the team that
developed the new system’s delivery model.
Smokler Center Director Dr. Bruce Rosen
and Center staff prepared a set of key
background papers for the Committee,
including a review of international
experience, and contributed important
testimony.
In September, the Director General of the
Ministry of Health, together with senior
budget staff from the ministries of Health
and Finance, met with MJB's international
Health Advisory Committee to solicit their
input and advice on the reform.
The Institute’s multiple contributions are
based on its longstanding involvement in the
most important issues facing the health
system, and on its reputation for
independence and objectivity.
This is a defining moment for Israel’s health
care system, and its future will be deeply
influenced by the extent to which these
recommendations will be implemented. As
the government implements the reform, MJB
will assist in its planning and in the
evaluation of key elements.
Prof. Gary Freed, chair of the Smokler
Center's Health Advisory Committee and
professor in the University of Michigan
School of Medicine, described the German
Committee’s report as “an example of
outstanding public responsibility. The
Institute's contributions demonstrate the
fundamental role that MJB's professionals
play in national policy deliberations.”
Reforming Public Health Care In Israel (continued from Page 1)
Page 6 Research in Act ion
Public
expenditure
Minister of Health Yael German
Fal l/Winter 2014 Page 7
MJB Research on Israel’s
Arab Population
MJB’s involvement in the
transformation of Qalansuwa’s
education system is just one
of many Institute activities to
advance social change for
Israel’s Arab population.
Access to Higher Education.
Israel’s Arab population often
faces considerable difficulties
in accessing and completing
higher education. Israel’s
Council for Higher Education
has introduced a
comprehensive, multi-year
initiative to address these
difficulties. MJB is evaluating
this important program.
5-Year Plan for the
Bedouin. In an important
effort to increase the social
and economic development
of the Bedouin population
in the Negev, the
government has
undertaken a 5-year plan
to expand infrastructure,
public safety, and
educational and
employment opportunities
in Bedouin communities.
MJB is evaluating this
landmark initiative.
Arab employment. The
government is in the midst of
rolling out a national network
of one-stop centers to access
employment and post-
secondary education and
training opportunities in 21
Arab communities. The model
was developed and piloted by
JDC-Israel and was previously
evaluated by the Institute.
MJB is now evaluating the roll-
out of the national network.
to nurture a belief among teachers that
they can be agents for positive change.
This effort has found expression in many
concrete improvements, from reducing
dropout rates to developing students’ sense
of responsibility for their school
surroundings to improving student
achievements.
The LFS method, developed at MJB over the
past three decades, uses learning from
success as a catalyst for creating
environments that encourage on-going
collaborative learning within organizations.
The program was introduced four years ago
in Qalansuwa’s pre-schools, and has since
been scaled up to all levels of the city’s
education system through high school. As
part of the program, MJB trained a group of
local educators to become “Learning
Companions” and future program leaders.
One measure of the program’s importance
is the fact that the program’s steering
committee is led by the Mayor of
Qalansuwa, Mr. Abed Albast Salama. In his
remarks, the mayor pointed with pride to
the collaborative work with MJB and the
positive impact on the community. “We
hope that people from all sectors across
Israel will come to
Qalansuwa to learn from our
successes,” he said.
Mr. Taraq Abu Hajla, the
Ministry of Education’s
supervisor of the Arab
education system in Israel’s
Central Region, emphasized
the unique role that the LFS
program plays in
strengthening the schools.
“It takes courage to change,” he explained,
“and it took courage to adopt the LFS
methodology in Qalansuwa.”
The case studies presented at the
conference by teachers, school
administrators, and counseling staff during
small group discussions, gave concrete
examples of the influence of the LFS
perspective. In one session, participants
were greeted with a picture and quotation
from Albert Einstein: “Insanity is doing the
same thing over and over again and
expecting different results.” A high school
assistant principal picked up on this theme,
noting that “with Learning From Success, we
have had a chance to stop and think about
what we are doing and make some real
changes.” An elementary school principal
emphasized that the LFS method involves
the whole school—administrators, teachers,
and students together—in shaping the
program and assuming responsibility for its
implementation.
One of the schools told how a “Tree of
Success” now hangs in the teachers' room,
with postings of different efforts to improve.
In attendance was Annie Sandler, chair of
MJB’s Subcommittee on Children and Youth.
“I was tremendously impressed by the
program and its impact,” she said. The study
day “really brought home how the program
could get an entire group of people or an
entire community to all move in the same
direction at the same time for the common
good. The excitement and pride felt by every
member of the community—from the mayor
to the teachers to the students—was electric!
They owned the process, they lived it, they
measured their results, and they are
committed to continuing to learn and
improve.”
Building on Qalansuwa’s
success in implementing
LFS on a city-wide basis,
Michal Cohen, Director
General of the Ministry and
MJB Board member, has
asked the Institute to
promote the national
dissemination of the
program as part of the
Ministry’s five-year plan for advancing
education in the Arab sector. MJB is also
working with the education systems in other
individual Arab cities. Finally, MJB is
preparing a history of the Qalansuwa project
and the many stories of change, to be
released in 2015.
The Learning from Success project in
Qalansuwa, together with the Study Day, was
made possible due to the generous support
of the Marshall Weinberg Fund for
Professional Collaboration and Development.
Transforming Education in the Arab Sector (continued from Page 1)
