The Haredi Institute for Public Affairs

The Haredi Institute for Public Affairs (Hebrew: המכון לאסטרטגיה ומדיניות חרדית, formerly המכון החרדי למחקרי מדיניות) is an Israeli research and policy institute focused on the economic, legal and social affairs of Israel's Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) community. It was founded in 2014 by Eli Paley, head of the Paley family fund and of the Mishpacha media group, together with Haim Zicherman, after an earlier joint initiative with the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research and the Israel Democracy Institute broke down. The institute describes itself as Israel's leading research body providing research-based policy solutions for integrating the Haredi community into national and economic frameworks. The institute's methodology combines quantitative and qualitative research, data analysis and deep familiarity with the Haredi world. Its staff includes academic researchers, public-policy and strategy experts, and Haredi research fellows with experience in public administration, municipal authorities and government ministries. Over the years it has been a partner in policy-setting and project planning for bodies including the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Construction and Housing, the Ministry for Jerusalem and Heritage, the municipalities of Bnei Brak and Beit Shemesh, and the Forum of Haredi Local Authorities. Its flagship knowledge product is the Wahal Center for Knowledge and Data, established around 2022 with the Wahal Foundation, which offers dashboards on Haredi society covering demography, employment, digitalization, education, local authorities, elections, consumption, higher education and transportation. The institute also publishes an annual Haredi society status report, opinion papers, books and data yearbooks, and organizes tours, round tables, seminars and conferences on the interface between the Haredi public and state authorities. In late 2020 the institute shifted its focus toward consulting and Haredi strategy papers, aligned with the Haredi political system, and stopped academic research. In 2025 it changed its name to The Haredi Institute for Strategy and Policy to reflect this shift. Around 2025 the Paley family decided to separate the projects led by the Paley Family Fund from the policy papers remaining with the institute, and the institute began advising on additional topics by invitation. By 2026 the institute had become a family-run body headed by Eli Paley's daughter, with about eight staff members, four of whom also write the policy papers.

The Haredi Institute for Public Affairs was established in 2014 as the Haredi Institute for Policy Research (המכון החרדי למחקרי מדיניות). Its origins lie in a 2013 joint initiative of the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, the Israel Democracy Institute and the Paley Family Fund, headed by Eli Paley, owner of the Mishpacha media group. The initiative aimed to conduct research to help cope with the expected challenges of Haredi demographic growth and to build a bibliographic database of studies on Haredi society. Due to disagreements between Paley and the other partners, the partnership ended early, and the Paley Fund, together with Haim Zicherman, founded the Haredi Institute for Policy Research in 2014. Zicherman directed the institute but left shortly after its founding. Early goals included writing policy papers and providing legal assistance to Torah learners, though the latter was not implemented. In 2016 Nitza (Kliner) Kasir, later deputy director-general and head of research and planning at the National Insurance Institute, joined the institute. Together with Eli Paley she led it until 2020. She expanded its activity into academic research and integration into government ministry working teams and committees shaping policy. The institute's work focused on four tracks: academic research; building infrastructure for understanding Haredi society and making knowledge and data accessible; writing policy and strategy papers tailored to the needs of Israeli society and the characteristics of the Haredi community; and active membership in government working teams and public committees to shape policy. Its working model until 2022 combined academic researchers with Haredi fellows from the field, working together to propose solutions through ongoing dialogue with Haredi society, including its rabbinic and public leadership. The institute also sought cooperation with organizations and philanthropic bodies specializing in economic-social ventures in the Haredi community. In late 2020 the institute's focus shifted again, tilting toward Haredi positions in a conservative conception aligned with the Haredi political system and in close cooperation with it, particularly with Yitzhak Pindrus, who served for several months as director-general. The institute moved to focus on consulting and producing policy papers and Haredi strategy, and stopped engaging in academic research, while continuing to publish data. In 2025 the institute changed its name to The Haredi Institute for Strategy and Policy (המכון לאסטרטגיה ומדיניות חרדית) to match the change in its focus and the nature of its work. Around 2025 Paley decided to separate the projects led by the Paley Family Fund from the production of policy papers that remained the institute's responsibility. It was also decided that the institute would advise on additional areas by invitation, such as polygamy in Bedouin society. In 2026 cuts were made at the institute; Shai Stern, a professor of law who had headed it for about a year, ended his role. The institute changed its character to a family institute of the Paley family, headed by Eli Paley's daughter, with one of his sons responsible for strategy and content and another daughter serving on the board together with Eli Paley as chairman and the director-general of the Mishpacha group, owned by Paley. As of 2026 the institute has eight staff members, four of whom also write the policy papers. Prominent figures at the institute over the years have included Nitza Kasir, Yitzhak Pindrus, Neri Horowitz, Yoram Margaliot, Dmitri Romanov, Haim Zicherman, Israel Tik, Itzik Krombi and Shai Stern. The institute's guiding conception is that the expected growth in the Haredi share of the population is a fundamental change that will affect many areas of the state. Its goal is to find solutions adapted to the characteristics and culture of Haredi society that will help it and provide answers to the challenges that demographic growth poses for general society and its needs. As of 2025 the institute focuses on consulting: economic, social and demographic analyses of the Haredi sector and building Haredi strategy for decision-makers and opinion-shapers in Israel through position papers, books, publications and databases to assist Haredi society. Topics covered in its publications include housing, community life, education and schooling, income and economic status, welfare, employment, local authorities and the environment. The institute organizes tours, round tables, seminars and conferences dealing with research and issues concerning the interface between the Haredi public and the authorities.

• 2026

  Cuts are made; Shai Stern ends his role as head; the institute becomes a family institute headed by Eli Paley's daughter.

• 2025

  The institute is renamed The Haredi Institute for Strategy and Policy.

• 2025

  Paley decides to separate the Paley Family Fund projects from the institute's policy papers; the institute begins advising on additional topics by invitation.

• 2022

  The Wahal Center for Knowledge and Data is established with the Wahal Foundation.

• 2020

  The institute proposes a reform of software studies in Haredi girls' seminaries to the Ministry of Finance; the plan is shelved.

• 2020

  Late 2020: the institute shifts focus toward consulting and Haredi strategy papers, aligned with the Haredi political system.

• 2017

  The strategic housing plan serves as a basis for Government Decision 1823.

• 2016

  Nitza Kasir joins the institute; the Ministry of Construction and Housing and the institute formulate a strategic housing plan for the Haredi sector.

• 2014

  Founding of the Haredi Institute for Policy Research by Eli Paley and Haim Zicherman.

• 2013

  Joint initiative of the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research, the Israel Democracy Institute and the Paley Family Fund to research Haredi society.

Israel's leading research institute providing data-driven policy solutions for integrating the Haredi community into national and economic frameworks.

• Wahal Center for Knowledge and Data

  The most comprehensive database in Israel on Haredi society, providing decision-makers with essential insights on social and security challenges, with dashboards on demography, employment, digitalization, education, local authorities, elections, consumption, higher education and transportation.

• Annual Haredi Society Status Report

  An annual report presenting a snapshot of Haredi society, including the 2025 edition by Dr. Eitan Regev and Yehudit Miltzky.

• Senior Program 2030

  A program listed among the institute's flagship offerings.

• Strategic housing plan for the Haredi sector

  A plan formulated in 2016 with the Ministry of Construction and Housing, which served as a basis for Government Decision 1823 in 2017; it estimated a need for about 10,000 housing units per year until 2035.

• Policy papers on Haredi integration in high-tech

  Papers on integrating Haredi men and women into the high-tech sector, including a 2020 proposal for a reform of software studies in Haredi girls' seminaries.

1. 1המכון לאסטרטגיה ומדיניות חרדיתmachon.org.il
2. 2אודות המכון לאסטרטגיה ומדיניות חרדיתmachon.org.il
3. 3The Haredi institute for Public Affairswikidata.org
4. 4המכון לאסטרטגיה ומדיניות חרדיתhe.wikipedia.org