On January 13, 2025, the Knesset held a special day dedicated to tackling poverty in Israel. The event, titled "Fighting Poverty: Metrics, Budget, Goals," was organized in collaboration with Pitchon Lev and featured committee discussions alongside the launch of the Lobby for Breaking the Cycle of Poverty, co-chaired by MKs Pnina Tamano-Shata (National Unity Party) and Avraham Betzalel (Shas).
Eli Cohen, CEO of Pitchon Lev, emphasized the need for systemic reform: "In 75 years, Israel has not established a coordinating body or a pragmatic plan with clear metrics, budgets, and goals to combat poverty. Now is the time to act."
The day began with discussions on critical issues such as the lack of oversight in government tenders for social services, budget erosion for programs supporting at-risk youth, and the low utilization of state-provided rights by disadvantaged populations.
A Knesset Research and Information Department report revealed that 42% of families who escaped poverty last year have since fallen back into it. Meanwhile, participation in the National Food Security Initiative has stagnated due to budget constraints.
The day's events culminated in the launch of the Lobby for Breaking the Cycle of Poverty, which brought together government officials, social activists, and academics. The lobby's central demand was to establish a National Authority for Combating Poverty with a fixed allocation of 1% of the state budget.
"The Knesset must approve legislation to create the National Authority for Combating Poverty and take meaningful steps to break the poverty cycle,” Cohen reiterated, “Millions of Israelis are counting on us to make a real difference."