As millions of Israeli children prepare for the first day of school, a study by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) has revealed that nearly 60% of parents fear that the rising cost of living directly harms their ability to provide their children with suitable education. The findings further showed that about a quarter of Israeli families report that they are unable to afford the purchase of basic school supplies.
In response to growing needs, the IFCJ will provide more than 12,000 prepaid cards of 300 shekels each that can be used at the Kravitz chain of office-supply and school-supply stores across Israel.
Responses were heard from parents representing all levels of financial health, including 83% of parents whose monthly income is below the national average. It recorded responses from 450 parents with school-age children in both the Jewish and Arab sectors.
Even higher-income families acknowledged facing similar challenges with 51% of parents who earn more than the national average and 69% of average earners describing how they would need to cut back on expenses related to school supplies and fear the impact it might have on their child’s education.
The survey was conducted by Geocartography, under the direction of professor Avi Dagani and CEO Rina Dagani, over the course of July 2023.
The study’s authors stated that a clear correlation exists between rising consumer prices and the number of families reporting challenges in purchasing even the most basic goods for their children’s education, including clothing. Whereas in 2021 the number of parents who reported being unable to buy new clothes was at 19%, in 2023 that number had grown to 26%, with 50% saying they have to cut back on clothing purchases from time to time.