Professor Manuel Trajtenberg named INSS Director, succeeding Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Yadlin

• Date: 01 March 2021
• Published date: 01 March 2021
• Author: Arutz Sheva Staff
• Publication title: Israel National News (Israel)

The INSS Board has tasked Professor Trajtenberg with expanding the mandate of the Institute by establishing a new Social and Economic Research Program to complement one of the Institute's core National Security programs. Professor Trajtenberg is very well suited to take on this challenge, in view of his distinguished record and rich experience both in academia and in senior public policy positions. He is an internationally renowned expert in R&D, innovation and economic development. After obtaining a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University, Trajtenberg joined the faculty of the Eitan Berglas School of Economics at Tel Aviv University, where he is currently Professor Emeritus.

Professor Trajtenberg has played a key role in shaping Israel's socioeconomic policies: He founded and served as first Chair of the National Economic Council at the Prime Minister's Office. He also chaired the Council for Higher Education's Planning and Budgeting Committee. After the mass social protest movement that gripped Israel in 2011, he was appointed Chair of the Commission for Economic and Social Change, which made sweeping recommendations for reform. During the past three years, he has been leading the "100 days" project at the Samuel Neaman Institute at the Technion, addressing key socioeconomic policy issues such as healthcare, transportation, early childhood education and fiscal policies. During his distinguished career in public service, he also served on the Brodet Committee that dealt with defense budget reform, and served in the R&D branch of the Ministry of Defense.

Along with developing a new socio-economic research program, Professor Trajtenberg is committed to further advancing the Institute's core National Security Program, and integrating the two programs to enhance INSS's impact on the broader issues of concern to Israel's security.

Sir Frank Lowy, Chairman of the INSS Board of Directors, welcomed Prof. Trajtenberg' s appointment. "Manual Trajtenberg is well suited to lead the Institute toward a more holistic approach to national security that includes serious study of social and economic issues and to continue the excellent research carried out by the Institute's existing team of researchers. Today's global pandemic has clearly demonstrated that genuine security hinges not only on military might, but also on the resilience and...