Bank of Israel Governor Dr. Karnit Flug, was keynote speaker on the first day of the Eli Hurwitz Conference on Economy and Society, "Two Economies-One Society" focusing on the halfway point of the Strategic Plan 2008 - Israel 2028. 

The conference a highlight on the calendar under the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), contains various sessions in which analyses of the basic demographic and global trends are presented and discussed. 

 Flug in her presentation stressed several points:

 "In order to achieve economic and social goals over time, it is very important     that there be a strategic plan.

  • At the start of the current government’s term in 2015, it adopted a socioeconomic strategic assessment and directions of action.  The test will be in its implementation over time .There is built-in and natural tension between advancing the agenda of an elected government and a policy based on a long-term vision and advancing a strategic plan.
  • In governments with a fragile coalition that relie on many parties, the tendency to make decisions that advance short-term achievements becomes stronger.
  • It is therefore important to strengthen the mechanisms that tie the work of government ministries to the strategic plan, and to strengthen the professional echelon in the government ministries."

The two-day conference, held at the Citadel Hotel, in Jerusalem, Israel, was chaired by Dr. Eugene Kandel, with Daphna Aviram-Nitzan Director. Among the dozens of speakers on the policy required today to achieve targets in the coming decades in areas that affect the standard of living, inequality, the quality of public services, and the level of infrastructure, were IDI President Yohanan Plesner, Ministry of Finance Head of Budgeting Department Shaul Meridor, Director General of Ministry of Finance Shai Babad, CEO Matan Ahuva Yanai, MK Rachel Azaira, CEO Israel Innovation Authority  Aharon Aharon, former Minister Gideon Sa'ar, and former Director General Prime Minister's Office Eli Groner

Both Minister of Education Naftali Bennett and Minister of Justice Ayelet Shaked are on second day program, as are Head of Joint List MK Ayman Odeh and head of Meretz Tamar Zandberg.

Chairman of the Haredi Institute for Public Affairs Eli Paley spoke and presented slides concerning employment and housing in the haredi sector. In the audience attending the conference, which was conducted in Hebrew with English translation available, were a wide-range of interested Israelis, from film makers to business and family coaches.