Israel’s resilience tested as northern communities confront unemployment, digital gaps, and urgent recovery challenges.
A new analysis released by the Israel Employment Service reveals that unemployment in Kiryat Shmonah remains higher than pre-war levels, underscoring the deep difficulty of restoring everyday economic life in Israel’s northern periphery.
According to the findings, Kiryat Shmonah stands out even among other northern border communities. While many towns along the border have shown meaningful employment recovery, Kiryat Shmonah continues to lag behind, pointing to localized structural and skills-based challenges rather than a nationwide trend.
Beyond job availability, the report highlights significant disparities between Israel’s center and its northern regions, particularly in digital literacy, AI readiness, and advanced technological skills. Residents in northern communities have had far less exposure to artificial intelligence tools and training, limiting their ability to adapt to a job market increasingly driven by automation, data, and remote technologies.
The data also shows that while remote work has the potential to bridge geographic distance, northern residents face lower preparedness in digital workflows, collaboration platforms, and AI-supported productivity—making integration into remote positions far more difficult.
Inbal Mashash, Director-General of the Employment Service, emphasized the urgency of the situation, warning that the growing skills divide between Israel’s center and periphery requires immediate, targeted government intervention to ensure national economic cohesion and long-term resilience.
