Hight poverty rates, skyrocketing housing prices, dense traffic, crowded hospitals and classrooms, overburdened courts, destruction of green spaces, loss of biodiversity – those are but a partial list of the long-term effects of one underlying trend – rapid population growth typical of a third world country.
If the current trend persists Israel will become one of the most densely populated places on earth by 2050.
But this trend need not be destiny. Other nations that have faced a similar crisis have proven it is possible to achieve a stable population by implementing democratic and voluntary measures based on incentives and education.
There has never been an in-depth discussion in Israel about the far-reaching implications of rapid population growth on our quality of life and the future of our children. Population growth is not part of public discourse and governmental bodies avoid addressing the issue. This state of affairs is prohibiting the creation of much needed public policy changes necessary to contend with the negative effects of rapid population growth.
Zafuf – The Forum for Population, Environment and Society, a non-profit dependent entirely on donations, is the only organization in Israel dedicated to researching and quantifying the effects of population growth, rising awareness to the issue, and proposing public policy initiatives to address it.
Our organization has accumulated a vast body of knowledge and authored detailed reports regarding the implications of population growth on all aspects of life. Our reports are available to the public in Hebrew on our website.
Our goal is to alert the general public and policy makers of the dangers awaiting our nation as a result of rapid population growth if we don't act to mitigate it. We seek to influence governmental institutions, policy makers and NGOs to take - democratic and voluntary - steps to address population growth and bring about demographic stability, ensuring long term prosperity, welfare, security and environmental protection.