#israeli-economy
55 episodes
#5309: What Imports-to-GDP Actually Tells You
Imports-to-GDP doesn't measure trade balance — it measures openness. Here's what the 50% line really separates.
#5273: Why Bosch Tools Cost More in Israel
A broken Dremel leads to a pricing mystery: why does an exclusive importer charge more than the retailers it supplies?
#5267: When Rights Exist Only on Paper
A warranty, a lease, and a long drive: why laws that exist don't always protect the people they name.
#5223: Jerusalem's Ghost Towers and the Diaspora Buyer
10,340 unsold apartments, 15,000 ghost homes, and luxury towers pre-sold to buyers who visit twice a year. What is Jerusalem becoming?
#5098: Jerusalem's Digging Problem: Who Pays for Progress?
Jerusalem is tearing itself apart to rebuild. Residents pay top taxes but get no signage, no end dates, no recourse. Do other cities do better?
#4908: Torah Study or Full-Time Job? The Haredi Economy
Is lifelong yeshiva study a Jewish ideal or a 200-year-old innovation? The math isn't adding up.
#4817: US vs Israel: The Shrinking Cost-of-Living Gap
US prices are up, wages flat. Israeli purchasing power has grown. The gap is narrowing faster than you think.
#4653: Does the Sectoral Transition Actually Create Wealth?
Is moving from farms to factories to services a law of economics — or just a pattern? And what does Israel's tech boom reveal about who actually be...
#4608: The Real Merchant Stack: From Wine Shops to ERP
Tracing the real tech stack behind retail — from a Jerusalem wine shop to a regional chain — and how Israel's new invoice clearance rule changes ev...
#4607: SAP to the Wine Shop: How ERP Tiers Actually Work
Why a wine shop runs on a payment terminal, a mid-market firm runs Priority, and SAP runs the world — without ever being cool.
#4601: Why Essential Services Break at 4 PM
A SIM activation, a medication refill, and a system that only works for the median life.
#4393: Should You Repair or Sell Your Old Car?
How to decide whether to fix your aging car or sell it, using real Israeli market numbers.
#4377: The Club Card That's Actually a Credit Trap
Why a hardware store "membership" in Israel often means a 30% APR credit card — and why regulators haven't stopped it.
#4348: Beating Israel's Banking Oligopoly: Real Options
Israeli banks charge 5% per transaction. Here's how to get a US dollar card, better rates, and real customer service.
#4231: 7 Bills to Fix Israel's Cost of Living
A practical reform program targeting food, housing, and competition in Israel's most concentrated markets.
#4149: How a Tobacco Shop Becomes Your Mailman
How AliExpress parcels move from Shenzhen to a Tel Aviv tobacco shop for $3 — and who gets paid along the way.
#4129: The Invisible Market for Used Equipment in Israel
Why Yad2 prices are broken — and how to buy equipment for 1/3 the price by just walking in and asking.
#4107: The Hidden Billions of Rental Churn
What does it cost society when millions are forced to move every few years? We built the model nobody else has.
#3746: The Ceiling Nobody Can Agree On: How Much Is Too Much for Defense?
NATO's 2% target worked. But what happens when a country spends 5%, 8%, or even 30% of GDP on defense?
#3708: Why Israelis Bet Everything on One Apartment
Why do so many Israelis treat a single apartment as their primary investment — and what does that do to the housing market?
#3691: The Secret Formula of Israel's Best Customer Service
Why some Israeli businesses thrive on service while most fail—and the surprising economics behind it.
#3491: Israel's Economy Beyond the Startup Hype
Israel is 82% services, but only 9% of workers are in tech. The real economy tells a different story.
#3341: How Central Banks Fight Currency Speculation
The Bank of Israel just spent $801M to weaken the shekel. Here's how and why.
#3280: Why Milk Costs More in Israel Than Switzerland
A deep dive into why necessities are luxury-priced in Israel while Switzerland treats dairy like a loss leader.