Israeli Statistics (CBS)

Statistical data is published on a fixed schedule with inherent delays. CPI is released ~15 days after month-end. Housing prices are quarterly with ~3-month lag. Always note the reference period when presenting data. Index values and rates change -- verify current figures at cbs.gov.il for time-sensitive decisions such as rent adjustments or contract indexation.

Step 1: Identify Statistical Need

Need	Data Source	Frequency
CPI / Consumer prices	CPI tables	Monthly
Housing prices	Housing Price Index	Quarterly
Rent adjustment	CPI change calculation	Monthly
GDP / Economic growth	National Accounts	Quarterly
Unemployment	Labor Force Survey	Monthly
Population / Demographics	Population estimates	Annual/Quarterly
Producer prices	PPI tables	Monthly
Construction activity	Building starts data	Monthly
Trade / Exports	Foreign trade tables	Monthly
Wages / Income	Wage statistics	Quarterly

Step 2: Consumer Price Index (CPI) -- "Hamadad"

The CPI (madad hamchirim latarchan) is Israel's most widely referenced index.

How to use CPI data:

1. Current month CPI: Latest published value and monthly change
2. Annual change: Year-over-year percentage change (inflation rate)
3. Component breakdown: Which sectors are driving price changes

CPI Components (approximate weights):

Component	Hebrew	Weight (~%)
Housing (rents)	diyur	~25%
Transportation	tachburah	~17%
Food	mazon	~16%
Health	briut	~6%
Education and culture	chinuch vetarbut	~8%
Clothing and footwear	halbasha vehanala	~3%
Furniture and household	rihut umeshek bayit	~5%
Other	acher	~20%

Rent adjustment formula (for madad-linked contracts):

New Rent = Old Rent * (Current CPI / CPI at contract signing)

Example: If CPI rose from 100.0 to 103.5 since contract start, rent increases by 3.5%.

Step 3: Housing Price Index (Madad Mchirei Dirot)

Tracks residential property transaction prices:

Key breakdowns:

• National average: Overall price trend for all of Israel
• By district: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Central, Southern, Northern
• By city: Major cities tracked individually
• By property type: New vs. existing apartments
• By apartment size: 1.5-2, 2.5-3, 3.5-4, 4.5+ rooms

Interpreting the index:

• Quarterly change: Short-term market direction
• Annual change: Medium-term trend (smooths seasonal effects)
• Compared to wages: Affordability indicator

Step 4: Economic Indicators Dashboard

Key macroeconomic data from CBS:

GDP (Gross Domestic Product):

• Quarterly publication, seasonally adjusted
• Real vs. nominal growth rates
• Per-capita GDP for international comparison

Labor Market:

• Unemployment rate (shiur haavtala): Monthly, ages 15+
• Labor force participation rate
• Employment by sector (tech, manufacturing, services, etc.)
• Average wage by sector (published quarterly)

Trade and Balance of Payments:

• Monthly export/import data
• Goods vs. services breakdown
• Key trading partners

Construction:

• Building starts (hatchalot bniya): Leading indicator for housing supply
• Building completions (gmitot bniya)
• Permits issued vs. starts vs. completions pipeline

Step 5: Demographic Data

CBS is the authoritative source for Israeli demographics:

Population:

• Total population: Updated quarterly (interim) and annually (final)
• By religion: Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Druze, other
• By district and city
• Age distribution and dependency ratios
• Population projections (medium and long-term)

Migration:

• Aliyah (immigration) statistics: Monthly by country of origin
• Yerida (emigration) estimates
• Net migration trends

Vital statistics:

• Birth rate, death rate, natural increase
• Life expectancy (by gender)
• Marriage and divorce rates

Step 6: Querying CBS Data

Using the israel-statistics-mcp server or direct CBS access:

CBS table structure:

• Tables are identified by number (e.g., Table 2.1, Table 12.5)
• Data organized by subject area (population, prices, labor, etc.)
• Available in Hebrew and partially in English
• Downloadable as CSV, Excel, or via API

Common table references:

Subject	Table Range	Description
Population	2.x	Population size, demographics
Migration	4.x	Immigration and emigration
Prices	12.x	CPI, housing, producer prices
Labor	12.x	Employment, wages, unemployment
National accounts	16.x	GDP, growth, per capita
Construction	19.x	Building activity
Foreign trade	16.x	Exports, imports

Tips for CBS data queries:

• Hebrew field names are common -- check column headers
• Date formats vary: some tables use Hebrew calendar, most use Gregorian
• Seasonal adjustment: Many series available both raw and seasonally adjusted
• Revisions: Preliminary data may be revised in subsequent releases

Example 1: CPI and Rent Adjustment

User says: "My landlord wants to raise my rent based on hamadad. Is that allowed?" Result: Explain madad-linked rental contracts. If the contract specifies CPI adjustment, calculate: look up CPI at contract signing date and current CPI, apply the formula. Note that adjustments are typically annual, not monthly. If CPI decreased, rent should decrease too.

Example 2: Housing Market Analysis

User says: "Are apartment prices going up or down in Tel Aviv?" Result: Query the Housing Price Index for Tel Aviv district. Present quarterly and annual trends. Compare to national average. Note relevant context: interest rates, building starts in area, supply/demand factors.

Example 3: Economic Overview

User says: "How is the Israeli economy doing?" Result: Present latest GDP growth (quarterly, annualized), unemployment rate, CPI inflation rate, shekel exchange rate trends, and notable sector performance. Provide CBS sources for each figure.

Scripts

• scripts/fetch_cbs_data.py — Search CBS datasets on data.gov.il, fetch CPI (hamadad) component weights and available datasets, calculate madad-linked rent adjustments from old/new CPI values, and display a key economic indicators dashboard with CBS table references. Supports subcommands: cpi, rent-calc, search, indicators. Run: python scripts/fetch_cbs_data.py --help

References

• references/cbs-data-guide.md — CBS publication schedule for all major indicators (CPI, housing prices, GDP, unemployment, building starts), CPI component weights, the rent adjustment formula for madad-linked contracts, and CBS table number reference by subject area (population 2.x, prices 12.x, construction 19.x, etc.). Consult when determining data availability timing or locating the correct CBS table number.

Error: "Data not yet published"

Cause: CBS follows a fixed publication calendar with reporting lags Solution: Check the CBS publication calendar (luach pirsumim) for the expected release date. CPI: ~15th of the month. Housing: ~6 weeks after quarter end. GDP: ~6 weeks after quarter end.

Error: "Index base period mismatch"

Cause: CBS periodically rebases indices, causing series breaks Solution: Ensure both values being compared use the same base period. CBS publishes conversion tables between old and new base periods. For CPI, check which base year applies to the series.

Error: "Hebrew column names in data"

Cause: CBS data tables primarily use Hebrew headers Solution: Use the israel-statistics-mcp server which can interpret Hebrew field names. Or query with limit=1 to inspect column structure before full data retrieval.