The Israel Builders Association is the only representative organization dealing with the Israeli markets’ construction, infrastructure, development, and engineering issues. The Association strives to promote the building and infrastructure sectors in Israel, to promote the interests and rights of all contractors and builders in Israel, and to resolve various professional issues. The Israel Builders Association has over 2,000 members.
In 1949, the Association was formed to unite all organizations engaged in the building sector. In February 2021, Raul Srugo was elected President of the Association, for three more years while Advocate igal slovik serves as its Director General since 2020.
Three professional divisions operate within the Association’s framework – an Entrepreneurship and Building Division, headed by Haim Feiglin, as Deputy President; an Infrastructure Division, headed by Zvika David, as Deputy President. In addition, 14 local branches operate within the framework of the Association. alon rachmiaan, Deputy President of the Association serves as Chair of the local associations.
In 2008, the Association signed a cooperation agreement with the Renovation Contractors Association. The two Associations work together to restrict the operations of various non-professionals in the building sector, to raise the level of professionalism, to battle workplace accidents and to offer joint training sessions for professional workers.
The Association partners with the Union of Building and Wood Workers in a dedicated fund, to promote the development of the building sector, including training and recruiting Israeli workers and concern for their welfare in the sector. In 2014, the Fund signed an agreement for extensive cooperation with the Israeli Government to finance and monitor the training of Israeli workers in the building sector.
The Association is a full partner in all decision-making processes of the Government of Israel in all aspects of activities related to solving the housing shortage in Israel, developing infrastructures and the construction of public buildings, including a long-term perspective on the Israeli real estate market.
Members of Association receive a basket of services in a wide range of fields, such as:
- A parity committee dealing with employee claims against contractors in matters of wages and professional assistance in the preparation of pay slips.
- Professional assistance in raising the classification of contractors’ vis-a-vis the Registrar of Contractors and compliance with the monitoring requirements in the field of skilled labor.
- Assistance and training for converting the registration of a private contractor to the registration of a company with the Registrar of Contractors.
- Assistance in applying for employment of Palestinian workers.
- Assistance and guidance for eliminating hurdles with local authorities and municipalities.
- Professional assistance for registration with the Recognized Contractors Authority*.
Committee Work
The primary work of the Association is through its professional committees, such as its Safety, Standardization, Planning and Construction, Urban Renewal Committees. An elected Contractor chairs each Committee, and each includes Association members, external consultants, and representatives of the Association’s management.
The Association’s Newspaper
The Association publishes its “Boney Ha’aretz” professional magazine, on a quarterly basis. The magazine includes a range of professional articles to further the knowledge of the Association’s members and reports on the Association’s activities in various fields.
The Association’s Website
The Association operates a website, which provides vital information for the builder and homebuyers, including new tenders, available job listings, building and land tender bid listings, notices by the Association’s Spokesman, information on conferences and events, etc. The website also offers professional forums on various issues, and Association members and the home buying public can get immediate replies to various professional questions, from Association experts.
Scholarship Fund
The Association established the scholarship fund to provide substantial scholarship aid annually to students studying subjects related to the building sector. The Fund also makes donations to the community.
The elected representatives of the Association and the professional staff are always working on several levels aimed at promoting the construction and infrastructure industry and improving the situation of home buyers in Israel. During the recent period, the Association recorded several important achievements for its members and for apartment buyers:
- Expansion of contracting activity to include Class C1-G3 holders.
- An additional quota of tens of thousands of Palestinian workers and an agreement to bring in foreign workers from Europe and China.
- Canceling threshold terms for government company tenders and changing the tender system to eliminates automatic winnings at a low price.
- Cancelling the calculation of construction meters that are the result of building reinforcement plans – as a main area within the framework of TAMA 38.
To promote the building sector, the Association employs a professional staff of engineers, economists, lawyers, and marketers, and is also assisted by Israel’s leading law offices, lobbyists, and accounting firms.