Factors Affecting the Development of New Towns in Israel

This paper explains the differences in success among twenty-nine Israeli new towns as measured by their ability to attract migrants. It begins with a description of the background of the new-town policy in Israel, and presents comparative data on the development of the various towns. This is followed by a discussion of the alternative theories proposed to explain the great differences in the development of the new towns. Empirical evidence is presented which supports the hypothesis that the social composition of the population in each town has become the major determinant of the ability of these towns to attract additional migrants.