By Asher Ben-Arieh
Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
The perception of deprivation is the basis for any social policy and social service. Social policy and services are intended to meet people’s needs in the best possible way. Changes in the perception of deprivation lead to changes in the identification and the concept of need, and the tar get population. Thus, the study of the concept of deprivation and the changes in its perception over the years is a vital tool in understanding the development of social policy in general and that of social services in particular. This article studies the development of the concept of deprivation in Israel in a historical perspective, starting with a short presentation of the conceptual context of deprivation, needs and poverty .The historical development of the concept in Israel and its relevance for social policy is then discussed. The article concludes with a presentation of the current concept of deprivation in Israel and its implications for future social policy and services.