מכון פרידברג לכלכלה

Economics, Growth and Prosperity | Spring Seminar

8.3.2026-12.3.2026, Sunday - Thursday

Location: Ramat Rachel Resort Hotel

All Expenses Paid

What is economic freedom? Why is it critical right now? And how is it the key to Israel’s future prosperity and growth?

In an era defined by historic shifts—from the rise of AI to the resurgence of global tariffs and trade wars—understanding the engines of stability is more than an academic exercise; it is a strategic necessity. As the Israeli and global economies navigate the dual pressures of regional conflict and radical technological disruption, we invite you to join a select cohort of 30 outstanding students. This prestigious, fully subsidized seminar offers an intellectual deep dive into how economic liberty can survive and thrive amidst algorithmic shifts and shifting borders, combining high-caliber scholarship with exclusive hospitality

Who Should Apply?

We are looking for students with a drive for leadership and impact, from all fields of study, who have completed at least one academic year (BA, MA, and PhD students) and possess genuine intellectual curiosity. Admission is subject to a short selection process. Space is strictly limited to 30 students. Note: High proficiency in English is required, as some sessions will be conducted in English.

What Awaits You at the Seminar?

Beyond the fascinating lectures and enriching discussions with policymakers and leading economists, the seminar offers an immersive experience:

  • Full Hospitality: Accommodation and meals at the pastoral Ramat Rachel Resort Hotel (fully subsidized).

  • Exclusive Experiences: A winery tour including a chef’s dinner.

  • Direct Access: Informal meetings and discussions with the speakers and staff.

  • Networking: The opportunity to build personal connections with outstanding students from across the country.

Alumni

Graduates of the seminar join the exclusive Alumni Network of the Friedberg Economics Institute. As an alumnus, you will enjoy direct access to high-quality networking events, exclusive meetings with economists and opinion leaders in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem throughout the year, and connections to key influencers in the Israeli economy.

Don’t wait until the last minute – Apply now.

Application Deadline: February 1, 2026, by 8 PM.

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Sunday, March 8

15:00-17:30Registration/Hospitality/Hotel Check-in at Ramat Rachel Hotel
18:00Introduction Session
18:45Dinner
19:45Lecture: TBA
Speaker: TBA
21:00Ice Breaker Session



Monday, March 9

7:00Breakfast
8:30Niclas Berggren, IFN
Economic Freedom: Measurement, Causes, and Consequences
10:00Break
10:30Noah Williams, University of Miami
Simple Rules for a Complex World
12:00Lunch Break
14:00Omer Moav, Reichman & Warwick Universities
Economic Growth in Israel: Challenges and Policy
15:30Break
15:45Breakout Sessions, 4 groups, 4 topics
17:15Break
19:00Dinner
20:00Lecture TBA
Topic TBA



Tuesday, March 10

7:00Breakfast
8:30Niclas Berggren, IFN
Institutions, rule of law, and constraints on political power
10:00Break
10:30Naomi Hausman, Hebrew University
Why Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: The Economics of Urban Mismanagement
12:00Break
12:15Departure to Winery
Winery TBA
Program TBA
17:00Arrival back and Break
19:00Dinner
20:00Lecture TBA
Speaker TBA



Wendesday, March 11

7:00Breakfast
8:30Noah Williams, University of Miami
Learning and Forgetting: Inflation and Government Finance
10:00Break
10:30Naomi Hausman, Hebrew University
Cities, agglomeration, and skills: when governments can and can't help
12:00Lunch Break
14:00Omer Moav, Reichman & Warwick Universities
Refuting Economic Theories Influencing Policy
15:30Break
15:45Lecture TBA
Topic TBA
17:15Break
19:00Dinner
20:00Lecture TBA
Topic TBA



Thursday, March 12

7:00Breakfast
8:30Wrap-up and Evaluation
10:00Adjourn & Checkout



Noah Williams

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Noah Williams is a professor of economics at the Miami Herbert Business School at the University of Miami. Before joining Miami, he was on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Princeton University. He is also an adjunct fellow at the Manhattan Institute.

Williams’s research focuses on macroeconomics—particularly monetary policy, social insurance programs, and financial markets—as well as state economies, and has co-authored several papers with Nobel Prize recipients Lars Peter Hansen and Thomas Sargent.

In addition to his academic work, he regularly comments on economic policy for broader audiences.

Williams regularly consults and advises businesses and community groups, politicians, and policy organizations on macroeconomics and tax policy. He earned his Ph.D. and B.A. in economics from the University of Chicago.

Omer Moav

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Omer Moav is a professor of economics at the Reichman University and at the University of Warwick. He received his PhD in economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and spent a year at MIT as a post-doc fellow. Moav was awarded in 2012 the Landau prize from the Israeli mifal hapais for his achievements in research in macroeconomics, he was awarded the Rector’s prize from the Hebrew University in 2006 for his research and teaching, and served as the head of the advisory board to the Israeli minister of finance in 2009. Moav’s research focuses on economic growth and development and is published in the leading journals of economics. He often comments in the Israeli and international media on the Israeli economy.

Naomi Hausman

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Naomi Hausman is a Senior Lecturer in the Strategy Department at the Hebrew University Business School.

Her fields of study include Urban Economics, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Labor Economics, and Public Economics. Her research has been published in The Review of Economics and Statistics, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, and Innovation Policy and the Economy.

She has been awarded a number of academic grants, including the Alrov Institute Research Grant, the Israel Science Foundation Grant, the US-Israel Bi-national Science Foundation (BSF) Grant, the German-Israel Foundation (GIF) Grant, the Eshkol Research Grant, the NBER Digitization and Copyright Research Grant, the Falk Institute Research Grant, and the Upjohn Institute Early Career Research Grant. Additionally, she has received several dissertation awards and fellowships, including from the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association and from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Dr. Hausman earned her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. in economics from Harvard University.

Dr. Hausman serves as an academic consultant to the Bank of Israel Research Department. In addition to her academic experience, Dr. Hausman has done work for several consulting firms, including Charles River Associates, Cornerstone Research, and Lexidale, Inc. She has taught courses in Urban Economics, Labor Economics, and Econometrics.

Niclas Berggren

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Niclas Berggren is a researcher at IFN and program director for the research program Institutions, Markets and Enterprise. He got his PhD and the title of docent (Associate Professor) from the Department of Economics, Stockholm School of Economics; he also got the title of docent from Prague University of Economics and Business. He works part-time in the Department of Managerial Economics at the Prague University of Economics and Business.

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