Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies (JIMS) is a libertarian think tank focused on economic policy in Israel. JIMS advocates for economic freedom and individual liberty.

Founded in 2003, JIMS publishes economic policy papers and editorials, operates educational projects, and administers the Israel Panel Study of Opinion Dynamics (IPSOD), a public opinion survey. ¹

Activities

Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies advocates for economic policies in Israel that include reforming the tax system, cutting government spending, eliminating both public and private monopolies, and expanding school choice. ² JIMS claims that Israel’s economic growth and social progress are currently inhibited by government corruption and inefficiency. JIMS claims that poverty is rising and public schools are falling behind, despite high government spending on welfare and education. JIMS also states that compared to consumers in other OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, Israelis pay substantially more for basic items due to lack of market competition. ³

JIMS advocates for free trade and claims that Israeli families paid an average of 33% more for milk and dairy products and 90% more for bananas than Europeans and Americans between 2014 and 2018. JIMS points to import restrictions as the primary cause of high prices, which protect domestic producers from competition and allow them to charge more. ⁴

JIMS supports the legalization and taxation of recreational cannabis to stimulate the Israeli economy, create jobs, and reduce the black market. JIMS claims that the government’s budget would be improved by new tax revenues to fund infrastructure, education, and healthcare. JIMS recommends taxing cannabis at a rate of 30%, based on the positive economic outcome in Colorado. ⁵

Funding

Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While JIMS does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from Donors Capital Fund ($215, 000 in 2018), ⁶  Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Metrowest NJ ($110,000 in 2017), ⁷ and DonorsTrust ($50,000 in 2018). ⁸

JIMS filed the IRS E-Postcard for tax years 2020 and 2021, claiming less than $50,000 in revenues. ⁹

People

Corinne Parenti is director and cofounder of Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies. ¹⁰

According to JIMS’ 2018 tax filing, its board of directors include Robert Sauer, Don Siegel, and Gabriel Stein. ¹¹

Board of Academic Advisors

Peter Boettke is a professor of economics at George Mason University and a former Hayek Fellow at the London School of Economics. ¹²

Barry Chiswick is the chair of its department of economics at Columbian College at George Washington University and the associate editor of both the Journal of Population Economics and Review of Economics of the Household. Chiswick is a former economist on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers, former chair of the American Statistical Association Census Advisory Committee, and past president of the European Society for Population Economics. ¹³

Carmel Chiswick is a research professor of economics at George Washington University and a research fellow at the Institute for the Study of Labor. Chiswick formerly worked as an economist at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the United Nations, and the World Bank. ¹⁴

Steven Grosby is a professor of religion at Clemson University. ¹⁵

Arye Hillman is a professor of economics at Bar-Ilan University in Israel. Hillman is a former fellow of the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, former editor-in-chief of the European Journal of Political Economy, and a former president of the European Public Choice Society. ¹⁶

Sam Peltzman is professor emeritus at the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and an editor of the Journal of Law and Economics. Peltzman is a former editor of the Journal of Political Economy. ¹⁷

Richard Pipes is Baird professor emeritus of history at Harvard University. Pipes is a former senior consultant at the Stanford Research Institute and a former member of both the White House National Security Council and the Committee on the Present Danger. ¹⁸

Mario J. Rizzo is associate professor of economics and co-director of the Austrian Economics Program at New York University, a lecturer at the Institute for Humane Studies, and an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute. Rizzo is a former fellow in law and economics at both the University of Chicago and Yale University. ¹⁹

Russell Roberts is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and a founding advisory board member of the Library of Economics and Liberty. ²⁰

David Waldman is the research director at the Najafi Global Mindset Institute at Arizona State University. ²¹

1. “About Us.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/about-us.
2. “What We Stand For.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies. Accessed January 2, 2023. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/what-we-stand-for.
3. “About Us.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/about-us.
4. “Why is Dairy so Expensive in Israel?.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies. February 2020. Accessed January 2, 2023. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/_files/ugd/a11bde_f4db02802cc640e2892d8519fd5f403c.pdf.
5. “Why is the Cannabis Market Bigger Than We Thought?” https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/_files/ugd/a11bde_8644f26d1a9a4bdd84a6ffb046c3650f.pdf.
6. Donors Capital Fund, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I, Part II.
7. Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Metrowest NJ. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2017. Schedule I, Part II.
8. DonorTrust. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2018. Schedule I, Part II.
9. “Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies.” Internal Revenue Service. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/details/.
10.  “Corinne Sauer.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies. Accessed January 9, 2023.  https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/corinne-sauer.
11. Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, Inc. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). 2018, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
12. “Peter Boettke.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/peter-boettke.
13. “Barry Chiswick.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/barry-chiswick
14. “Carmel Chiswick.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/carmel-chiswick-.
15. “Steven Grosby.” jims. Accessed January 10, 2023. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/steven-grosby.
16. “Arye Hillman.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/arye-hillman
17. “Sam Peltzman.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/sam-peltzman.
18. “Richard Pipes.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/richard-pipes.
19. “Mario Rizzo.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/mario-rizzo.
20. “Russell Roberts.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/russell-roberts.
21. “David Waldman.” Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, 2016. Accessed December 29, 2022. https://www.jimsisrael-english.org/david-waldman.