Women’s entrepreneurial initiatives in the moshavim: A case study of the lev hasharon regional council

A prominent component in the process of restructuring the rural areas in Israel is the phenomenon of opening non-agricultural entrepreneurial initiatives on family farms in moshavim. This new development expresses a change in the structure of employment in the moshav households, and women have played a central role in it, in supporting survival strategies for the agricultural family farm and continuing the vitality of the rural community. Gender influences the character of the enterprises, the way they are operated, and the expectations and achievements of the entrepreneurs, in that women attribute greater importance to the balance between employment and family obligations and less to business success. They present clear aspirations for personal fulfillment and usually implement a strategy of minimizing risks in establishing and operating the enterprises. This article examines major aspects of the enterprises developed and operated by women in the Lev Hasharon regional council. The key findings are: Most of the enterprises are located on three well-established moshavim, in which two thirds of the entrepreneurs live on family farms. Most of the businesses are small, active in the field of personal and business services and located in the home or in buildings that previously served agricultural purposes on the family farm. The sources of support for opening and developing most of the businesses are based on personal savings and profits from the business. The level of assistance and support for the enterprises from local and national institutions is negligible. - The decisive catalysts and barriers in advancing the enterprises derive mainly from economic, personal and professional considerations. - Among the advantages of opening a business in a rural area that distinguish the women's enterprises, most prominent are the closeness to home, the entrepreneurs' freedom of choice and the ability to utilize their talents. Among the disadvantages, most prominent are the lack of connection and commercial isolation of the enterprises due to the distance from central markets.