The Cabinet today  approved the transfer of responsibility for national civilian service from the Social Welfare and Social Services Ministry to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).  The team that has overseen the establishment of the Civilian-National Service Authority, headed by Dr. Reuven Gal, has thus completed its work; the Authority is established and under the aegis of the PMO.

 The Civilian-National Service Authority will be a Government branch, the goal of which is to strengthen solidarity between citizen and state.  The Authority will recruit young people, citizens of the State of Israel from all population groups, who do not serve in the security services, to volunteer a year or two of their time for activities that are useful to society as a whole and weaker strata in particular.  Civilian-national service will strengthen volunteers' professional abilities and prepare then for future employment.