Friday, September 26, 2008 -- Despite the slowdown in the economy's growth rate, employees of industrial companies are receiving gifts from their employers for the High Holy Days worth an average of NIS 440, up 10 percent from last year.

A survey conducted by the Manufacturers Association of Israel found that industry employees, on average, received their gifts 10 days before Rosh Hashana. About 71% of factories will give out gift vouchers to their employees, compared with 69% last year; some 7% will receive a check or cash and 21% will receive products such as wine, cosmetics or household goods.

The total value of this year's Rosh Hashana gift vouchers for workers in industry is expected to be NIS 190 million, up 10%-15% from last year.

The survey found that in 57% of factories, the general manager decides what the gift should be, in 45% the decision is made by the human-resources manager, and in 17% the workers' union makes the decision.

Michal Segal, head of the association's "blue-and- white" division, said employees should use their gift vouchers to buy Israeli-made products.

"If gift vouchers will be used for locally-made products only, we estimate that 3,000 jobs will be added to the industrial sector and the economy," he said.

During the month of Tishrei, from Rosh Hashana through Succot, sales at the country's stores and chains - including food, clothing and household goods - are expected to increase by 8%, according to a separate report conducted by Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce.

That report found that in the years 2003-2007, sales during Tishrei rose 6% compared with the previous month and fell 8% the following month.

Over the past five years, food sales increased 8% during Tishrei and dropped 8% the following month. Footwear sales rose by 11% during Tishrei and fell 1% the following month.

In recent years, the largest rise in sales during Tishrei was in household goods and kitchen wear, which jumped 99%.

Federation economists said the sales increase during Tishrei was lower than the sales increase of 20% during the Pessah season.