Israel – In recent years we see a growing understanding that without creating a work environment that is suitable for the haredi sector, Israel’s job market will have to contend with a growing rate of people who don’t work. The haredi participation rate in the workforce at this time is very low, at 29%, compared to 61% for the overall population.
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Should this situation persist, in the coming decade we shall also see a decline in the overall rate of employment, as result of the natural growth rate within the haredi sector. We should of course not ignore the difficult economic situation of this sector, which does not support itself, lives under conditions of poverty, and creates a burden for the State.
Hence, and before the haredim become an even greater burden for Israeli society, the time has come to face up to the challenge and adopt a series of steps that would enable the haredim to participate in the Israeli job market.
What does this mean in practice? First, it requires decision-makers and the business sector to leave behind all sorts of bias and prejudice. As opposed to the arguments we regularly hear around here, many haredim want to and are able to work and contribute their talents, experience, and skills. The reason many of them fail to do so is the absence of a suitable work environment.
Hence, the next step is to create work environments that would constitute a softer, welcoming element to the ultra-Orthodox community – for example, a kosher kitchen, (certain) separation between men and women, maintaining a certain dress code at work, and shuttles from haredi strongholds to work (or the establishment of service centers of various companies close to haredi areas.) It would also be worthwhile to designate certain quotas for haredim at Israeli companies, as a sort of “affirmative action.”
It is also very important to understand the haredi culture, which has implications both on professional training which haredi employees are asked to undergo as well as the daily conduct at work. For example, the need for rabbinical approval and for a supportive community framework, without which haredim have great trouble operating.
On the part of the government, we need aggressive intervention in the form of extra funds for professional training, incentives for employers, and the integration of haredim into higher education institutions. Without higher education, haredi employees will have trouble integrating into the modern-day job market.
Today there’s greater understanding of and openness to the job market among the haredi public. Most haredim, as opposed to seculars, do not seek to “make a career,” but rather, they want a stable work place that would grant them regular income over time. Hence, as we learned from many years of experience, the job stability of this sector is much greater than in today’s world of employment; this is an important advantage in economic terms as well.
Several large Israeli companies already grasped the potential inherent in the haredi sector and established service centers with representatives who are especially designated for this sector. This is based on a desire to find employees who will stick around for a long time doing a job that suffers from high employee turnover. It’s also based on the insight that we have a high-potential manpower here that is not being properly utilized.
The integration of haredim into the Israeli workforce is not a fantasy, and its implications touch upon many areas of our life on the one hand, and on the haredi sector’s life on the other. We are dealing with a complex process replete with changes, yet instead of fearing it we should face up to the challenge and promote this issue. The quicker we do it, the better.
The fact is both sides are to blame . Like in America, their ebbes and roshei Yeshivas have neglected the secular education needs of their students. I personally know yeshivas charging extra for late classes in English while charging high tuitions. In this ecinomy, scheduled to last many years , individuals will need evry assety they have to exist. Programs will be cut as is already happening. When we insure our children are not educational cripples
will be a beginnig.
Secondly, ib Israeli society, the political establishment hereto has instigated the popular
secular society that ” religious Jews are paraistes that don’t serve in the army”!.
The latter is no longer true but most large employers discriminate (like the IDF did for many years )against charedim on all fronts.
Frum leaders have to work to partner with large corporations to accommodate the workplace and bring in jobs. Very few Rosheei Yeshivas and melamdim are necessary and most hareidm should work as productive members of society. Secular basic studies should be manadatory for all. The govt should mandate tax incentives for corporations willing to locate, facilitate and train the religious populance.
As someone with experience in the Israeli workforce, I noticed that even someone with a knitted kipa experiences a very stark difference in terms of treatment and opportunities in almost every large company. Banks, government agencies, the military, manufacturing and technology companies (with the notable exception of IDT) simply don’t like to hire religious people, especially haredim. There are proteksia networks in place that actively exclude religious people and Sephardim. The problem isn’t so much the environments being unkosher, as the principals being unwelcoming.
Poster no. 1 makes very good points. There really is a shared burden between the big rabbonim and the government to get chareidim off of handouts and turn them into productive members of society. There is no genetic or DNA factors that prevent mos chareidim from working. Their dysfunction stems from the lack of a secular education and interpersonal and social skills needed to function in a commercial environment. There also needs to be flexibility on both sides. The employers will need to accomodate the preferences of most chareidim to not work on shabbos and yom tov, have access to kosher foods and avoid exposure to lewd behavior. Likewise, the chareidim will have to commit to coming to work during scheduled business hours even if it means davening a bit earlier or later than they might otherwise prefer; to work with men and women who may not be as frum as they are or may even be goyim; to accomodate normal social and business practices where a simple handshake with a customer or client is not regarded as opening the door to lewd thoughts etc. With a little bid of flexibility and accomodation, we can greatly reduce the crisis in chareidi unemployment and dependency.
It is the responsiblity of fathers to secure a proper trade for their sons. Ant desire to shift that blame to schools or an unwelcoming society are poor excuses for neglecting their Torah given responsibility. It is surely not society’s job to accommodate all of their special requirements.
The ticket into employment in Israel is by performing 3 years service in Tzahal. Get that into your heads. There are none & nor should there EVER be any shortcuts to this. We (normal Israeli society) expect this to be paid & we are under no obligations to give you jobs until you pay your dues. You are no better than any other group in Israel & therefore don’t expect any special treatment. You want to get out of your insular, poverty-ridden lives, GOOD. But don’t expect anything until you have paid the prices, that are 3 years in Tzahal & education to a level that makes it work my while to employ you. You don’t like that? TOO BAD! Stay in your Shtetels.
Sorry to break this to you in a loud & clear manner, but too many of you expect tovot that you simply do not deserve. By the articles admission almost 80% of you haven’t worked in the State & probably 95% of you have not served in the army ….. don’t expect us to bend over backwards to want to employ you or give you special rights.
#2
In some ways you are correct. However, there is a reason for their distrust.
It is a fact that a chareidi worker will have an extremely limited, if not inferior secular education. This makes him FAR less valuable as an employee. Also, the demands that chareidim will place on the business (many of them unnecessary) make them even more unattractive.
Sadly, we have created at least 2 generations of know-nothings. So, nobody can build businesses from within the community. Nobody from within can offer any opportunity whatsoever. So, WE are forced to go begging for jobs from companies outside the community.
We must realize that, for our very survival, we must be flexible as most are here in America. Yes, you may encounter women who dress immodestly (or immodestly by your standard). Yes, you may have to speak to women in the office. Yes, you may have to change the time/place you normally daven in order to work around your business schedule. Yes, you may have kashrus concerns (like most of us) which require you to just bring your own refreshments/lunch with you to work. However, you can have a NORMAL job.
It is interesting to me. I have a Muslim VP that I report to. Only when it is absolutely necessary do I ever ask him to make special accommodations for me. He knows that when I ask, it is important and if there were another way, I would do it. That respect has kept me working for this guy for years. I help accommodate him when he needs it and he does for me. I never place demands on anyone that are not 100% necessary.
“preferences of most chareidim to not work on shabbos”, I am glad you aren’t making any rulings. And for the record, the PROHIBITION against shaking the hand of a woman has ZERO to do with arousal. This type of misinformation is part of the problem.
this week I sent a donation to the Israel Free Loan Association to start a fund to lend to charedim that need money for their profession education.
I would encourage others to do the same or add to The Jarmel Jamulowsky Fund
checks can be directed through PEF or American Friends of IFLA in Washington DC
Get rid of the foreign low-paid workers and hire charedim for higher pay. Even though they may be paid higher, it may pay off in the long run with maybe lower taxes, the mitzva of hiring a fellow Jew, and better security .
To no. 7 (mr. aryeh). Yes. Virtually all chareidi jews are strictly shomer shabbos and would rather not take a job than to be mechallel shabbos. What about this don’t you understand. Shabbos kodesh is more important than making some extra money by working.
the question is are they qualified?
How far should a company go to accommodate them the article says separate ares for men and woman separation between men and women, maintaining a certain dress code at work, and shuttles from haredi strongholds to work (or the establishment of service centers of various companies close to haredi areas.)
why should the others change their dress code they like to dress that way. shuttle bus, please why can’t they take a bus like everybody else. And what are the herdiem going to give up to blend in to the company, nothing I guess. that is not fair. maybe they can do something small that is not against halacha like not wearing black and white shirts. All the accommodating cannot be one way.
but that is exactly what the herdiem want
To Arieh Nos 2 and 7.
What you say is nonsense. I have lived and worked in EY for nearly 40 years. I have a black yarmelkah on my head and a full beard. I have never encountered discrimination, and I know many like me who have the same experience. If you have the correct background (educationally) and are competent, then being frum is not a limitation. I have never been put down for not shaking hands with a women or not being willing to participate in a lunch at a restaurant. I have occasionally gotten snide remarks from co-workers, but generally with a smile, and these have had no import on my employment in any way. It’s all an excuse. Do the job and you will get paid. Enough whining.
number 5 i agree with u, as someone who volunteered from out side to the army. I was once walking in a religeous neighboorhood in uniform and gun and wat did i get called a nazi, if thats wat the charedim call their brothers who sacrifice all so they could sit on benches and throw rocks at people who defend them then they have no place in the civillized world and we’d probably be better off without those fanatics who anyways dont want to work
Is was mentioned, “It is the responsiblity of fathers to secure a proper trade for their sons.” In that case, from the current unemployment numbers the majority of Haredi fathers have not been doing as well as they should.
It is certainly important to raise our children with Torah and Mitzvos and to live a good frum life. But you also need to eat. In Bavli Bava Basra 110a it says “If you need a livlihood, skin a carcass in the public market; do not say, “Such work is below my dignity.””
Free government money is nice, but better not to live off of other’s handouts and get a job. Rashi made wine. Rambam was a doctor. They had day jobs and studied when they could.
I have to get up at 5:30 so I can learn, mikvah, make a minyan, and go to work. To make up for not working Shabbos and leaving early on Fridays I work 10-12 hour days. I am not home until 9pm many nights. It is not ideal, but I have a job, can support my family, and still do some learning. I would love it if my job gave me my own kosher kitchen and enforced that others dressed a bit more tznius for a bank, but I doubt it will happen soon and it does not stop me from going to work and doing my job.