Jerusalem – Israel’s central bank chief wants more Arabs and ultra-Orthodox Jews in the work force to spur economic growth.
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Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer says the government must help to make that happen. In his annual report on Wednesday, Fischer called for better schooling to help these two fast-growing sectors enter the labor market.
Discrimination and substandard education have long limited economic opportunities for Israel’s Arabs. Many ultra-Orthodox Jewish men opt for a life of religious study, don’t work and live on state handouts. Together, the two sectors make up about 30 percent of Israel’s population.
The bank said Israel’s economy grew 4.7 percent in 2011, though growth slowed in the second part of the year due to Europe’s debt crisis.
If there were no army requirement to work on the books in Israel, many more would work. I know Satmar and Toldos Aharon Chassidim in Israel who work, but they work off the books in their own businesses. Also, if jobs like bus drivers, etc., which are common for Haredim in the US were made available, but the unions in Israel don’t let.
cut welfare
Torah im derech eretz
If Rabbi Yochanan was a shoemaker,why cannot the haredim learn a profession?
nothing new it is pure common sense simple solution limit the handouts.
want to learn, wake up early learn go to work. learn after work. just like many people do who go to a gym.
Kollel has become to many a 9-5 job
Unfortunately, notwithstanding our common “semitic” dna, the majority of arabs want to work, even in menial, low paying jobs that yidden will not perform, while many chareidim are too lazy to work , even when presented with opportunities that don’t require prior military service and/or vocational schools. They feel that digging ditches, working on farms, assembling boxes, etc. is “beneath them” and that their time is better committed to sitting in a kolel and “learning”.
I have no comment about the need for those receiving welfare to seek out employment. What I find offensive is the “lying statistics” What I would like to know is the # in the “non-ch…” community who do not work or are on the dole or are in prisons or who are drug addicts and do not work or cost the country gross amounts of $$ and create “jobs” for the “other community”. While I decry that tens of thousands of Jews “learning” on the public purse rather than working for the standard 40 hours or so per week and then learning diligently for say 20 hours ON THEIR OWN TIME (while still helping at home), such ‘statistics” must be taken in context and with accompanying statistics of other groups. While commenting, what we need is a “Jewish University” for our real Jewish scholars. We do require dayanim and community rabbanim and there is no reason why the state only supports universities for ” Dr. of History or English literature” etc as well as for the necessary Dr of Medicine or Engineering. We require Dr’s for Spiritual needs as quoted in Rambam Hilchot Dayot chapter 1 wherein he describes how “jewish professionals (Rabbanim) are req’t to hear Spiritual illness. Protest this! Chaim
To #8 People who don 217;t work are NOT what you say!! They are LAZY!! They also want everything handed to them!! Let them go out and earn it like everybody else does! Why should they be like LEECHES and suck out our hard earned dollars?? It is too much!! GENUG!!
Funny thing about socalism…
Perhaps Israel should give capitalism a shot?