Don't Worry, Haredim Say, We Really Do Want To Work

"I don't see the pessimistic predictions coming true. The Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry must increase employment opportunities for haredim instead of hiding behind gloomy statistics [that show that haredim continue to refuse to work and are jeopardizing the economic health of the country as a result]…"

Yoav Laloum

Haredim foresee growing employment rates in sector
Negating predictions of shrinking Israeli workforce, ultra-Orthodox activists say haredi employment is on the rise
Kobi Nahshoni • Ynet
   
A recent study conducted by the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry predicted that Israel will see a 6% drop in its workforce within 20 years, especially due to the growing ultra-Orthodox and Arab population shares. But activists in the religious sector dismiss the forecast, noting the growing rates of employed haredim.
 
"I don't see the pessimistic predictions coming true," said attorney Yoav Laloum, chairman of the Noar KaHalacha, an organization that advocates against discrimination in the haredi sector.

"The Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry must increase employment opportunities for haredim instead of hiding behind gloomy statistics, which help all those ultra-Orthodox elements who do everything possible to block the welcome developments in the sector."
 
Laloum added that he expects continued growth in the numbers of ultra-religious individuals who get a higher education.
 
According to Ariel Deri, the director of the Haredi College of Jerusalem, a sharp rise in the number of haredim who entered the workforce registered over the past five years.
 
"This trend is affected, first and foremost, by the placement system that allows the haredim to integrate in the workplace without compromising their lifestyle and world view," he said. "If the government, public agencies and education institutions maintain this trend, it would certainly increase the percentage of haredi employees in the workforce.
 
"We must remember that these kinds of processes raise many concerns, which is why much caution and forethought are required," he added. "Today we can already see a second generation of haredim who are integrating, whose kids go to quality schools from the start. All that's left for the government is to show openness toward the population's unique characteristics, and allow the group to take the necessary steps, at its own place. This will certainly make the forecasts much more positive."
 
'Haredim feel national responsibility'

Attorney Yechezkel Rosenblum of the Tov movement, which represents working haredim, said that the growing rates of employment in the sector deems the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry's study irrelevant.
 
Rosenblum noted that a growing number ultra-Orthodox individuals in their early 20s are getting jobs these days, and that it's becoming increasingly legitimate for yeshiva students "who don't really study" to go to work.
 
Among women, he added, the employment rates match those of the rest of the population.

"More and more haredim feel a national responsibility," he said. "(…) In my opinion, the future is 'black' – not in the pessimistic sense, but in the sense of the haredi contribution to society," Rosenblum said.

Comments

[seymour]

'Haredim feel national responsibility' Bull

only when you join the army.

Working one does for themselves to put food on the table buy stuff and so on.

[seymour]

they life in such a bubble they think by working they are serving the country

are they that stupid or just incredibly arrogant

[Aussie2]

Are you kidding me??????? I am rolling around on the floor with laughter at this farce

[Rocky]

So exactly what kind of jobs are graduates of Haredi yeshivas qualified to do in the real world? Minimum wage jobs don't pay enough to raise a large family.

In the US, Hasidic communities may be forced to confront a whole new economic model if Republicans sweep the national elections in November. Congressman Ryan has proposed slashing Federal spending for poor people by converting food stamps and Medicaid into block grants and letting states deal with the financial shortfalls. As defined by the US census, poverty rates in Hasidic communities are actually much worse than they are in heavily Black communities. Compare New Square or Kiryas Joel with Detroit or even East St. Louis, MO. You may be surprised.

Do the proposed Ryan budget cuts even merit discussion in the Hasidic press?

[Adam Neira]

Interesting story.

[Lubavitchers are Christians]

If they join the army, they will be forced against their will to violate their religion (such as listening to female singers). Something not done in any other western country.

Why would anyone in their right mind voluntarily join an army that forced them to go against their religion????

(Whether you believe that Judaism is man-made or G-d-made, that isn't the point. These people have a religion, and they have religious beliefs. These religious beliefs have been around for thousands of years. It is a clear halakha in Shulchan Aruch that one may not listen to female singers. The Israeli Army forces men to listen to female singers. That is against their religion.)

[jancsibacsi]

Stop looking for excuses and start doing the right thing if a person really wants to work nothing will stop him

[jancsibacsi]

It is a religious duty to support youre family and not look for excuses not to work even clean toilets if you must in religion there are so many rules that theese people are paralyzed by it too much of anything is no good even religion so lets stop making excuses

[DK]

Their leaders don't want them to work, because they know that Work Makes Freedom!

[seymour]

Posted by: Lubavitchers are Christians | April 23, 2012 at 10:35 AM

who is talking about voluntary joining the army

in addition it is not true that countries give in to every stupid thing that some can think of is against their religion.

And by the way we all know that is just a smoke screen. Are you says no woman singing and the ultra orthodox will join the army

best laugh i had in years

[Andre]

Seymour: 'Haredim feel national responsibility' Bull

only when you join the army.

Really? What army did you serve in hotshot? Please tell me your rank and regiment.

I love punks like you who sit on their ass and tell people how to live their lives.

[seymour]

Posted by: Andre | April 23, 2012 at 11:34 AM

your comment is a none issue. we are not talking about individuals but a whole segment of society.

In addition my comment was a response to that idiots comment

the USA does not have a draft.
however Israel does and it is simply not fair that a whole segment of a society should be exempt for no valid reason.

BTY I applied to the armed services in the USA however I did not meet the requirement for vision to my disappointment.

One needs a certain vision uncorrected and I was way of by 10x

[Lubavitchers are Christians]

Posted by: Lubavitchers are Christians | April 23, 2012 at 10:35 AM

who is talking about voluntary joining the army

in addition it is not true that countries give in to every stupid thing that some can think of is against their religion.

And by the way we all know that is just a smoke screen. Are you says no woman singing and the ultra orthodox will join the army

best laugh i had in years

Posted by: seymour | April 23, 2012 at 11:33 AM

Seymour, please stop acting like an unmitigated ass. (because in reality you are not)

I gave the example of female singers AS AN EXAMPLE. It is not just female singers. It is an entire culture that is alien. Female singers IS AN EXAMPLE.

And you're wrong. NOT ONE ARMY in the Western world would force a soldier to do ANYTHING against his religion, and you know it. Stop the bullshit.

Smokescreen?? Maybe. But why give them this excuse? If the Israeli army would accomodate the religious beliefs of the haredim, like any Western army would, then the haredim would be in a difficult position. But at this point, they have a very good reason for not joining.

Have you thought about the possibility that the upper echelons of Israel have purposely created these issues (like forcing haredi males to listen to female singers) in order to prevent the mass enlistment of the haredim??? Alot of people in Israel think so.

[jancsibacsi]

Lubavitchers are Christians-An army depends on discipline that is the most important thing in the army once you give in to one segment of society youre finished everyone else will come with their meshugas unity is the word one for all and all for one no deviations

[seymour]

Posted by: Lubavitchers are Christians | April 23, 2012 at 01:02 PM

you are full of it. and you know it. You know very well that the herdiem do not want to go or feel they have any obligation to join the army.

remember what many of them believe their Torah learning protects the army more than the army protects us.

many believe that and you know that

there is no indication from the herdie leaders that would indicate that they would give any approval or allow their followers to go to the army if accommodation where meet

they simple want a total exemption period

you know it I know it everybody knows it

you think the army can negotiate accommodation that the litvak leaders would agree to so their precious boys can be drafted .

name me a few who you think would agree even to talk

[Dave]

Haredim are just scared to fight, but they don't want to admit it.
When I was 20 I was seriously thinking of making aliyah. But I knew if I moved to Israel I would go into the army. Since I was too scared to fight, I didn't make aliyah. I am a coward, but at least I wasn't fooling myself. However the haredim are just kidding themselves and pretending they don't want to serve for religious reasons, when the real reason is that they're scared to fight.

[David]

"The Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry must increase employment opportunities for haredim instead of hiding behind gloomy statistics, which help all those ultra-Orthodox elements who do everything possible to block the welcome developments in the sector."

What utter nonsense!

The Charedim need to make themselves employable by having more than a third grade education. It is NOT up to industry to dumb down jobs such that even an uneducated Charedi could do them.

[disgusted]

Seymour:you are full of it. and you know it. You know very well that the herdiem do not want to go or feel they have any obligation to join the army.

You bury yourself with every post, Sy. FYI, there are whole units made up of hareidim. You really are clueless.

[maven]

"allows the haredim to integrate in the workplace without compromising their lifestyle and world view"

In other words, they should receive full pay without having to actually show up or work :)

[seymour]

Posted by: disgusted | April 23, 2012 at 05:02 PM

wrong again

those unit that are supposed to be herdien are full of religious Zionist do a search on this blog and see the statistics

and even if that was true big deal a few maybe 1%

what you want to give the frum community a standing ovation for sending a minuscule amount of people to the army

[Eli, what me messiah?]

"More and more haredim feel a national responsibility... in the sense of the haredi contribution to society," attorney Rosenblum said, as he was distributing contracts for the sale of the Brooklyn bridge to Israeli passers-by.
"The bridge is a great deal," he concluded, "but even better are our investment opportunities with a retired colonel in the Nigerian army."