Minister Of Labor Happy To See Haredi Women Working

"[I]ntegration [of haredim, Arabs and the disabled] into an employment framework is the most important thing for our economy today."

Minister of labor: Pleasure to see haredi women working
Ben-Eliezer speaks at Manufacturers Association annual congress, says ministry targeting ultra-Orthodox, Arabs, disabled for integration into workforce; professional training to be available in all fields
Tani Goldstein • Ynet

What's making the minister of industry, trade and labor so happy these days? "It's such a pleasure to visit Modiin Illit, to enter the office and see 1,400 haredi women working in front of computers and another 300 answering telephones," said Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) Thursday during a speech at the annual congress of the Manufacturers Association of Israel in Airport City.

Ben-Eliezer, who spoke of his ministry's efforts to recruit Arabs and haredim into the workforce, was referring of course to the joy he feels as the minister responsible for employment, due to the fact that the women work at all.

"We are concentrating on three population groups: Arabs, haredim and those with disabilities," the minister said. "I call on you, the manufacturers, to do all you can to assist these groups to integrate into the workplace. Their integration into an employment framework is the most important thing for our economy today."…

What the article does not state, perhaps because it is common knowledge in Israel, is that only a tiny percentage of haredi men work.

Instead of working, most haredi study in yeshiva or kollel, earning several hundred dollars a month.

It is left to their wives – and the states welfare apparatus – to support their families.