ultra-Orthodox/Haredi

Click here, for updated information regarding the Haredi conscription and the ultra-Orthodox draft law.

Publications Regarding ultra-Orthodox/Haredi

Articles

Op-ed

The Two Coalitions Israel Needs Now

It is increasingly clear that Israel’s future depends on the forging of two coalitions. One is a multinational alliance determined to turn the Palestinian issue from a driver of conflict into an engine of peace. The other, is an internal Israeli coalition ready to pursue a series of bold social, economic, and political reforms.

Explainer

Haredi Yeshiva Students Are Being Called to IDF Enlistment Centers. What’s Next?

On Monday August 5, 2024 and Tuesday August 6, 2024—900 ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students were required to present themselves at IDF enlistment centers. Shlomit Ravitsky Tur-Paz, Dr. Eran Shamir-Borer and Mirit Lavi explain the next steps the IDF will need to take in order to enforce the legal obligation of conscription. 

Explainer

Ultra-Orthodox Draft Challenges and Objectives

As the IDF issues the first batches of draft orders for ultra-Orthodox men, the following outlines the challenges, opportunities and objectives of an amended conscription law. 

Op-ed

A Joint Effort: Integrating Haredim in the IDF

The IDF should do what it can to ease the transition of Haredim from the social frameworks in which they have grown up and been educated into the military, but it is also important for new conscripts to understand that the rules cannot be changed according to the preferences of every single soldier or group.

Key Findings

Workforce Participation of Haredi Yeshiva Students Under the Exemption Age

This study describes the employment trends among men registered in ultra-Orthodox yeshivas between the ages of 18-25. The findings are based on a reported work, or "legal work," so it is very likely that this is an underestimation of reality. 

Play
International Press

Ultra-Orthodox Conscription | Supreme Court Ruling | Yohanan Plesner on CNN

"It's a matter of a change in the trajectory," says Yohanan Plesner, president of IDI following the Israeli Supreme Court ruling on the issue of ultra-Orthodox conscription.

Play
International Press

Supreme Court Ruling on Haredi Draft | Yohanan Plesner on BBC News

"Basically we've entered into a new unknown terrain," says IDI President Yohanan Plesner.

Explainer

The New Rabbis Law Includes a Number of Inherent Flaws

Dr. Ariel Finkelstein warns that the proposed new "Rabbis Law" would weaken the standing of local communities, could lead to cronyism, reduce women's representation and more. 

Play
Research Reel

Principles for a Fair Draft Law

Yohanan Plesner, President of IDI lays out the basic principles for a fair draft law.

Play
Research Reel

The Economic Impact of Haredi (non) Enlistment

What are the economic impacts of the Haredi blanket exemption and how would drafting the ultra-Orthodox benefit Israeli society and economy?

Article

Haredi Enlistment According to the Supreme Court Justices: "We intend to decide"

The discussion in the Supreme Court yesterday was not about whether a law exempting yeshiva students harms the principle of equality. It was about a much more basic question: is the State of Israel acting in accordance with the principle of the rule of law—that is, can yeshiva students be exempted from enlisting in the IDF, when there is no law allowing for this.

Explainer

A Historic Supreme Court Hearing on Haredi Conscription and Yeshiva Funding

Israel's Supreme Court convened to hear arguments on the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students who no longer are exempt from military service, and the legality of providing funding for yeshivas that enroll them as long as no new law has been legislated on this issue.

Play
Research Reel

Timeline: The Ultra-Orthodox and the IDF Draft

When did the ultra-Orthodox first receive an exemption from military service? How have Haredi demographics influenced this issue?

This is a timeline of the central milestones affecting the issue of Haredi conscription. 

Explainer

The latest military exemption law - a return to the 2022 (non-) conscription law

The proposed law ignores the dramatic change in Israel's security situation since October 7 and does not address the need for more combat soldiers, nor does it respect the burden on the populations that already serve.

Summary

From the World of Torah Study to the World of Work: Social Challenges and Employment Potential Among Haredi Yeshiva Students

This study was designed to assess the level of satisfaction among students in higher yeshivot (ages 17 and above), their personal and social challenges, and their attitudes toward possible alternatives to yeshiva studies, such as vocational training and employment.

Op-ed

I, Too, Have Come to my Senses: It is Time to Rethink the Haredi Role in Israeli Society

Dr. Rivka Neriya-Ben Shahar proposes a model that resembles the secular educational system of colleges and universities to identify the most gifted torah scholars, who would receive a generous stipend. Others must rethink their role as part of Israeli society.

Research

Population

First chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Education

Second chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Standard of Living

Third chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Employment

Fourth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Lifestyles

Fifth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Effects of COVID-19, Views on Democracy and the Media, and Religion in Israel

Sixth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Explainer

On the Haredi Educational System

This explainer will cover the current structure of the Haredi education system, its pedagogical requirements and the budgets it receives from the Government.

Op-ed

Mass Tracking of Boys to Yeshivas Comes at the Price of Excellence

The current model of the yeshiva and kollel world, in which all men are channelled for long years of study serves the goal of keeping young ultra-Orthodox men off the secular street. Paradoxically, the main victim is the Torah world itself.

Op-ed

The IDF ‘Israel Service’ Plan is Complicated and Costly

How would different tracks of enlistment change the longstanding Israeli ethos of service and sacrifice for the state and society?

Explainer

The Government Bill for the Exemption of Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Men from IDF Service: A Brief Guide

The ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Conscription bill, if passed into law, would in effect, allow Haredi men to totally avoid military service.

Article

The Meron Disaster as Reflected in Ultraorthodox (Haredi) Society Media

For years, ultra-Orthodox leadership has been protesting that the internet will bring rack and ruin on the entire community and on individual users, however, the internet and especially the social networks, play a major role in the internal reforms that the ultra-Orthodox must introduce.

Op-ed

Are Israel's Haredim Leaning Left or Right?

The deep fear expressed by the leadership of Israelis haredim is not of external criticism, but of an internal blurring of identity and straying from the path.

Op-ed

Faust is Dressed like an Ultra-Orthodox Jew

The law for “adequate and appropriate representation” that is progressing along the Knesset legislative path is neither just, nor fair; it is neither wise nor ethical. And above all, it is not ultra-Orthodox.

Research

Knowledge of Languages, Wellbeing, Transportation and Road Safety

Sixth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Population

First chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Education

Second chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Standard of Living

Third chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Employment

Fourth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Lifestyles

Fifth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

English Studies for Ultra-Orthodox Boys - Study

A new IDI study finds that 26% of ultra-Orthodox men say they don’t know English at all and an additional 28% say their English is "poor."

Press Release

Employment Incentives for the Haredi Community are a Mix of ‘Carrots’ and ‘Sticks’

Finance Minister Liberman’s employment incentives for members of the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community are a "mix of ‘carrots’ and ‘sticks’ and could encourage members of the Haredi community to join the labor market - however elements of the plan could also expand the existing trend of part-time employment.

Special Survey

An Increase Among Ultra-Orthodox Men Enrollment in Higher Education and Yeshivas

Ultra-Orthodox Jews now make up 13% of Israelis, and are continuing to grow rapidly. In 2020, the pandemic led to an increase in the number of applicants for professional and academic training, especially among ultra-Orthodox men

Special Survey

Two Thirds of Ultra-Orthodox Are Online

Despite public criticism, two thirds of ultra-Orthodox Israelis are now online

Research

Standard of Living

Third chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Employment

Fourth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Lifestyles

Fifth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

The Internet and the Digital World

Sixth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Population

First chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Press Release

Dramatic Rise in the Number of Sexual Abuse Cases Treated by Social Service Departments in Ultra-Orthodox Local Authorities

Growing willingness to report sexual abuse in ultra-Orthodox society: The last two decades have seen a dramatic rise in the number of cases of sexual abuse or violence against children treated by social service agencies in ultra-Orthodox local authorities, where today- the rate of abuse is higher than in other local authorities

Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right

Even if we accept the argument that lowering the exemption age exacerbates existing discrimination, we should still assess the proportionality of this harm. Basic rights such as equality are not absolute, and are sometimes subject to restrictions in the face of a pressing public interest.

Press Release

Lowering the Age of Exemption will Lead Thousands of Haredim into the Labor Force

Congratulations to the Bennett government on approving the outline for lowering the age of the students exempted from service in the IDF to 21. This is a vital and necessary step that the Israel Democracy Institute has recommended in recent years. A kind of necessary evil that will lead in the short term to the entry of about 5,000 ultra-Orthodox into the labor market and thousands more in the coming years.

Article

Lowering the Exemption Age for Military Service

Survey finds lowering the exemption age is not likely to reduce the number of ultra-Orthodox conscripts to the IDF, however it will encourage thousands of ultra-Orthodox men to enter the workforce.

Research

Education

Second chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Population

First chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Education

Second chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

IDF or Civilian Service

Third chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Employment

Fourth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Standard of Living

Fifth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

COVID-19 and Ultra-Orthodox Society

Sixth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Special Survey

Haredim Trust Rabbis More Than the Health Ministry on COVID-19

62% of Haredim have very little or no confidence in Prime Minister Netanyahu's Handling of COVID-19; 60% think decision makers are guided mostly or only by political concerns

Article

Transitions Between Religious Groups among Israeli Jews: Abstract 

This study provides first-ever reliable estimate of the rate and scope of transitions into and out of the ultra-Orthodox community; an analysis made possible thanks to innovative methodology and a rich dataset. 

 

Op-ed

Ultra-Orthodox Non-Compliance Rests on Fear

In the second wave of the pandemic it seems that many ultra-Orthodox rabbis are assigning higher priority to 'customer retention' than to the clear halakhic imperative to preserve health and life

Op-ed

An Organized Civil Disobedience Campaign

Rabbi Kanievsky’s decision to disregard the law and open ultra-Orthodox schools is the first time in Israeli history that we are seeing something that approaches a call for mass civil disobedience orchestrated by a key public figure.

Op-ed

The Dissonance of Israel’s “Hardalim”

How does Israel’s national-ultra-Orthodox population (“Hardalim”) combine ideals of the "new Jew" with their ultra-Orthodox religious world view?

Op-ed

What Do You Do When there’s a Hole in the Boat?

The handwriting was on the wall. Since the founding of the State, rabbis have served as middlemen between the government and the ultra-Orthodox. We must acknowledge that this approach has failed miserably.

Op-ed

At the Crossroads: The Ultra-Orthodox Community and Israeli Society

The coronavirus crisis proves once again that the lives of all Israelis are intertwined with those of the ultra-Orthodox and the country cannot be sustained with an autonomy living behind closed walls. Without shared responsibility for public health - 'normal life' will not be possible the post-COVID-19 era

Op-ed

The Complex Dissonance of Israel’s Hardalim

Israeli secularism has largely abandoned the ideal of the “new Jew” in recent decades, but religious Zionism has remained fervently loyal to it

Press Release

Haredim - High Level of Distrust of Government Policies

Dr. Gilad Malach, Director of IDI's Ultra-Orthodox in Israel program on MK Ya'acov Litzman's resignation from the Cabinet: "Indicative of a very strong sentiment among the ultra-Orthodox community where there is currently a high level of distrust of government policies." 

Press Release

Haredim Lose Faith in their Political Parties

Ultra-Orthodox communities have been very critical of their political leaders for not advocating vigorously enough on their behalf at the beginning of the COVID crisis. Now, the ultra-Orthodox parties are at the forefront of the contentious demand to permit mass travel to Uman.

Op-ed

The New Housing Plan: A Grand Plan with Fine Print

Subsidizing cheap old apartments in poor towns won't solve the housing shortage for the ultra-Orthodox, but it will destroy those towns' social fabric

Article

Integration of the Ultra-Orthodox the Wake of the Coronavirus

In wake of the coronavirus pandemic, IDI experts present a status report on the current state of Israel's ultra-Orthodox community as well as policy recommendations for how to better integrate them into Israeli society

Press Release

Second Wave is a Matter of Time

More than half of Israelis think a second wave is a matter of time and 39% think that the return to normalcy is too fast

 

 

Israeli Voice Index

The Impact of the Corona Crisis on the Ultra-Orthodox Community

The corona crisis has had serious economic repercussions for many households, including for members of Israel's ultra-Orthodox community. Survey findings indicate that while most of the ultra-Orthodox plan to cut back on their current expenditures, there are also quite a few households in which one of the spouses plans on increasing the scope of his or her employment, and in about one-fifth of the households- one of the spouses who has not previously worked, intends to now join the workforce.

Press Release

Decade-Long High in Israelis' 'Sense of Belonging' 

Special IDI Independence Day survey 92.5% of Jewish-Israelis and 77% of Arab-Israelis feel a part of Israel and its problems.

 

Op-ed

Coronavirus and Haredi and Arab Communities

In recent years, many comparisons have been made between two communities in Israel - the ultra-Orthodox and Arab Israelis. The coronavirus crisis has brought previously held assumptions into question.

Op-ed

The Yom Kippur of the Ultra-Orthodox

The tragic results of initial faulty advice from leading rabbis is a wake-up call to Haredi Jews to start making their own decisions.

Article

Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel and the Coronavirus Pandemic

Dr. Gilad Malach held a press briefing focused on the coronavirus’ effect on the ultra-Orthodox in Israel and what might be the long term implications for employment, use of technology and the attitude towards official state authorities in this often isolated community.

Article

Curbing the Coronavirus Among the Ultra-Orthodox: Explainer

How can we curb the spread of the coronavirus in the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel? IDI experts explain

Op-ed

A Blow to the IDF as the ‘People’s Army’

A proposal by the panel appointed to investigate ultra-Orthodox enlistment to lower the exemption age defies multiple High Court rulings

Article

Towards a New Covenant on Religion and State in Israel

After years of struggles over issues related to religion and state, we hereby agree to adopt a new approach, which will create a covenant to provide a new system of arrangements and agreements to strengthen the link between the Israeli public and the Jewish identity of the State of Israel.

Research

IDF or Civilian Service

Third chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Employment

Fourth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Standard of Living

Fifth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Social Mobility

Sixth chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Population

First chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Research

Education

Second chapter of six of the 'Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel'

Op-ed

The Decade in Review: Religion and State

Israel's once sacrosanct status quo seems less relevant than ever, with the essence of what it means to be a Jewish state in flux and at stake.

Press Release

IDI Releases 2019 Statistical Report on Haredi Society in Israel

"More Yeshiva students" and "Haredi women are driving growth" - are just some of the highlights of the new report.

Article

2019 Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel: Highlights

The 2019 Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel provides both a snapshot of the ultra-Orthodox in Israel today and an analysis of trends characterizing this community in recent decades, in key areas such as demography, education, employment, and use of leisure time.

Op-ed

What Really Lies behind the Rabbis’ Directive on Modesty?

What really lies behind the most recent rabbinical directive on modesty in the IDF - and how does it pits religious soldiers against IDF's core values to the extent of risking insubordination. 

Article

Ultra-Orthodox Service in the IDF: An Ongoing Struggle

The tension between the "military service for all" and "exemption for all" represents the tradeoff between the quest for equality and the existing political-social reality.

Op-ed

A Pyrrhic Victory

The results speak for themselves. Shas, headed by Arye Deri, registered a resounding success with traditional voters. But is this a long term victory?

Op-ed

Misery Loves Company

In light of their demographic growth, the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel have to attempt to become part of in the broader Israeli society.

Press Release

Religion and State: Israelis Seek Change in Existing Arrangements

Even though most Israelis support opening businesses & public transportation on Shabbat issues of religion and state will not decide the September elections

Op-ed

Perceptions on Citizenship among Ultra-Orthodox Israelis

Despite the fact that the State of Israel and its central institutions are essentially secular and reflect a Zionist self-image, according to data from the 2016 Democracy Index only two-thirds (64%) of ultra-Orthodox Israelis report having a strong sense of belonging to the state. 

Op-ed

The Next Destination of Young Ultra-Orthodox Couples

How do young ultra-Orthodox couples cope with the housing crisis? The most recent figures on home-buying point to a change of the trend in the ultra-Orthodox internal migration. This change poses a challenge, but also an opportunity. How should the state respond?

Op-ed

The Ultra-Orthodox Community on the Conservatism-Modernism Spectrum

Israel’s ultra-Orthodox sector is less homogeneous than most assume.

Article

Ultra-Orthodox National Civic Service

What is Wrong with the National Civic Service program for the Ultra-Orthodox and How to Reform It?

Op-ed

Ultra-Orthodox Streamed to the Polls

Among the many surprises of last week’s election was the impressive performance by the ultra-Orthodox parties – how can we explain this dizzying success?

Play
Article

Are Ultra-Orthodox Parties Risking Losing the Allegiance of their Voters?

For many years the ultra-Orthodox were perceived as “captive voters” who would always comply with their rabbis’ instructions to cast their ballot for ultra-Orthodox parties. In today’s new reality such directives are no longer enough

Op-ed

Integrating the Ultra-Orthodox

The current Knesset undermined policies that promote the integration that is key to ultra-Orthodox well-being; the next Knesset has the capacity to reverse the trend

Podcast

What Do Haredi Voters Really Want?

Gilad Malach of the Israel Democracy Institute gives the latest electoral trends among Israel’s insular ultra-orthodox Jewish community. Why is a small community so divided, and why are growing numbers of ultra-Orthodox voters leaving the Haredi parties altogether?

Podcast

The Growing Power of the Independent Ultra-Orthodox Voter

In a conversation with Fathom Deputy Editor Calev Ben-Dor, Malach discusses the recent changes that have taken place in ultra-Orthodox society, voting trends within the ‘sector’, and how the onset of technology is affecting voting patterns

Research

Standard of Living

The third out of six chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Research

Employment

The fourth out of six chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Research

Ultra-Orthodox Lifestyles

The fifth out of six chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Op-ed

Ultra-Orthodox Political Parties in Israel—Past, Present, Future

What is the secret behind the power of the ultra-Orthodox political parties in Israel and how has it changed over the years? The article presents an overview of the development of the ultra-Orthodox political parties in Israel from the establishment of the State as well as insights as to future developments.

Podcast

The Haredi Spring

As election season heats up, Tipping Point host Dr. Gilad Malach of the Israel Democracy Institute and Rabbi Yehoshua Pfeffer to understand how Haredi parties became kingmakers in Israeli politics, why recent polls show a decline in their power and whether there is a chance that Shas and United Torah Judaism will join forces in the current campaign.

Op-ed

Climbing up the Socioeconomic Ladder: Military Service among the Ultra-Orthodox

Even though military service seems to be one of the most blatant threats to the ultra-Orthodox lifestyle, it has become a rather attractive channel for broad segments of the community.

Press Release

Elections, Security and the Next Government

The majority of Israelis think that Trump’s decision to withdraw from Syria harms Israel’s security and want a right or center-right government. Read more in the latest Peace Index. 

Article

Citizenship and Military Service in Ultra-Orthodox Society

More and more ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Israelis are enlisting in the IDF, driven by personal, financial, and professional motives, with military service seen as an “entrance ticket” to Israeli society and to the labor market. But military service also introduces them to the shared components of identity and citizenship linking them to the state and its values, and enabling them to identify with others, from outside their community.

Podcast

Modern-Ultra-Orthodox: Israel’s Haredi Community at a Crossroads

Dr. Gilad Malach, head of the ultra-Orthodox research program at the Israel Democracy Institute, discusses the findings of the 2018 statistical report on the ultra-Orthodox society in Israel

Play
Press Release

2018 Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

IDI’s 2018 report on ultra-Orthodox society is out - shedding light on changing trends in population, education, employment, and leisure in the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel.

Op-ed

Beit Shemesh and Tel Aviv

How despicable is a mob that calls for non-partisanship but is unwilling to listen to a voice that speaks for a majority of Israelis today?

Op-ed

Faith and the City

In an op-ed for the Jerusalem Post, Dr. Shuki Friedman, Head of IDI's Center for Religion, Nation and State, explains how local government plays a critical role in balancing religion and state in day-to-day life in Israel.

Article

Meet the Next Generation of IDI Leaders

Guaranteeing an independent Supreme Court. Integrating the Ultra-Orthodox into the IDF. Boosting participation of Arab women in the workforce. Improving the ease of doing business in Israel. These are some of the challenges facing IDI’s new cadre of program and center directors.

Article

Debating the Draft – Public Opinion Survey

Majority support for drafting young ultra-Orthodox into the army goes as far back as 1991. There have been small fluctuations, but consistently --at least 2/3 (65%) of the Israeli public has supported drafting yeshiva students or young ultra-Orthodox into the IDF.

Press Release

The Decision to Halt Work on the Sabbath on the Ayalon Bridge – a Farce

- “The decision is questionable. If the government is really interested in avoiding desecration of the Sabbath, and in ensuring a day of rest, it should focus its energy on stopping the illegal work currently being performed on the Sabbath, which according to reports by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor, is rarely done.

Press Release

Israel needs a draft law that will uphold the principle of civic equality

 

Now is the time to rise above petty politics and pass a draft law that will uphold the principle of civic equality in Israel.

 

Op-ed

Israel's wealthiest are abandoning IDF combat units

Israel's secular elite has lost its enthusiasm for combat service and now targets intelligence units, such as Unit 8200.

Article

Proposal for Amending Ultra-Orthodox Conscription Plan

IDI puts forth analysis of why the proposed conscription plan for the ultra-Orthodox is problematic and offers an alternative approach

Podcast

A Kosher Military

Yohanan Plesner discusses with Tipping Point the "People's Army". Can a compromise be reached and is "sharing the burden" of military service a realistic goal? 

Press Release

Calling on Our Leaders to Lead

Leading public figures avoid dealing with issues that are of national importance when it entails confronting the ultra-Orthodox community.

Press Release

Will Trump’s Peace Plan Gain Traction?

The monthly Peace Index of the Israel Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University, published today, finds that most Israelis think that Trump’s peace plan won’t gain traction and that the IDF should directly target ‘terror kite’ assailants.

Article

The Conscription Plan: Taking the Easy Route to Inequality

Though many ultra-Orthodox politicians expressed outrage at the original publishing of this new bill, some view the proposal as a double achievement.

Article

Israel’s Looming Ultra-Orthodox Housing Crisis

The Minister of Finance has invested tremendous resources in meeting the needs of the Israeli middle class. However, even with these efforts, the minister has failed to address the ultra-Orthodox’s needs — a mistake that has contributed to an acute housing crisis for this sector of Israeli society.

Press Release

Proposed Draft Bill Puts the “People's Army” at Risk

Yohanan Plesner, President of the Israel Democracy Institute cautions that the Ministry of Defense’s proposed draft bill “endangers IDF’s model of service as a “People's Army” based on the principle of mandatory service for all

Press Release

The End of the "Great Rabbis" (Gdolim) Era

Featuring two book launches: “Haredim A Guide to their Beliefs and Sectors” and “A Flock with No Shepherd: Shas Leadership the Day after Rabbi Ovadia Yosef”

Article

Time To Counter Charedi Parties On Jewish Character Of Israel

No matter when they take place, the upcoming elections will have a decisive impact on the identity of the state if decision-makers and the general public continue to follow the ultra-Orthodox lead

Op-ed

Integrating Women into Politics: Another Solution

The absolute exclusion of women from ultra-Orthodox parties keeps their specific interests from being addressed effectively in the public sphere.

Research

Population & Demographics

The first out of five chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Research

Education

The second out of five chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Research

Poverty & Standard of Living

The third out of five chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Op-ed

Who’s Afraid of Ultra-Orthodox Israelis?

Ultra-Orthodox society is moving toward a more Israeli, more modern future, while also maintaining its unique characteristics. 

Press Release

A Decline in the Number of Ultra-Orthodox Men in the Workforce

For the first time since 2013- a decline in the number of ultra-Orthodox men in the workforce

Op-ed

Ultra-Orthodox and Affirmative Action: Justice and not Charity

For the ultra-Orthodox sector and for us as a society, justice is not charity.

Op-ed

Who are the ultra-Orthodox?

Stereotypes—both positive and negative—are an obstacle to the development of a genuine partnership between the ultra-Orthodox and the rest of Israeli society. The Haredim are Israel's biggest sociological mystery. We must learn the facts rather than engaging in speculation. 

Op-ed

Haredi women lead change

Are women leading the change in ultra-Orthodox society or are they preserving their unique way of life? Learn more about the tension between the possibilities that the modern world offers ultra-Orthodox women and the many complex challenges facing them. 

Play

5 Things You Must Know About the ultra-Orthodox Community in Israel

How many ultra-Orthodox live in Israel today? How many will watch this clip on the internet? How are ultra-Orthodox women transforming their community? How many are employed? What age to they get married?

Press Release

Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Israel Democracy Institute and the Jerusalem Institute for Policy Research published today the 2017 Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel. The report presents trends in population, education, employment, and leisure in the ultra-Orthodox sector in Israel.

Article

Charedi Women Increasingly Having It All

Growing numbers of ultra-Orthodox women postponing marriage to pursue a career path, new study finds.

Op-ed

The Ultra-Orthodox Community's New Trend: From Isolationism to Involvement

In 2017, we have to ask: Who is ultra-Orthodox? What are the boundaries of ultra-Orthodox society? What are the boundaries of ultra-Orthodox identity within the Israeli sphere?

Press Release

IDI's Malach: 'Kahlon Net Family Plan Could Give a Boost to Haredi Middle Class, Too'

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon’s Net Family Plan could give a boost to the haredi middle class, which has been developing over the last several years, by increasing the incentive for haredim to seek a higher education and for both parents to work.

Op-ed

Israel's Next Economic Miracle?

Haredim and Arabs must be integrated into society and economy to take the start-up nation to the next level.

Article

Who are Israel's Haredim?

New statistics shed light on a population that was once hidden behind "walls of holiness." Today, those walls are beginning to break.

Research

Employment

The fourth out of five chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Op-ed

A New Approach To Dealing With Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox

Israel needs to abandon the vindictive approach of trying to reform ultra-Orthodox society through force and budget cuts, and rather start investing heavily in education and job creation in the ultra-Orthodox sector. This op-ed was first published in the New York Jewish Week.

IDI’s Gilad Malach Comes Out Against Decision to Recognize Rabbinical Studies as Academic Degree

The Israel Democracy Institute’s Dr. Gilad Malach, head of the program on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel, today came out against a decision made by Interior Minister Aryeh Deri in coordination with the Civil Service Commission to recognize Rabbinical studies as an academic degree in order to allow Haredim to participate in local tenders.

Op-ed

A Holy War Over Israel's Character

The inflammatory statements made about Reform Judaism at the recent First Zion and Jerusalem Conference are not merely old rhetoric, but rather a national ultra-Orthodox (Hardal) declaration of a holy war against the spread of pluralistic Judaism in Israel.

'The Mikveh Bill Harms the very Ethos of the State of Israel as a State for all Jews,’ IDI Researcher Yair Sheleg

In advance of Wednesday’s discussion in the Knesset Interior and Environment Committee on the Mikveh Bill, the head of IDI’s Religion and State program, Yair Sheleg, sent a policy paper to committee MKs asking them to vote against the bill. He said the bill unacceptably discriminates, something which is known to its sponsors and clear in the bill’s explanatory notes. The legislation was presented by its sponsors in reaction to a Supreme Court ruling that public ritual baths could be used by the wider public, including for non-Orthodox conversions.

Op-ed

Israel's Battle for Peace Between Religion and State

The relationship between religion and state in Israel is stormy. Lately, it seems the ultra-Orthodox have launched a new offensive on several fronts. This op-ed was originally published by JNS.org.

Op-ed

Time to Allow Everyone to Worship at the Foot of the Temple Mount as they Wish

No aspect of the current Western Wall plaza arrangement, in which the Orthodox maintain a monopoly, will change if other denominations are allowed to pray at the foot of the Temple Mount in a new plaza. This article was first published by The Jerusalem Post.

Press Release

New IDI Research for the Institute's "Haredi Women's Leadership:"

The project was done in collaboration with Kemach Institute and the JDC Haredi Employment Program

Press Release

Statement by IDI's Yohanan Plesner on Housing Incentives for Haredim who Serve in the IDF

IDI President Yohanan Plesner responds to a report composed today by an inter-ministerial team led by Defense Ministry Director-General Maj.-Gen. (Res.) Dan Harel suggesting that the government examine the possibility of offering discount prices on homes for members of the Haredi public who serve in the security forces.

Op-ed

Judicial Appointment Highlights Dramatic Changes Among Israeli Haredim

Earlier this month, change snuck in through the back door of Israel's court system when Israel’s first ultra-Orthodox judge was appointed. This article was first published by the Jewish Press.

Statement by IDI President Yohanan Plesner on the Advancement of the Mikveh Bill

Following today's advancement of the Mikveh Bill by the Knesset Plenum, IDI President Yohanan Plesner said, "The Mikveh Bill is not worthy of being included in the laws of Israel."

Press Release

Eli Groner: 'The Goal Has To Be That Haredim Enter the Workforce and Stay Haredi'

At roundtable event, government officials and researchers say time to move dialogue from quantity of Haredim in the workforce to the quality of their jobs.

Op-ed

The Charedi Draft: Here We Go Again

The desired result could have been achieved quietly and efficiently had the Knesset adopted a rational arrangement that would encourage military service through positive and negative economic incentives. (This article was originally published in the Jewish Journal of LA.)

Op-ed

The Challenges of Promoting Employment in the Ultra-Orthodox Community

Dr. Gilad Malach, who heads IDI's research program on the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, discusses the barriers that weigh down attempts to increase the employment rate in the Haredi community and suggests possible solutions.

 

Op-ed

The Haredi Draft: Snakes and Ladders

Prof. Yedidia Stern analyzes the problems with past proposals to integrate the ultra-Orthodox sector into the IDF, and proposes a new solution.

Op-ed

Ultra-Orthodox Integration: It Takes Two to Tango

In an op-ed in Ynet News, IDI researcher Dr. Haim Zicherman discusses the steps that Israeli society must take in order to enable ultra-Orthodox men to integrate into the Israeli army and workforce.

Article

Integrating the Ultra-Orthodox

To facilitate the entry of haredim into academia and the workforce, the state and private industry have invested hundreds of millions of shekels in recent years to create ultra-Orthodox frameworks to support individuals who are looking for academic education and employment while also remaining loyal to their cultural mores. As a result, nearly 80 percent of ultra-Orthodox women are now employed, on par with secular Jewish Israeli women.

Op-ed

The IDF and the Ultra-Orthodox

As the Knesset prepares to vote on the "Draft Law" designed to regulate the service of ultra-Orthodox men in the Israel Defense Forces, Dr. Haim Zicherman surveys the current situation within Israel's Haredi community.

Op-ed

An Unequal Share of the Burden? The Truth about the Hesder Yeshivot

Do students in the religious Zionist hesder yeshivot really contribute less to the IDF than other men who serve? IDI Researcher Dr. Benny Porat does the math and comes to an interesting conclusion.

Op-ed

The Haredi Draft: Is the Shaked Committee's Bill Destined to be Overturned?

As the Shaked Committee begins to vote on its proposal for the Haredi draft, Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern warns that the proposal's recommendation to exempt Haredi men of draft age during a three-year "adjustment period" is both inequitable and ineffective. 

Op-ed

International Disabilities Day 2013: Human Rights and Judaism in Action

In honor of International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Rabbi Dr. Benjamin (Benny) Lau updates us on IDI's efforts on behalf of people with disabilities and reveals that people with guide dogs are now allowed to access the Western Wall.

Op-ed

The Haredi Draft: Equality Now?!

On November 21 2013, Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern appeared before the Shaked Committee and argued that criminal sanctions are not recommended for reaching conscription goals. In an op-ed in Makor Rishon, he explains why.

Op-ed

Sir Isaac Newton and the New Haredim

Prof. Yedidia Stern shares thoughts on the connection between failure of the ultra-Orthodox "Tov" party in the local elections, the Haredi draft bill being debated by the Shaked Committee, and Newton's laws of motion.

Article

"Who Made Me a Woman": Women in Ultra-Orthodox Society

A series of Hebrew videos on the historical processes behind the development of the role of ultra-Orthodox women in the family and society, which were developed as part of IDI's research projects on the Nation State and on the Integration of Haredim in Israeli Society.

Op-ed

The High Holidays: A Personal and National Time

Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern shares thoughts on the Hebrew calendar, which contributes to Jewish unity and preserves the Jewish people as a single national and cultural unit.  

Op-ed

How Can We Draft the Ultra-Orthodox with Consent?

Is it possible to draft the ultra-Orthodox and integrate them into Israel's society and economy in a mutually-agreeable manner that encourages solidarity between the different sectors of the Jewish people? Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern shares thoughts on wars between brothers and brothers-in-arms.

Op-ed

The Ultra-Orthodox Draft: Crossing the Third Rubicon

Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern and Attorney Haim Zicherman stress the need to break down barriers that are preventing Haredi service in the army and integration in the labor force, and warn against passing a popular but ill-advised reform. 

Op-ed

Haredi Integration: Not by Re-Education

IDI researcher Attorney Haim Zicherman warns against attempts to integrate ultra-Orthodox Jews into the army by encouraging them to abandon their lifestyle, and calls for developing mechanisms that will accept and respect their values. 

Op-ed

The Ultra-Orthodox Draft: A Test of the New Israeli Politics

IDI Vice President of Research Prof. Yedidia Stern warns that the hasty passage of the proposed government bill on the Haredi draft would be "old politics," and stresses the importance of a Knesset debate to arrive at balanced legislation that is in line with the national interest. 

Op-ed

The Peri Committee Recommendations: Fanning the Flames of Haredi Extremism

IDI Vice President of Research Prof. Yedidia Stern warns that the Peri Committee recommendations on the ultra-Orthodox draft will undo progress already made in integrating Israel's Haredi community into Israeli society.

Op-ed

The Proposals for Drafting the Ultra-Orthodox in Israel: The Issues at Hand

IDI's Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer critiques various aspects of the proposals for integrating the ultra-Orthodox into the army and calls on the Israeli public to stand firm on its demand for an arrangement that is fair and equitable.

Op-ed

The Haredi Draft: The Need for an Alliance of the Moderates

Prof. Yedidia Stern calls for a historic alliance between religious and secular moderates that will yield a solution that will  that will yield a solution that addresses the need for ultra-Orthodox army service while taking into account the most important values of the Haredi community.

Op-ed

The Need for Equal Sharing of the Burden and Strengthening of Torah Study

The need for the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel to share the burden of military service and participate equally in the Israeli economy was a central issue in the 2013 elections. IDI researcher Dr. Benny Porat shares his thoughts on how to bring about this change in the Haredi community.

Op-ed

The Comeback of Polarization

IDI researcher Dr. Benjamin Brown discusses the sense of attack experienced by the Haredi community in the 2013 election campaign and calls for a process of gradual change in integrating the ultra-Orthodox in the Israeli army and workforce.

Op-ed

A Coalition of Hope

Following the elections of 2013, IDI Vice President Prof. Yedidia Z. Stern hails the incoming Knesset as a unique opportunity to change the nature of the State of Israel so that it is both more Jewish and more democratic at the same time. 

Op-ed

Israeli Public Opinion on Drafting Haredi Yeshiva Students

An analysis of Israeli public opinion on the issue of drafting ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students, as revealed in polls conducted by IDI's Guttman Center for Surveys from 1986 through 2009.

Op-ed

The Haredim and the State of Israel

In an op-ed in The Jerusalem Post, IDI's Prof. Yedidia Stern, who served on the Plesner Committee for Equality in National Service, and Mr. Jay Ruderman analyze the Haredi community's reluctance to serve in the Israeli army and present an approach that will facilitate Haredi integration into Israel's army and society.

Op-ed

Ultra-Orthodox Conscription: Making It Work

Will the High Court of Justice’s refusal to extend the Tal Law indeed reduce the inequality of burden sharing in Israeli society? IDI Senior Fellow Prof. Momi Dahan does not think so, and argues that ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel should be exempted from the army and allowed to work, so as to assume their fair share of the tax burden.

Op-ed

Do Not Put an End to Ultra-Orthodox Army Service

Following the dissolution of the Committee to Advance Equality in Sharing the Burden, committee head MK Yohanan Plesner submitted proposals for alternatives to the Tal Law. In this article, IDI Researcher Attorney Haim Zicherman, who served as the content coordinator of the Plesner Committee, warns that some of those measures were personal recommendations rather than recommendations of the Committee, and may reverse trends of increasing army service by ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Op-ed

The Tal Law: Judicial Responsibility at its Best

Prof. Mordechai Kremnitzer presents a contrasting view to Prof. Yedidia Stern's assertion that the Israeli Supreme Court's ruling on the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from military service in Israel is "<a href="http://en.idi.org.il/analysis/articles/judicial-activism-at-its-height">Judicial Activism at its Height</a>." 

Op-ed

The Tal Law: Judicial Activism at its Height

The Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Tal Law, after 30 years of avoiding the issue of the exemption of ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, is an expression of judicial activism that illustrates the transformation that the Israeli Supreme Court has undergone in the last generation. In this op-ed, originally published in Hebrew in <em>Makor Rishon</em>, IDI Vice President Prof. Yedidia Stern asserts that the Court went too far in this ruling and that its activism is hard to justify.

If They Give, They Will Receive

In this response to the Supreme Court ruling on the Tal Law, IDI Senior Researcher Yair Sheleg asserts that the exemption of ultra-Orthodox men from military service is an unparalleled <em>Hillul Hashem</em>—a desecration of the Name of God, and shares his views of a possible solution.

Op-ed

Make the Ultra-Orthodox Serve

IDI Vice President of Research Prof. Yedidia Stern sets the  controversy over mass transportation on Shabbat and holidays in Israel in a broader context, and distinguished between the need for an Israeli-Jewish Shabbat (Sabbath) rather than a religious Shabbat.

Op-ed

In the Aftermath of the Tal Law

Will the Israeli Supreme Court's ruling that the Tal Law is unconstitutional really guarantee that the burden of Israel's defense will be shared equally by the country's citizens? IDI's Prof. Yedidia Stern warns that this ruling may actually hinder the integration of the Haredi community into Israeli society rather than promoting it.

Op-ed

Finding Middle Ground

In an op-ed in Israel Hayom, IDI researcher Adv. Haim Zicherman argues that a temporary extension of the Tal Law would help the growing trend of ultra-Orthodox enlistment in the IDF and would enable volunteering for civilian service to continue.

Op-ed

The Exclusion of Women from the Public Sphere

Israeli society has seen a recent push to exclude women from the public sphere. In this blog entry, translated from the Hebrew, IDI Senior Researcher Yair Sheleg, argues against the recent turn toward extremism, calling on Israelis from all camps to respond to these developments responsibly.

Op-ed

Faking Feminism

The issue of the exclusion of women and their marginalization in Israeli society has dominated the media in Israel during the past few weeks. In this article, which was originally published in The Seventh Eye on December 25, 2011, Dr. Debora Lederman-Danieli argues that the media's struggle against the phenomenon of the degradation of women requires much more than disingenuous, populist outcries.

Op-ed

The Exclusion of Women and Control of the Public Sphere

Why is the marginalization of women in Israeli society and their exclusion from the public sphere on the rise in Israeli society? In this op-ed, IDI Vice President of Research Prof. Yedidia Stern focuses on the religious Zionist community and the power struggle to determine who will control the public sphere and the space of the religious community.

Article

Dr. Hannah Kehat on the Status of Women in Israel

In honor of International Democracy Day, the IDI Hebrew website interviewed Dr. Hannah Kehat, founder of the Religious Women's Forum Kolech, on the status of women in Israel today.

Op-ed

Zionism Must Reject Ultra-Orthodox View on Conversion

In this op-ed from Haaretz, IDI Research Fellow Yair Sheleg decries the ultra-Orthodox refusal to alter standards for conversion to Judaism in recognition of the fact that for many Israelis, Jewish identity is not only an expression of religious observance but also of identification with Zionism and Jewish culture. He warns that the ultra-Orthodox approach is causing serious injustice to thousands of people who wish to live as Jews and raise Jewish children in Israel.

Op-ed

The "Rabbis' Letter" and Halakhah

The "Rabbis' Letter" signed by dozens of community rabbis in Israel in December 2010 asserts that Jewish law forbids the rental and sale of homes in Israel to non-Jews. Is renting property to non-Jews indeed forbidden by Jewish law? IDI Researcher Dr. Eliezer Hadad surveys opinions by contemporary rabbis who adopted a universalistic approach and found a halakhic basis for the equal rights mandated by both international norms and the Israeli Declaration of Independence.

As Independence Day Draws Near

In an op-ed in Yedioth Ahronoth, Prof. Yedidia Stern points to segments of Israel's population that denounce the national values of the State: supporters of “normalization,” ultra-Orthodox Jews, Arab Israelis, and a new group that has joined them: ultra-nationalists.

Op-ed

Decade in Review: Religion and State in Israel

IDI Research Fellow Mr. Yair Sheleg highlights growing individualism within both the religious and secular Jewish populations in Israel and takes note of growing rifts between the two communities, in an article that was published at the end of the third millennium as part of a collaboration between IDI and Walla!, a popular Israeli website.

Op-ed

The Missed Opportunity of the Century: The Haredi Exemption Law

The government and the coalition have been given a second chance – which has come at a heavy price of blood and suffering – to turn this crisis into an opportunity and set the foundations for a new social covenant among Israelis.

Op-ed

The War that Never Was

Notwithstanding the drama related to the question of whether the ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazi parties will continue to run together in the current election, there are voices within these communities that might render this arrangement unacceptable in the near future.

Op-ed

Where are Haredim Headed? Towards Isolation or Integration?

125 years ago, Herzl failed to convince ultra-Orthodox leadership to join the Zionist movement, and while their leadership did sign the Declaration of Independence in 1948, they Haredim remained in their “enclave” communities. Now, if modern-day Israel is to continue to thrive, integration of the ultra-Orthodox is crucial

Op-ed

Israel’s Lost Youth: Manifest and Latent School Dropout

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased school dropout rates due to its exacerbation of the already emotional, social, and academic crises affecting multiple age and population groups.

Podcast

In God They Trust

Dr. Gilad Malach, Director of the Ultra-Orthodox in Israel Program at the Israel Democracy Institute, discusses how the COVID pandemic has affected the internal dynamics of Israel's Haredi communities, their relationship with their political leadership and with government as a whole.

 

Op-ed

The Haredi Fears Behind the Opening of Yeshviot Amid COVID-19

For many, the spiritual and educational dangers inherent in leaving large numbers of young people with no binding religious framework outweigh the health risks in keeping these institutions open

 

 

Op-ed

“Jewish” Versus “Democratic”

The cause for the past year's political crisis lie in the ever-widening gap between the two main pillars of the State of Israel’s identity—its “Jewish” and “democratic” components.

Op-ed

The Burden of Proof

Calls for applying "Torah Law"in Israel lay bare the the much larger problem posed by the substantial clash of the world of Halacha with two fundamental principles of the modern liberal world: individual freedom and equal rights

Article

Ultra-Orthodox Parties in Municipalities in Israel

Tomorrow's elections will determine the local government in 251 cities, towns and municipalities. Of all the political parties represented at a national level in Israel, the ultra-Orthodox parties are the most successful in local government. What are the reasons behind this interesting trend? Read Dr. Gilad Malach's fascinating findings.

Article

The “People’s Army”?

This article presents the main milestones in the recurring attempts to put a satisfactory arrangement for the deferment of military service for yeshiva students in place. In doing so, it surfaces the changes that have occurred over time in the constitutional, legal, and public responses and attitudes on this issue.

Research

Way of Life & Voting Patterns

The fifth out of five chapters of the Statistical Report on Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel

Op-ed

Religion and State in Israel: Charting a New Course for 5778

Is our country and society doomed to continually follow the same path of repeated crisis, or has the time finally come for us to plot a new course?

Press Release

Ultra-Orthodox Employment Levels Stop Increasing

The percentage of ultra-Orthodox men who work stagnated in 2016 for the first time after a consistent upturn over the past several years, according to a new report by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Books