Jerusalem - Two recently released government reports have reignited scrutiny of ultra-Orthodox participation in general Israeli society.
A study released last month by the Central Bureau of Statistics predicts that one-third of all Jewish elementary-school students in Israel will be enrolled in the ultra-Orthodox education system by 2012. A week after the education study was released, the Israeli military reported that the number of eligible 18-year-old men not enlisting in the army had sharply risen to one-quarter, nearly half of them ultra-Orthodox.
The findings have alarmed many secular Israelis, who warn that the government-subsidized education system for ultra-Orthodox, or Haredim, is creating a generation of students unequipped to enter the job market and unwilling to serve in the army.
“We are now educating an entire generation without imparting basic values and basic studies — and we are using public funds to do it,” said Michael Melchior, a Labor-Meimad lawmaker who heads the Knesset’s education committee. “This is about education, but it’s much deeper. This is about where we want to go as a society and what kind of Jewish state we want.”
The reports, both of which received wide media coverage, have generated a flood of hand-wringing. Military officials have warned of a looming manpower shortage, and earlier this week, Defense Minister Ehud Barak called on Israelis to return to the days when draft dodgers were publicly shunned as carrying “the mark of Cain.”
The ultra-Orthodox community, one of the poorest sectors of society, now constitutes roughly 10% of the Israeli population. With a majority of Haredi men choosing Torah study over full-time work, and even more claiming exemption from military service on religious grounds, resentment of the societal privileges granted to the ultra-Orthodox is considerable among the tax-paying and army-serving secular public.
Ultra-Orthodox leaders acknowledge the priority given to religious education, but insist that the community does not pursue its interest at the expense of the state.
“The Haredi world is indeed dedicated first and foremost to Torah study,” said Rabbi Avi Shafran, director of public affairs for Agudath Israel of America. “But that has not prevented individual Haredim, with the blessings of their leaders, from entering the work force or military. Nor has those individuals’ ‘compromised’ education prevented them from succeeding in those milieus. Should the messiah tarry that long, God forbid, and a need arise for larger numbers of Haredim to become part of the larger Israeli societal infrastructure, it is not hard to imagine that happening with the blessings — and ongoing guidance — of Haredi spiritual leaders.”
According to the recently released elementary-school report, by 2012 only 50% of all Jewish elementary-school students will be enrolled in the public education system. Increasing numbers of students are leaving the state religious system, which offers both religious and secular training, in favor of quasi-private ultra-Orthodox schools, only a handful of which teach such subjects as science, computers, Israeli history, civics and English. This year, 23% of first graders were enrolled in Haredi schools.
In May, the Knesset passed legislation, known as the “Nahari Law” (after the Shas lawmaker who sponsored it), requiring municipal governments to contribute funding to private schools, many of which are ultra-Orthodox. Another bill, put forth by the United Torah Judaism party, would ensure state funding for schools that do not teach the public school core curriculum.
“Parents are looking for values, a quality education and a comfortable, violence-free environment for their children. That is something that Haredi schools offer and that public schools do not,” Meshulam Nahari, the Shas legislator, told the Forward. “The public system is falling apart and it has nothing to do with the Haredi schools. The public system simply isn’t providing what parents and children are looking for.”
In an effort to head off the legislation, the Reform movement’s legal arm in Israel, the Israel Religious Action Center, has filed a petition with the Supreme Court aimed at forcing the Central Bureau of Statistics to stop funding schools that do not teach the core curriculum.
“These Haredi children are not receiving a basic education that will enable them to get by in the modern world and to provide for themselves financially,” said Orly Erez-Likhovski, the attorney who filed the petition. “The state is essentially allowing one-third of its population to become a generation of ignoramuses, and the state cannot sustain itself that way.”
For lawmakers like Melchior, an equally large concern is the budgetary implications of a growing amount of government funds going from public schools to quasi-private ultra-Orthodox schools.
“This is about one sector taking a bigger part of the cake,” he said, “while the rest of the education system suffers.”
I agree with the comments of Elisheva but would highly recommend that any interested reader read "Real Jews." The author sets forth in very stark detail that draft evasion is an accepted way of life among Israel's secular academic and high tech elite as much if not more than the Charedim-who the IDF has stated that it does not need and would not know what to do with if every Charedi Yeshivah's students decided to enroll en masse.The real issue is whether every individual-Charedi, Religious Zionist or secular-should serve and where and how he could best serve Israel, whether in the IDF, a hesder yeshiva or a university. Like it or not, the Charedim believe that the learning of Torah plays as much a role in the protection of the Jewish people as the IDF. The editorial shows no understanding of this fact and ignores long standing discrimination against the Charedi sector as well as the secular establishment's failure to undertand that Charedi run schools are safer and provide their students with Jewish values-which are not provided in a system that now proclaims that 1948 was a catastrophe.
Change the plans for a presumed Arab invasion to reflect the surrender of haredi neighborhoods first and publish it. They'll join the Army then.
There are a lot of things that Israel does because of its unique position in modern Jewish history. Take for example bringing to the Promised Land thousands and thousands of Ethiopian Jews. This is a third world population, and the efforts spent on its integration are tremendous. No country in the world would have done so - yet, Israel sees this group of people as her own - and as her concern. The same is true in other realms of public life, among which is the Haredi world. No other country would take into account the special sensitivities of these people - and allow for public money to assist them in maintaining their way of life. But Israel is special. It should be noted that if Israel were just "normal" - in which case third world immigration wouldn't occur, nor would the state show concern for the Haredi way of life - then of course we would read articles in the Forward questioning the logic of Jewish statehood if it doesn't enhance the interests of Jews...
what you really mean ben avi is a black third world immigrants right?
<p>I love these anti-charedi pieces. That make the traditional Jews the enemy and the assimilated ones the heroes, with army service as the loyalty component. Does anyone recall their being an actual surplus of soldiers in the Army - many of them not Jewish by the way as a byproduct of the loosely managed Russian immigration of the '90's? And notice the report cited said "the Israeli military reported that the number of eligible 18-year-old men not enlisting in the army had sharply risen to one-quarter, nearly half of them ultra-Orthodox." Read it - NEARLY half of them Orthodox. What of the more than half that aren't Orthodox? (I love how secular Jews play the duplicity angle.) </p> <p>I see no mention of young men and women choosing not to enter the army because of the violent use of the military several times to dispossess Jews from their homes in Gush Katif and the Shomron. That is a significant fact in the drop - but they aren't so easily identifiable. No beards and peyot on most of them. </p> <p>I see no mention of the hesder yeshiva program, where Orthodox units serve for FIVE years instead of three. I see no mention of the fact that nearly 50% of the soldiers that fought in last year's farce of a war were Orthodox. And I see no mention of the paucity of Orthodox senior officers in the IDF. </p> <p>shame on you for slipshod research. You're anti-religious bias is transparent. Go back to statistics 101. </p> <p>And oh yeah - I was born a Catholic. What's with you self-hating Jews? You're gonna lose the country to your liberal drivel.</p>
“We are now educating an entire generation without imparting basic values and basic studies — and we are using public funds to do it,” said Michael Melchior, a Labor-Meimad lawmaker who heads the Knesset’s education committee. “This is about education, but it’s much deeper. This is about where we want to go as a society and what kind of Jewish state we want.” Nice try Michael. What you really mean is that you hate chareidim. Why is it that we are oh so sensitive to every group in the world, but we bash chareidim at will? The answer is one word: hatred.
I said this 50 years ago. While a Jewish boy is learning his bar mitzva requirements, he should also learn how to field strip a rifle and some elemental jiu jitzu so that he can have the rudiments of self-protection when necessary. The present ultra orthodox youths should do their compulsory military service and be ready for active duty when called upon. The entire ommunity should not be parasites, dependant on the largesse of the rest of the Israelis for support while shielding their children from participating in the defense of their county.
And while I'm at castigating the ultra orthodox for allowing the government to fund their religious schools and exempting their children from military service, why not try a different tack. Get rid of the preposterous garb the Polish nobility once wore and adopt more civilized attire when in public. Become part of modern society and see if this does not bring about an increase of acceptance in our everyday world. Sometimes, on a NY subway, I see a chassid dressed this outlandish way entering the subway and I feel embarrassed for him, and for this reflection on other chassidim similarly dressed. I concede that he is brave to do so, but in no way does he enhance respect or tolerance for Judiasm.
HYPOCRITES!!!!!Read your own statistics!The haredi population is growing and has had to suffer for YEARS of inadequate school funding,crowded facilities,etc. & having to beg to get a share of the education budget pie --far less per capita than "state" schools!It's about time this sector gets its fair share!If haredi education is so "bad" why do they outscore their secular comtempories in reading,math ,etc.If people want to live a less affluent spoiled western life style -KOL hachavod!Why is the state subsiding secular college education when many of the graduates promptly leave Israel to live elsewhere where their advanced degrees will pay more.I've worked with secular Israeli's including M.D.'s & their level of knowledge of Jewish history,Jewish holidays, basic jewish texts like the Torah is appalling-what education did they recieve in Israel?I live in NY & have lived in LA which is full of these people. Secular Israelis rather have expensive personal lifestyles instead of children and insuring a Jewish future.At least most of the haredim stay in Israel ,contribute to the economy(& indeed if the husbands are learning,most wives are working).Israel needs more skilled laborers,business people,computer people all of which haredim work at not more professors!SHAME ON THE REFORM MOVEMENT for doing everything they can to hurt more religious Jews!Read THEIR STATEMENT , they should be pushing for more haredi education funds if they want better educated public,not less! Why doesn't the army make more effort to be more religious- friendly and more friendly to the young married haredi man? The articles I've seen say the army doesn't even want haredi sholdiers-they have enough manpower and the cost and bother it would take to make the army haredi-friendly i.e.kashrut,separation of sexes etc.-it doesn't want to bother.
It's pretty obvious what's going on in Israel. Why, what can you do with the haredim? The army doesn't want them, they're no good for many occupations, and they are a real pain in the ass with their cliquishness and Taliban-like "I do not shake hands with a woman" type ideas. The obvious solution is to throw money at them and hope they go away to "learn," and stay away, instead of being a bloody nuisance to the secular society, the real Israel.
Somehow the Israeli politicians have to get together and form a government not dependent on ultra-Orthodox support. Then at long last every young Israeli could be forced to perform either military or military-support sevice, or go to jail. Also, refusal to teach the core curriculum necessary to function in the economy and body politic should be treated as child neglect, with criminal penalties and seizure and proper placement of the children in the event of violation of such law. I am a Chabad supporter who deeply respects Orthodox Judaism. However, Israel has reached the point where it must say "Enough is enough. Be as orthodox as you want, but you cannot get a free ride anymore. You must do your part militarily and otherwise, and most of all, you will not be allowed to doom your children to be parasites. By all means, teach and study all the religion you want to, but you will not be allowed to stunt your children's futures nor rely on the less observant to lay down their lives in your defense."
I have news for you SandersNY: you're still a Catholic! Haredi Judaism is nothing short of witchcraft!
salzman you hate the yeshiva guys, because they won't be joining you in hell. malkiel kotler, Rosh HaYeshiva Aaron kotler institute for higher learning
In amplification of my prior comment, in view of the point made by another commentator that accomodating ortodoxy in the armed forces would be difficult, it would seem that the State of Israel could (and certainly should) easily arrange for single-sex units, if it doesn't already. And I understand that kosher rations are provided. Even in the American armed forces such food is made available. My ealier point I reiterate: No one, but NO ONE can be allowed a free ride at other's expense in a nation under the existential threat that Israel is under and will remain under into the foreseeable future.
Oy Malkiel, tatale. I don't hate Yeshiva guys; I was one myself once upon a time. But you're right; you and they won't be joining me in Hell because, simply, I won't be there. But Malki, there's still time for you to do tshuvah. But do it Hashem's way please! Irving Salzman
Interesting that nobody seems to notice anything similar happening with North American Jewry-and the Israeli seculars have the advantage of limited intermarriage.
Forget about questions of religion - the Haredim are simply parasites – they did not support the founding of the modern State of Israel – and do not support it now! They don’t work or pay taxes – the time has arrived to cut them free – no more welfare – no more State support for their schools and other institutions – no more exemptions from military service. If they don’t like the demands required by Israeli citizenship – then let them move elsewhere – good riddance!
The size of the heredi community is a function of state funding and financial contributions, mostly from the U.S. If the state simply refused to fund school not teaching the state core curriculum, and to prosecute all healthy 18 year olds who refuse military service, the heredi community would decline in size. If you sit in a park and feed the pigeons, after a short while it is surprising how many pigeons you have to feed.
This seems to me to be a way to create a society that's the mirror image of the Muslim societies surrounding Israel -- paying for the creation of religious, ignorant fanatics.
David: You comment that Michael Melchior's statement in the article shows his contempt for the religious. Your remark loses legitimacy when you realize Melchior is in fact an Orthodox rabbi. Saying the Charedim should pay taxes is not anti-religious.
G-d moves in a mysterious way to defeat the atheists and agnostics who blasphemously presumed to anticipate the coming of the Messiah by founding a secular nation state-- where Jews could lead a so-called normal life. Most Haredim have made their peace with this Moloch to the extent that they are graciously pleased to live within its borders without risking their necks in its defence. And 60 years after its founding, the concessions Ben Gurion and his colleagues grudgingly allowed them, thinking they would be small and short-lived, have swollen into a monstrous exceptionalism which imperils the whole notion of Israel as a secular welfare state. The sums are going haywire. Some Haredim still cling to True Torah Judaism and see the "State of Israel" for what it always was in theory, and is increasingly becoming in practice: a gigantic trap. But the hostility of such as NK, more principled, is less sharp a dagger to the heart of the 1948 model than the cynical co-operation of those who would have their bagel and eat it. As for the Diaspora, which has largely voted with its bottoms against aliyah, how are three-fifths of the world's Jews to be ingathered when they see an "internal emigration" of subsidised quietism (psychological, and often physical) expanding to embrace half the children of the land? The Modern Orthodox may combine militancy and polyphiloprogenitive ways to rejoice the ghost of Jabotinsky, but they are part of Israel's problem- the major stumbling block in reaching a durable agreement with the Palestinians and Arab neighbours. Their birth rate, set against that of the secular Ashkenazim who set the tone of the state in its first half-century or so, is almost as acute a headache as the fertility of Israeli and OT Arabs for anyone who thinks Israel-- now nearly friendless in the world and under growing criticism even in the USA-- can somehow evolve into a peaceful, prosperous high-tech nation. As a previous commenter said, since when was the test of echt-Jewishness one's willingness to kill and be killed as a conscript? Since when have Jews thought it patriotic to shun and demonise a Toraically observant fellow Jew at the behest of such a one as Ehud Barak? That is what a hundred years of dancing with the Devil, in the shape of political Zionism, has reduced the Jewish people to in their homeland. There is worse to come.
I admire Rabbi Avi Shafran, who generally writes intelligently about issues facing the Orthodoz Jewish world. But I believe he is off base in his assertion that the Hareidim's "compromised education prevented them from succeeding" in the work force or in the military. There is no doubt in my mind , as I have seen with many of the young adults in my own family, that concentration on Torah learning, albeit commendable, presents a very serious economic liability once the young Torah scholar has a family. Earning a living becomes a constant and frequently unsuccessful struggle, endured by the wife and children and the parents of the Torah scholar. They are just not prepared to earn a living . I doubt that they would be able to perform complicated missions for the military without a whole new education, in light of the increasing reliance on technical awareness. The Hesder Yeshivot are doing fine, but the pure Torah institutions do not prepare young men --as intelligent as they are--to function in the modern world.
I have been reading some of the interesting comments posted to this article which does present a serious problem developing in Israeli society. But I feel that comparing the Hareidim to the Taliban, who kidnap and murder without conscience or compassion (something that "good Moslems" are very adept at doing) is like comparing the Israeli soldiers to the Germans.
This article is not very well researched nor is it very balanced. Just a little bit or research would point to the fact that the average number of children born to the secular is less than 2.1% the replacement number for a society. The religious on the other hand are having 6 - 12 children. So it is not surprising that the numbers registered in the Ultra_Orthodox schools are growing. At the very least, to address this problem (if you believe that this is a problem) you would encourage the secular to start having more babies. A second issue that needs to be addressed is the emigration rate of the secular. This number is significantly higher than that of the religious and even includes a former speaker of the Israeli Parliament! [By the way - Avrohom Burg was a product of the Education system that the Ultra-Orthodox are avoiding.] The bottom line is that you need to get your act together before attempting to bring others around to your side. Will Melchior and company be any happier when the Ultra-Orthodox start going to the army and join the work force? I doubt it. But that day will come, no doubt - and when that happens, you will see Ultra-Orthodox lawyers, doctors, and economists, who have studied all that the secular have studied - (perhaps a little less Marx) but value the study of Torah, Mishnah and Talmud.
Luckily for us, the frum are almost all loyal Jews and continue to serve our people, in such fantastic developments as NACHAL Haredi and other similar ventures. the tiny percentage who are mistakenly anti-Israel continues to shrink with every pasing day and for this Baruch Hashem.
Sanders, it is factual. We currently have a 75% participation in IDF due to charedi refusal to serve. Only a tiny portion of the 25% are actually in anti-Zionist chaddishe groups. their refual to shoulder their portion of burden, while continuing to agitate for more state support as well as more religious influence in our system is hypocritical. I support charedim, but then need to support all their brothers. Man up.
Mr. Grosser, you think like me. I am blessed to have been educated in Kook yeshivot, sadly, many see their strength in books, and not in reality. We are 60 years out of the camps and now the strongest nation on Earth hands down. This is proof of Hasehm and HIS glory, and yet some of our brothers are fools. I pray for them.
Har, har, har! Sam Kolkin, you cracked me up! "Selflessly fighting on the demographic front." A good 'un, that.
Haredim are providing a very important service to Israeli society. They are selflessly fighting on the demographic front to maintain a Jewish majority in Israel. Don't they deserve to be fed and protected for that?
I know a number of people who have become Haredi, have many children, and withdrew from current life, trying to recreate an imagined 19th century world. The reality is that you have to live with this fact. These people are not becoming suicide bombers. The best way to deal with this is to move Israeli culture toward more traditional lines. The greatness of the Jewish people is that our sex lives are more disciplined. (See traditional commentaries on "How goodly are thy tents, o Jacob!" in Numbers). Let's cut out the modern stuff about gender equality and sexual freedom, and everything will fall into place.
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN ARMY ARE READY TO TAKE ALL SCHWITZERLAND JEW GARBAGE MONEY and AFTER TO DESTROY ISRAEL, FOR WHAT YOU DONE and for what intent to DO! AWESOME "STEEL GUARDS"SUPREME COMMANDER
I expect your commentary!
Just because the Haredim believe that attending a religious school is akin to protecting the Jewish state does not make it so. They do this is at the expense of people who pay taxes, work, and serve in the military. Life in Israel is tough, I cannot imagine how bitter my father and his family feel watching these people live on their dime.
This kind of lifestyle, this extreme religion, is backwards and dangerous in any form. By any measure, the idea that you can live in one of the most technologically and culturally advanced societies on earth and make believe it's the 17th century is ludicrous. A cursory glance at some of the above comments proves the level of superstition and ignorance you find in these communities.
If Israeli society wishes to remain viable, it will do something to combat this collective drain on resources.
You know why the Heredim do not serve in the IDF? Its not because THEY dont want to. Shinui promised to force them to serve, Lieberman promised to force them to serve. They have all failed. Why? It is really the Israeli government that doesnt want them to serve. Imagine a million of Yeshiva students (with m16s in their hands) who will not listen to Barak, or Natanyahu. They will only listen to Rav Ovadia Yosef, or Rav Eliashiv. Israel's shift of power will go to the rabbis, rather then the secular government. I mean the religius are so dedicated that Israel's secular feel its unsafe to give them guns. We all remember Yigal Amir, and Baruch Goldstein. Ladies and Gentelman, I think we are undergoing a religious revolution in Israel (Whether you like it or not). I personally say, Baruch HaShem, its finally here.
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