Highlights from the Israel Democracy Institute's report

2019 Statistical Report on Haredi Society in Israel

As described on the Israel Democracy Institute's website, 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.

25/12/2019 22:51

Tags: Israel Democracy Institute ·  Haredi ·  ultra-Orthodox ·  Israeli society ·  demographics

Haredi Jews at prayer during Festival of Sukkot, source: Wikipedia

The IDI report provides a snapshot of ultra-Orthodox society in Israel today and an analysis of trends characterizing this community in recent decades in the key areas of demography, education, employment, and lifestyle. The report serves as an important tool for the long-term planning of decision makers and for the formulation of policy.

Click HERE for the IDI website

Hiddush's selection of 2019 report highlights:

1. The integration of ultra-Orthodox men into higher education frameworks and into the labor force has substantially slowed. This is apparently due to lack of the economic incentives that had previously spurred movement in this direction and the reinstitution of government allowances that discourage obtaining a higher education or joining the workforce.
2. A halt in the integration of men into the labor force: Between 2015-2018, the integration of ultra-Orthodox men into the labor force has stagnated. The rate of employment among ultra-Orthodox men in 2018 was 51% (down from 52% in 2015) compared to 87% among other Jewish men. Among ultra-Orthodox women, we see an opposite trend: In 2018, 76% worked – up from 71% in 2015; and the gaps in employment rates between ultra-Orthodox and other Jewish women are quite small: 76% and 83% respectively
3. Prevalence of poverty among children: 55% of ultra-Orthodox children live below the poverty line, as compared with 9% among other Jewish children. Differences between ultra-Orthodox children and other Jewish children are also striking in the area of food insecurity. 26% of ultra-Orthodox children suffer from food insecurity, as compared with 14% among other Jewish children. These differences are rooted primarily in the large number of children in Haredi families; along with their parents’ low rate of employment and low incomes. Nevertheless, we see a gradual decline in the prevalence of poverty among Haredi families: from 52% in 2013, to 43% in 2017, which may possibly be attributed to the growing number of Haredi women who work, employment grants (negative income tax) and increased support for yeshiva and kollel students.
4. Growing numbers of yeshiva (unmarried men) and kollel students (married men): In 2018, 133,933 among the ultra-Orthodox were studying in yeshiva and kollel frameworks. Between 1999-2012, these numbers grew steadily, at an annual rate of 4% (in line with the growth rate of the ultra-Orthodox population in Israel). However, between 2015 – 2018, we see a dramatic increase in the number of kollel students by 30% – from 66,000 in 2014, to 86,000 in 2018. Between 2014-2018 the number of yeshiva students also increased by 21%, from 30,000 to 37,000. In a single year - 2018, the number of yeshiva students grew by 6% - exceeding the rate of growth of the ultra-Orthodox population (4%). This growth can be attributed to the financial incentives provided to yeshiva and kollel students, and reinstitution of their government allowances.

While Israel’s population and that of other developed countries – are aging, the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel is very young: more than half of its members are under age 16.

5. Population Projections: The ultra-Orthodox population in Israel today numbers 1,125,000 – 12% of Israel’s population. Their young age at marriage coupled with the relatively large number of children per family; contribute to the community’s high rate of population growth (4% annually), as compared to the rest of Israel’s population (1.9% annually). Therefore, while Israel’s population and that of other developed countries – are aging, the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel is very young: more than half of its members are under age 16. If the current rates of growth among the Haredim are maintained, the ultra-Orthodox community will double in numbers every 16 years.
6. The Ultra-Orthodox and Higher Education: 70% (8,400) of the Haredi students are women. Nevertheless, the growth in the number of Haredi students in higher education, in particular among the men, has slowed down. In the past two years, 9% of Haredi men, and 12% of ultra-Orthodox women studied in higher education institutions.
7. Use of the Internet: in 2017-18, 59% of Haredim over age 20, reported using a computer – compared to 80% among other Jews. In the same years, 49% of the adult Haredi population –both men and women – reported using the internet – up from 28% in 2008. Greater use of the internet reflects the deep penetration of technology into the ultra-Orthodox community, in part due to their integration in the labor force and the increase in the numbers of students among them.
8. Education Drives Growth: Haredi women’s relatively high income as compared to that of Haredi men can be attributed to the large number of Haredi women who took Bagrut (Matriculation) exams as well as the large number of Haredi women students. In the past decade, the number of Haredi women who took the Bagrut (Matriculation) exams went up from 31% in 2008/9 to 51% in 2016/7/ Among Haredi boys, these numbers dropped from 16% to 14% over the same period.
9. Increase in the Number of Yeshiva and Kollel Students: in 2018, there were 133,933 yeshiva and kollel students – up from 97,000 in 2014 – that is, an increase of 37%. Between 1999-2012, this number grew at an annual rate of 4%—coinciding with the rate of growth of the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel. However, in the past four years, the rate of growth in the number of students was much higher—30% - from 66,000 in 2014 to 86,000 in 2018. Over the years, the number of yeshiva students has also grown by 21%, from 30,000 to 37,000. In just a single year—2018, the increase in the number of yeshiva students reached 6% - higher than the growth rate of the ultra-Orthodox population, which stands at 4%. This can be attributed to the reinstatement of incentives for Torah study and of financial allowances to yeshiva and kollel students.
10. Another emerging trend in the ultra-Orthodox community relates to elementary schools. In the last 6 years, there has been a marked decline in the numbers of students in the Haredi education stream—from 4.2% (coinciding with the rate of growth of the ultra-Orthodox population) in 2013, to only 3.4% in 2019. This compares with an increase in the rate of students in the non-Haredi Jewish education stream – from 0.5% in 2013 to 2.3% in 2019.
11. The Drop in Civilian National Service: In 2018, 530 Haredi men joined the Civilian National Service —that is, only about 5% of the boys who graduated from the ultra-Orthodox education system. This is just a quarter (26%) of the target set for Civilian National Service for 2016 (2,000 volunteers), and the numbers applying for Service in 2018 was less than half their number in 2011, and in fact, the number of applicants in 2018 was the lowest since National Civil Service began more than a decade ago.