Ultra-Orthodox integration: It takes two to tango

blueberries

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 3:56 pm

Ultra-Orthodox integration: It takes two to tango

Op-ed: It is unreasonable to think that only ultra-Orthodox society must change. Successful integration of young Haredi men requires significant concessions on the part of general society in Israel as well.
Haim Zicherman

The "society of learners," a model in which ultra-Orthodox men devote their lives to Torah study, was established by the Chazon Ish, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox community in the early years of the State of Israel, and was later strengthened by Rabbi Elazar Shach, leader of the second generation of Haredi Jews in Israel. The emphasis on this way of life has led to a situation in which most Haredi men engage in Torah study exclusively, and do not share in shouldering the two most prominent material burdens of Israeli life: the security burden and the economic burden.

In recent years, the Israeli government has been trying to bring about change in the lifestyle that has characterized ultra-Orthodox men in Israel for the last three generations. The proposed changes would be in three areas: first, efforts would be made to expand the horizons and increase the general knowledge of Haredi men, which would be followed by professional training at a later stage. Second, ultra-Orthodox men would be expected to participate in the burden of Israel's defense through either military or civil service. Third, Haredi men would be integrated into the Israeli labor force and would pay taxes to the public purse.

These demands, which may seem simple and trivial to people with Western values, are a real threat to the central enterprise that characterizes the Israeli ultra-Orthodox community: the society of learners. Moreover, these changes threaten the lifestyle of the individual Haredi, who fears, probably rightfully so, a decline in spirituality.

Leaving the cloistered and protected environment of Torah study to enter the coarse and secular Israeli experience is a difficult and complex decision for the young Haredi man. It requires an existential change of identity and practice, and a dramatic change in lifestyle. Nonetheless, many ultra-Orthodox men are making their way, slowly and tentatively, to the labor market. Thousands are standing behind them, watching the progress of these daring pioneers who, like Nachshon of the Bible, are the first to cross the sea. The success of these trailblazers may cause many others to follow suit.

However, it is unreasonable to think that only ultra-Orthodox society must change. Successful integration of young Haredi men requires significant concessions on the part of general society in Israel as well. As in any relationship, the expectation that the other side is the only one that will change is unrealistic. The situation in our national life parallels the situation in our personal lives. Consider the following:

What is currently being demanded of ultra-Orthodox men? Are they being asked to make an essential change in their identity, which will make them less Haredi, or are they simply being asked to become involved in sharing the security burden and economic burden of Israeli life?

I believe that a country with democratic and liberal values cannot use coercive authority to change the identity of a minority group. If this is true, the Haredi community must be allowed to integrate into a Western lifestyle while still maintaining its ultra-Orthodox ethos and culture, and for that to happen, Israeli society must make certain concessions in the nature of its natural habitat that will enable the Haredim to be absorbed.

Institutions of higher education must accept the cultural and religious needs of the ultra-Orthodox community for unique accommodations, both in terms of gender segregation and in terms of admissions requirements, and must make efforts to facilitate the absorption of Haredi students in a variety of academic programs.

The IDF and the National Civil Service must take steps to adjust the conditions of service to accommodate the ultra-Orthodox way of life in a manner that will minimize the points of friction. While this does not mean that every demand or whim of ultra-Orthodox soldiers or participants in national service must be accommodated, these frameworks must avoid changing Haredi culture, as it is understood and lived by ultra-Orthodox Jews, at all costs.

The Israeli media must avoid extremist discourse and incendiary language, which adds to the feeling of estrangement and alienation between different segments of Israeli society, since integration cannot grow on a bed of alienation.

Finally, the Israeli job market must take steps to absorb the ultra-Orthodox, impartially and without discrimination. Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men and women, some who already have undergone professional training, wish to integrate into the Israeli labor market. Opening the door for them is a national mission that will benefit Israeli society, Israeli employers, and, of course, the individuals who are entering the workforce themselves.

Dr. Haim Zicherman is a researcher at the Israel Democracy Institute, teaches law at Ono Academic College, and is the author of Black, Blue-and-White, a Hebrew book about the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel (Yedioth Books, 2014).

http://www.ynetnews.com/articl......html

elisheva25

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 4:37 pm

I am not charedi...but I really don't understand why one segment of society has to change another segment of society.

binayeseira

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 6:11 pm

elisheva25 wrote:

I am not charedi...but I really don't understand why one segment of society has to change another segment of society.

Because they are afraid of them.

sequoia

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 6:37 pm

binayeseira wrote:

Because they are afraid of them.

Uh, no.

Because everybody needs to contribute. When a large and growing segment of the population only takes and doesn't give, that doesn't work.

MaBelleVie

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 6:55 pm

The problem is, when people go about enforcing integration without having an understanding of the culture they're dealing with, it backfires. Enrollment in armed forces and university subsequently drops significantly. Exhibit a.

Barbara

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 7:01 pm

sequoia wrote:

Uh, no.

Because everybody needs to contribute. When a large and growing segment of the population only takes and doesn't give, that doesn't work.

So funny. I thought she was asking why colleges or other institutions of higher learning should have to change in order to accommodate the presumed influx of Charedim.

sequoia

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 7:03 pm

Barbara wrote:

So funny. I thought she was asking why colleges or other institutions of higher learning should have to change in order to accommodate the presumed influx of Charedim.

Could be... wasn't clear who "they" and "them" are, either.

vintagebknyc

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 7:54 pm

sequoia wrote:

Uh, no.

Because everybody needs to contribute. When a large and growing segment of the population only takes and doesn't give, that doesn't work.

so there will still be women singing in, say, public areas?

naturalmom5

Thu, Jun 26 2014, 8:09 pm

This is all fine and dandy in the ivory tower or Imamother

But if Israel bankrupts itself with overwhelming welfare pmts and entitlements ala. Greece , England, Italy and others there will be no democratic liberal state for charedim or chilonim

binayeseira

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 9:11 am

sequoia wrote:

Uh, no.

Because everybody needs to contribute. When a large and growing segment of the population only takes and doesn't give, that doesn't work.

Um, but of course.

And which population are you referring to that only takes and doesn't give?

Are you the referring to the one that created Yad Sarah, Yad Eliezer, Yad L'achim (Peilim), ZAKA, Hatzalah, Keren Shviis, etc., etc., etc.?

Are you talking about the one that is moser nefesh to oversee our kashruth, mikvaoth and the religious education?

Are you talking about the one with such great philanthropists as the Reichmans, Gutniks, Wolfsons, Esformeses and oh so many "smaller" ones?

Are you talking about the one that has askanim for the klal in any field that you can ever think of?

Or are vou talking about some other population????

Oh, please, sequoia, do elaborate.

shabbatiscoming

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 9:43 am

binayeseira wrote:

Because they are afraid of them.

who are you saying is afraid of who?

binayeseira

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 9:49 am

shabbatiscoming wrote:

who are you saying is afraid of who?

The segment of society that wants to change another segment is afraid of the segment that it wants to change. They are afraid that if they don't change them, they (themselves) will become the changed ones. So they try to move Heaven and Earth in a futile attempt to change them.

shabbatiscoming

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 9:54 am

binayeseira wrote:

you seriously believe that? That is preposterous. Really. You believe that the secular society will change to a charedi one? I thi k not. But the secular society is not asking the charedi society to become secular either....

5mom

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 11:34 am

So long as the definition of charedi is "isolated as much as possible from general society" this discussion is pointless. An office will never be an all-male environment; the boardroom isn't a beis medrash. Basically, asking charedim to be part of the larger Israeli society, no matter how much you try to accommodate the specific issues, is doomed to failure.

And to the poster who listed all the wonderful charedi institutions - yes, they are lovely. Now how about a little gratitude for a government that offers physical protection, health care, child allowances, maternity leave, transportation and more? You know, a whole medina shel chesed. Funded mostly by the chiloni and dati leumi people you look down upon.

GreenEyes26

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 12:18 pm

binayeseira wrote:

An eye roll isn't enough but the don't make head exploding icons.

imasoftov

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 12:25 pm

I'm curious what "askanim" do that benefits me (I am assuming that "the klal" includes me). Or even that benefits their own communities, that I don't disapprove of.

Ruchel

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 12:38 pm

More than two, in fact.

Israeli charedim need to stop looking down on chul charedi/yeshivish people or simply on Israeli charedim who want to live their own life.

That said I don't see how many things can be 100% up to the standards of Israeli-charedim and I respect their desire to also live their own life.

In any case I don't believe it's fair that only them can get away with no army. I think a frei or masorti or MO could have his own great reason, too. But again, I don't believe in a mandatory 'active' army service. Also people are allowed to not work and just get allowances. A country is allowed to reduce them or only give them to those who worked/tried/wtv.

I don't believe in forcing a person to work/army nor in forcing a gov't to give money/support. I certainly don't believe in jail for those who skip army (yes happened to acquaintances) or in bullying someone into going (my close cousin's husband...)

sequoia

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 12:45 pm

binayeseira wrote:

How about, instead of all that stuff, you pay taxes?

Or is that against whatever version of the Torah you use?

MaBelleVie

Fri, Jun 27 2014, 12:54 pm

Who doesn't pay taxes?

binayeseira

Sat, Jun 28 2014, 4:17 pm

MaBelleVie wrote:

Who doesn't pay taxes?

You beat me too it MaBelleVie (I suppose it’s because we made early Shabbos yesterday).

Sequoia, -- if you have a different version of the Torah than we do, please tell me what is bothering you (I.e., what your version says) and I will straighten it out with the true one.

As for the chareidi version of the Torah – look at Vayikra 26:3-14. That is the contract we follow based on Rashi there (26:3).

It is obvious that you don’t follow this version. You must be following the second half of the contract from Vayikra 26:15-46.

While I am posting, you still did not answer my question about what segment of the population only takes and does not contribute. Please elaborate (instead of trying to change the subject ).

To understand what it means to contribute according to my version of the Torah, please see this blog post http://achaslmaala.blogspot.co......html