"The Haredi Needle Isn't Moving"

The Jerusalem Post discusses an actual survey

To what extent is charedi society becoming more involved in Israel due to the war? Finally, there is some hard data. I was going to write about it, but the Jerusalem Post beat me to the punch. Here is an extract from an article that just appeared, about a survey created by the excellent Jewish People Policy Institute:

The hope that the war would make the haredim (ultra-Orthodox) want to further integrate into the broader Israeli society lies in shards on the hard ground of data-based reality.

A Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) survey conducted by themadad.com and the Askaria polling firm shows that across all critical aspects of haredi integration and responsibility parity in Israel, according to the haredim themselves, the current war will change nothing.

Only an externally imposed change that curtails state support for the haredi way of life and requires them to shoulder their share of the security and economic burden would propel their socioeconomic integration and save Israel from a third-world future.

A few social media photos and newspaper headlines proclaiming haredi IDF enlistment sparked a sense of hope that in light of the ongoing war and the massive call-up of reserves, the haredim understood that the pre-war status quo could not hold. Some touted a haredi revelation that it was no longer possible to be nearly 20% of Israel’s Jewish population and not shoulder their fair share of the security and economic burden. However, a JPPI survey conducted six weeks into the war reveals that a significant majority of the haredim believe that nothing really needs to change.

Some statistics mentioned include:

• A huge majority of over 80% believe that whether or not there is an increasing security risk, the haredi conscription exemption should continue untouched;

• Even in light of the war’s hard-hitting economic impact, one-third of the haredi public believes the budgetary allocation for their community should increase, while 47% believe that it should be cut at a rate commensurate with other cuts the war will demand;

• 32% of haredim report being involved in the war effort;

• The majority of haredim (55%) believe that the war will leave haredi society unchanged.

You can read the rest of this important article at the Jerusalem Post. And there’s a Hebrew analysis at this link.

Meanwhile, the comments section for this website has gotten out of control, and has become frustrating for serious readers. In an effort to solve this, I will be restricting comments to paid subscribers.