Israel’s ultra-Orthodox population has grown by more than 500 per cent since 1979, new figures show, a rise that points to its rapidly changing demographics and increasing religiosity in recent decades.
The trend means that by 2048 — the year Israel marks its centenary — the group could make up more than 20 per cent of the country’s population, according to estimates seen by Israeli news channel i24.
Researchers at the Haredi Policy Research Institute mark 1979 as the first year when reliable data about the community’s numbers existed. At that time the ultra-Orthodox represented just 5.6 per cent of the population.
In January, data released by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics noted that the ultra-Orthodox population had the highest growth rate of any group in the country, at 4 per cent.
It is estimated that more than 1.2 million people are ultra-Orthodox in a population of more than 9 million in Israel.
A subsequent analysis by the Israeli Democracy Institute found that a 44 per cent poverty rate for the community in 2019 was almost twice that of the general population.
It marked an improvement on earlier years, however, when poverty in the community reached its peak in 2005 at 58 per cent, helped by an increased share of men and women — in the often isolated community — entering the workplace.
In recent years, many Israelis have criticised what they view as unfairly preferential government policies towards the community, which receives significant government handouts, tax breaks and exemptions from military service.
On a Times of Israel podcast released for Israel’s 75th anniversary, Yariv Ben-Eliezer, the eldest grandson of Israel’s founder David Ben-Gurion, said that in today’s country “half of the people will go to the army, and half will study Torah … This is not the people I want to live with.”
In March, demonstrators set up a mock draft office in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak just outside Tel Aviv to protest against the community’s military exemptions.
Organisers said that ultra-Orthodox politicians, who form a significant bloc in today’s coalition government, have “declared war on us, the liberal public. So we’ll mass tomorrow in Bnei Brak, home to much of the [ultra-Orthodox] leadership, to say ‘this is where it stops.’”
In 2020, only about 1,200 ultra-Orthodox men served in the country’s military.
In 2014, members of the community took to Jerusalem’s streets in one of the largest demonstrations in Israeli history to protest against a proposed law to end exemptions.
The social rift mirrors similar concerns about the community’s inclusion in mainstream education. The Central Bureau of Statistics found that only 3.5 per cent are enrolled in fully state-run schools that teach all of Israel’s curriculum. The remainder go to private institutions that teach a smaller amount of the curriculum.
In October last year, just before Israel’s most recent elections, ultra-Orthodox politician Yitzhak Pindrus told a small group of journalists: “I teach my daughters English and Maths to a very high level … My boys I want to do very well in the tradition and the Torah.
“My 14-year-old boy works very hard, at least 12 hours a day in school. If he wants to learn maths when he’s older he can do it, but right now he’s studying religious issues, that’s my priority … That’s how we grew from 2 per cent of the Israeli population to 20 per cent.”
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
Tell-tale signs of burnout
- loss of confidence and appetite
- irritability and emotional outbursts
- sadness
- persistent physical ailments such as headaches, frequent infections and fatigue
- substance abuse, such as smoking or drinking more
- impaired judgement
- excessive and continuous worrying
- irregular sleep patterns
Tips to help overcome burnout
Acknowledge how you are feeling by listening to your warning signs. Set boundaries and learn to say ‘no’
Do activities that you want to do as well as things you have to do
Undertake at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. It releases an abundance of feel-good hormones
Find your form of relaxation and make time for it each day e.g. soothing music, reading or mindful meditation
Sleep and wake at the same time every day, even if your sleep pattern was disrupted. Without enough sleep condition such as stress, anxiety and depression can thrive.
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
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Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
The specs
Engine: 2.2-litre, turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Power: 160hp
Torque: 385Nm
Price: Dh116,900
On sale: now
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Dubai Creek Open in numbers
- The Dubai Creek Open is the 10th tournament on this year's Mena Tour
- It is the first of five events before the season-concluding Mena Tour Championship
- This week's field comprises 120 players, 21 of which are amateurs
- 15 previous Mena Tour winners are competing at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
