Finance Minister Yair Lapid is convinced if he can get additional chareidim into the workplace it will change for the better. He explains that the process which he is spearheading is perceived by many as an attempt to correct a social injustice but in actuality, first and foremost it is an economic plan.
Lapid told participants in the President’s Conference in Jerusalem that chareidim have learned how to study and think, and if these same people join the workplace they can make a significant contribution. He drew an analogy to 1991, when 1 million immigrants arrived from the Former Soviet Union, bringing with them a wealth of education and knowhow. Lapid feels if the intellectualism of the chareidim is joined with the high-tech and modern Israeli workplace, the result can be a dramatic improvement.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
If large number of Hareidim (and Muslims, which is also an issue) entered the secular workplace, which would probably happen only if they abolish conscription then the Israeli workplace in which open displays of gross sexuality would be serious challenged. Much of the normal activity of the secular Israelis would be considered serious sexual harassment by people from any (not just our’s) traditional culture in which sexuality is not expressed publicly. Suddently non-observance of kashruth and Shabbos would become matters of religious discrimination.
In all fairness, if the Israelis adjusted their culture so Hareidim could fully participate, it would radically change the country, and probably make it both more prosperous and more able to inegrate in the Middle East (which is the last thing Lapid’s supporters want – they want to “wall off” Israel from the Middle East and turn Israel into a southern version of Sweden or Denmark).
What Lapid wants is for the Jews to give up traditional country and integrate into the amoral secular world. Remember the goal of zionism is to become a nation “free” (Am Hofshi)from Torah and Mitsvos — and to do so, Hareidim must be marginalized or eliminated from Israeli society.
Wow what a bigot “he can get additional chareidim into the workplace” ….as if he is the one making this happen.
Also “chareidim have learned how to study and think” …oh well …just shows he hasn’t started “thinking” yet
along the same lines as akuperma
chilonim have an innate trait of working hard and sticking to something and if these same people joined the beis medrash they can make a significant congribution
Idiot!
As a charadi professional who worked in several different companies in Israel I know full well the anti-religious sentiment that will not allow employers to hire charadim.
In USA there are laws that punish religious discrimination, but not here in Israel. The charadim are discriminated against and not given an equal opportunity.
Until the big mouth Lapid puts in a bill that forbids religious discrimination, his statements are only the ranting of a person who is out to convince the public that we charadim are at fault for not working.
The opposite is true. Most charadim don’t even get a chance for employment in secular run companies (including those connected with the government)!
lazerc: calling him an “idiot”????
What an excellent example of being dan le-kaf zechus!
One of the Lubavitcher rebbes said that it is important for a Chasid to engage in business so that he can spread his inner spark of Godliness throughout society. Things will work out fine if more Careidim enter the Israeli workforce and business community, but first everyone has to be willing to make a go of it. Commenters 1 through 4 don’t think that can or will or should happen, but I remain optimistic that all the Jews of Israel (and the Israeli Arabs, too) can make it work, if they don’t listen to the likes of commenters 1 – 4.
nfgo3 : It’s the hilonim who have been, are, and probably will be working to keep hareidim (and Arabs) out of any meaningful participation in the workplace. Blaming the hareidim is like blaming southern blacks under Jim Crow for not going to good universities. We are the victims of bigotry.
nfgo3- your comments range from naive to ignorant. There is no gain in closing one’s eyes and saying that I believe it will all be good. Do you cross the street like that or maybe physical dangers have to be considered but spiritual ones will just work out. We were given brains to use!
I agree with #6 the status quo in Israel for the charedidim is not sustainable people have no money to support their families, the poverty is staggering.