The government continues to call on chareidi men to leave beis medrash and join the nation’s workforce. A Walla News reports however paints a realistic picture of what awaits those chareidim eager to enter the workplace and make a living.
The report speaks of 33-year-old Shmuel from Ashdod, who explains who they look at him like a “Strange bird” when he applies for employment. In the case of Shmuel, who studied electrical engineering, he also served in the IDF yet his outer chareidi appearance is what counts, not his higher education and not his military service. He questions the critics for in his case, he opted to work yet he cannot get hired despite aggressive efforts to follow up on employment possibilities.
Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett boasted the party’s accomplishment, citing many more chareidim are in the workplace and while this is true, it appears there is a long road ahead to combat the discrimination that exists.
26-year-old Tzvika Moskowitz served in the IDF Intelligence Corps. He completed his military service 10 months ago and like Shmuel, he cannot find a job. He explains many places are not suitable for they compel him to work weekends. “They simple are not fit for a chareidi lifestyle” he explains. He adds that after serving for a long period in reserve duty he was unwelcome upon his return. He adds that he is certain being chareidi only serves to worsen his situation.
The anti-chareidi sentiment in the workplace is not directed exclusively at men as 26-year-old Tehila who holds a degree in business administration as well as being a wife and mother of two has been looking for work for 18 months. As a result of her inability to secure a job, her husband, who was considering an academic degree, is now thinking in a different direction for he thinks the degree would be a waste of time.
The March 2014 Equal Opportunity Commission poll showed 30% of respondents are reluctant to work with chareidi men and 37% of potential employers are reluctant to hire them.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
A few places in the US have antidiscrimination laws that forbid discrimination based on “personal appearance” or other similar reasons.
We must not look for excuses, just push even harder and prove to the business world that we are a great asset to their business venture.
Eventually it will catch on, and we will become an integral part of the workforce, eventually part of management, and then on to becoming the owners of businesses.
This exactly what the American Yidden did in the USA after WWII.
Excuses excuses typical we wNt to they don’t let. Perhaps an education would gelp
I say bring on Madison Avenue style advertising. That’s what Clinton is doing. A good slogan and logo to make it the “in” thing to hire a chareidie. Something like: “Hire someone frum and your profits will Zoom!”. Or how about: “Ride with the tide; Get G-d on your side”.
only “37% of potential employers are reluctant to hire them”?It’s far,far more yet the Knesset won’t pass an anti-charedi discrimination law!!!Arabs,Druze,Ethopians,women by law can’t be discriminated against but charedim can.This whole ‘go to work’ is just racist nonsense. Even Lapid’s Finance Ministry reused to hire qualified charedim even while he was spouting the “go to work” mantra.
I worked in the Israeli public work force for many years in several jobs. I have a beard and wear a plain black kippah.
I was passed over for many opportunities in Israel whereas in the USA, I was actually accepted and given more chance to advance.
There is much anti-Charadi hatred in the work force and it should be made illegal.
While the United States has much stronger anti-discrimination laws, the real difference is that Israel was founded on the idea of “freedom from religion” and creating an “עם חופשי” free for Torah, whereas the United States has a long tradition of religious toleration going back to the 18th century and most Americans see it as “un-American” to refuse to hire someone because of their religion. Hiring weird looking members of religious minorities is part of the “DNA” of being an American, whereas persecuting hareidim is part of the “DNA” of being an Israeli. And not surprising, most anti-hareidi discriminaton in America, comes from secular Jews – not goyim.
Anti-religious discrimination comes from secular Jews— are u dreaming? Ever check out the work place in the mid-west, or Deep South of the USA??