September 5, 2025
Earlier this week, schools opened in Israel. Why is that something to be interested in here in America, you might ask? For the first time ever, there are more Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) students enrolled in schools in Jerusalem than non-Haredi students. Jerusalem was always a religious city, very different from the more-secular Tel Aviv. However, since 2010 during my visits to Israel, I have seen the city shift into a much more religious one. You could feel the presence of Haredi Jews more and more as the years went by.
This is something that we might want to be aware of for the future as the face of Israel changes. Haredi Jews are the fastest growing population in Israel simply because their birthrate is that much higher than non-Haredi citizens of Israel, including Jews and non-Jews. Many Haredi men do not work outside the home, spending their days studying Talmud in Yeshivot. This leaves their wives to engage in the work needed to earn a living and support a family. Many of their financial resources come as handouts from the government. The overwhelming majority of Haredi men also do not serve in the military and there has been significant political conflict in recent years because the Ultra-Orthodox parties in Israel have wanted a new law passed that would exempt Haredi Jews from serving in the IDF.
With the rise of Haredi students, one might begin to wonder what this means for the future of Israel. Currently, the Haredi population in Israel is about 14% which is about 1.4 million people – growing at around 4% a year. As we think about the long-term implications for the state of Israel, it is not far-fetched to think that at some point in the next century, Haredi Jews will make up more than half the population of Israel. If this is the case, we as Reform Jews, who believe in egalitarian Judaism and hold pluralistic values, will begin to wonder what place there is for us in the State of Israel. For many years, Reform Judaism has been vilified by the Haredi community because they believe we are potential threats to the Jewish future. We know, however, that there is much we are doing to ensure a vibrant Jewish future and the growth of Reform Jewish life in Israel.
With most Haredi schools focusing their educational goals on Torah and Talmud study, there is a struggle within Israel to ensure that these young people receive the education they need in math and civics. Orly Erez-Likhovski, head of the Israel Religious Action Center (IRAC, the Reform Movement’s advocacy arm that fights for equality in Israel) shared this week that IRAC is leading efforts to “ensure that Haredi schools provide instruction in the legally mandated core general studies curriculum is that it includes civics, a subject that is crucial for informed engagement and participation in any democratic society.”
Likhovsky reflected that education is one of the most important tools in promoting pluralism. If such education is absent from Haredi schools, students will lack the basic knowledge of governance on a national and local level. In Israel, national elections tend to lean more towards the center or the right as people are more hawkish with defense policies. On a local level, citizens tend to elect more liberal leaning leaders who ensure a sense of equality. They hope to prevent a full religious takeover of local government.
In America, we have spent so much time thinking about and discussing the war, that it is easy to forget that there continues to be internal issues that need resolution. They will have long term impacts on Israeli society.
At its core, Israel was established to be a homeland for all Jews. One need not be religiously observant to be a citizen of Israel. Most Israelis consider themselves Chiloni, (secular). It is critical that we continue to be aware of the work that organizations like the Israel Religious Action Center are doing to ensure that pluralism remains a value and a practice on both national and local levels.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rick Kellner