New bricks in the ultra-Orthodox ghetto wall

Key Findings:

The establishment of near unlimited power for the Haredi sector in Israel through coalition deals poses a significant existential challenge for the country. The community’s autonomy is being established both in practice and within the legal framework, but it is creating a parallel reality that deviates from settled Israeli law. This autonomy manifests in various aspects of life, such as gender segregation in public spaces and the establishment of separate systems in education, transportation, and housing.

The ultra-Orthodox community currently constitutes 13.3% of Israel's population, and it is projected to grow and represent a third of the population within four decades. One of the defining characteristics of the Haredim is their insularity, with a majority living in Haredi cities or areas where they form a significant portion of the population. The political power they now wield is being used to reinforce their walls of separation and establish a self-contained Haredi autonomy, often at the expense of the Israeli majority.

In the field of education, the ultra-Orthodox sector operates independently from the state, with minimal oversight and limited participation in the state's education system. The recent coalition agreements further solidify this trend by increasing state funding for ultra-Orthodox education while exempting the system from previous obligations and ties to the state. This creates a bureaucratic autonomy with no accountability.

Similar patterns can be observed in transportation, where separate systems have been established for the general public and the Haredim, with the latter enjoying subsidized services tailored to their needs. Gender segregation has become commonplace on Haredi bus lines, further deepening the separation.

The housing market is also affected, with special planning and construction benefits exclusively provided for the Haredim, while the rest of the population faces unfavorable conditions. This exacerbates existing housing challenges for other groups.

Moreover, the override clause in the coalition agreements grants the ultra-Orthodox the ability to execute legal maneuvers without judicial review. This includes the highly controversial Haredi draft law, which is expected to provide blanket exemptions from IDF service. Other benefits sought by the Haredim, such as preferential representation on government directorates and recognition of yeshiva study as equivalent to academic study, further perpetuate a dual set of rules for the Haredim and the rest of Israelis.

The lack of integration of the Haredim in Israeli society and their increasing autonomy present an existential challenge for the country. Instead of promoting integration and reversing the trend of separation, the new government is reinforcing the Haredi ghetto. This leads to the coexistence of an ultra-Orthodox autonomy alongside the State of Israel, where the relationship is characterized by give-and-take from the state and take-and-take from the ultra-Orthodox community, often at the expense of the broader population who contribute through taxes and support the state.