New statistics indicate that after years of growth the number of ultra-Orthodox Jewish men in Israel's workforce has begun to decline.
The Israel Democracy Institute, citing official figures, said Monday that ultra-Orthodox male employment dropped from 51.7% in 2016 to 50.3% in 2017, halting a steady rise.
Gilad Malach, an institute researcher who specializes in the community, said the main cause was renewed subsidies to seminary students provided by a government that relies on the support of ultra-Orthodox parties.
For decades, the ultra-Orthodox have leveraged their significant political power into maintaining a segregated lifestyle. They run a separate network of schools, enjoy sweeping military draft exemptions and raise large families on taxpayer-funded handouts. But previous government programs and a push from within have led to increased integration.
Previous studies have recommended that Israel change its priorities by investing in infrastructure, strengthening the education system to promote its efforts on this issue.
In the 1980s, 63% of ultra-Orthodox Israeli men worked. According to the Haredi Institute for Public Affairs, which studies ultra-Orthodox society, the government will not achieve its 2020 target of getting the proportion of working men back to 63%, as the community is content with the status quo.
