The coronavirus pandemic has further exacerbated the rift between the secular and ultra-Orthodox sectors in Israel, a new study by the Hebrew University's aChord Center said.
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Some 1,000 secular and Haredi Israelis participated in the study. According to data published by the organization on Thursday, 85% of secular Israeli reported feeling animosity towards Haredim, 69% of those even reported feelings of aversion. In comparison, 33% of Haredim reported feelings of animosity towards secular Israelis, and 31% reported feelings of aversion.
Some 95% of secular Israelis and 71% of Haredim reported being exposed to at least one negative representation of the opposite group in the media at least once a week.
The poll revealed that Haredim see secular people in a much positive light than secular Israelis tend to think. Some 95% of them believed that Haredim feel an aversion towards them, and 93% responded that they believed Haredim harbor feelings of hatred against them, when in fact, both numbers constituted about a third of that.
Asked whether the police discriminates against the ultra-Orthodox sector, 95% of Haredim agreed with that assumption, while only 22% of secular Israelis said as much.
Some 92% of secular Israelis said that the government discriminates against them rather than the Haredi sector in terms of state budget appropriations. In contrast, 90% of Haredim said that the government was discriminating against them.
Some 99% of secular Israelis further believe that ultra-Orthodox lawmakers exploit their position of power. In contrast, only 33% of Haredi respondents said the same.
As for workplace discrimination, 90% of Haredim and 47% of secular Israelis said they thought their sector was discriminated against.
Nevertheless, 85% of secular Israelis and 86% among the ultra-Orthodox expressed hope for a better future for the relationship between them. Some 85% of secular Israelis and 64% of Haredim expressed willingness to foster the relationship.
"The findings of the study teach us that each side, Haredim and the secular, can be much more optimistic about the future of the relationship," aChord director Shimrit Barda said, expressing hope for future cooperation between the two groups.
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