Israeli Economist Proposes New Social-Economic Policy to Reduce Ultra-Orthodox Political Power
During a period when most Israelis are on vacation, new data reveals that the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community receives tens of billions of shekels annually in direct payments and hidden subsidies such as discounts on property taxes, housing, and transportation. According to Professor Elis Barzilai of Bar-Ilan University, the Haredi leadership no longer primarily preserves Judaism but focuses on maintaining its political power. To change Israel's current trajectory, Barzilai suggests a comprehensive social and economic plan targeting the sources of Haredi power.
First, she proposes a carrot-and-stick approach to military conscription and economic integration. Combat soldiers from the Haredi community would receive a significant salary comparable to minimum wage, while yeshiva students could continue religious studies under a regulated program for about 1,500 outstanding young men annually. Those refusing to serve or study would lose state financial support, gradually shifting power from the leadership to the youth themselves.
Second, Barzilai calls for ending sectoral discrimination in public services and pricing, including property taxes and education, to reduce the overall cost of living and weaken the Haredi economic monopoly. Third, she urges political parties to stop treating the Haredi leadership as partners and instead support tens of thousands who have left the community but struggle with low education and employment, by investing in education and vocational training.
Fourth, she recommends a unified core curriculum in all publicly funded schools, ensuring all children complete basic secular studies by high school graduation, with religious studies offered in the afternoons without sectarian indoctrination. Private schools would be self-funded and subject to national exams. Finally, she emphasizes protecting citizens from religious coercion while preserving Jewish cultural education without compulsion.
Barzilai highlights that Haredi children already comprise about 31% of Jewish kindergarteners in Israel, making this issue critical for the country's future. She warns against continuing coalitions dependent on Haredi leadership and advocates gradually reducing their power while empowering individuals seeking education and employment. The central question, she concludes, is not whether Israel remains a Jewish state but what kind of Judaism will define it: one based on truth, justice, learning, and freedom or one rooted in obedience and political power.
