Housing Incentives Proposed to Boost Haredi Enlistment

As thousands of Haredim protest against Israel’s draft law and block roads, the head of the Haredi integration forum is proposing a different way to address the enlistment crisis, one that links military service to housing benefits.

Ariel Manasseh, who previously handled Haredi recruitment in the Jerusalem enlistment office, says the real obstacle is economic rather than ideological. He argues that the state should offer meaningful financial incentives, especially help with buying an apartment, to encourage Haredi men to enlist. Manasseh says he was involved in recruiting about 1,000 Haredi צעירים, and criticizes the government for speaking mainly with public representatives and fixers instead of the young men themselves.

"The Haredi boys know how to think for themselves," he says. "They understand the reality and their needs very well." He adds that many are less worried about ideology than about life after service, including how to start a family and afford a home. "Today, a boy who does not enlist gets more than a Haredi boy who enlisted," he says.

Manasseh says the housing crisis is especially acute in the Haredi sector, where many couples marry young and the required down payment for an apartment can be existential. Over the past year, he has advanced the idea with developers and businesspeople, aiming to create a path that would help servicemen build equity and enter both the job market and the real-estate market. He says he wants enlistees to be seen as valued members of society, not as outliers in their communities, and to receive practical tools for life after discharge.