Israeli Beggars Can Earn Thousands of Shekels Daily

Individuals engaged in begging in Israel can potentially earn significant sums, with reports indicating daily earnings ranging from tens of shekels per hour to thousands of shekels per day. These figures emerge from various sources, including testimonies from the homeless, police operations, and a family court ruling.

In one instance, an urban policing officer in Nazareth, Tal Krispin, reported that beggars operating at traffic intersections in the area could collect up to 3,000 shekels daily. He noted that some women brought infants to elicit sympathy from drivers, and a portion of the money was allegedly transferred to "contractors" suspected of facilitating their entry into Israel and placement at these locations. This information surfaced following an enforcement operation in the Nazareth area where over 40 undocumented individuals were arrested, including children as young as four and five who were reportedly sent to beg. Police suspect that some of the money collected by these children was given to adults exploiting them, with some individuals sleeping in nearby groves and hiding places.

Mor Shaul, who assists the homeless, recounted a conversation with a homeless individual who claimed that earning 1,500 shekels was considered low, with potential daily earnings reaching 3,000-4,000 shekels, and sometimes even 6,000 shekels. A past social experiment measuring income from begging yielded approximately 58 shekels per hour, suggesting a potential monthly income of around 9,000 shekels for a five-day work week.

A Jerusalem family court case in February revealed another aspect of income from begging. Judge Orit Avigail Yahalomi ordered a man to pay his ex-wife 646,122 shekels, half of the funds found in his account at the time of their separation. The man, who had accumulated about 1.19 million shekels in deposits and checking accounts, reportedly engaged in begging in public places and the Jewish Quarter, alongside providing religious services. He claimed some of his funds came from an inheritance from his father, who had also been a beggar for 45 years.

While these cases highlight potentially high daily earnings, suspicions of exploiting women and children, and accumulated wealth from begging, they represent specific incidents and anecdotal evidence. No official estimate of the average income for beggars in Israel is available.