Low Education Levels Drive Haredi Exits to Earn Significantly Lower Wages
A recent study by the Aharon Institute for Economic Policy and the Exit to Change organization reveals that individuals leaving the Haredi community in Israel earn on average one-third less than non-Haredi Jews. Despite a high employment rate of over 80% among young Haredi exiters, 58% hold low-wage jobs, leading 30% to report experiencing poverty in recent years. The average monthly salary for men leaving the Haredi community is 13,189 shekels, which is 65% of the average non-Haredi male wage of 20,269 shekels, though it is 23.7% higher than the average Haredi male wage of 10,643 shekels. This wage gap is largely attributed to most exiters having attended small yeshivas that lack general education.
Women exiters face smaller wage disparities, earning an average of 11,356 shekels monthly, which is 9.1% higher than Haredi women but only 82.2% of non-Haredi Jewish women’s average salary. The study highlights that 30% of young exiters have struggled with poverty, double the rate of their Haredi and non-Haredi peers. Employment rates among exiters aged 25-34 are high at 80%, close to the 84% rate for non-Haredim, but many work in low-skill jobs such as drivers, craftsmen, and sales or service roles.
Educational barriers are significant, with 73% of male exiters and 41% of female exiters lacking a matriculation certificate. Only 21% of male and 33% of female exiters hold academic degrees, compared to 41% and 51% among non-Haredi Jews respectively. The need to work while studying and lack of family financial support complicate academic advancement. Nevertheless, exiters have higher academic attainment than Haredim. Nachi Pasikov, CEO of Exit to Change, emphasized the unique challenges faced by exiters and announced an upcoming EXIT conference aimed at developing a national integration plan.
Dr. Hila Axelrad, lead researcher, noted that closing educational gaps could increase male exiters’ wages by 25% and female exiters’ wages by 13%. The report also shows that younger age groups have higher exit rates, with 11.9% of those aged 24-28 leaving the community compared to 6.5% of those aged 49-53. The phenomenon is sociological rather than religious, as two-thirds of exiters remain religious or traditional, with only 31% identifying as secular. Additionally, 59% of Haredi-background men who served in the IDF are exiters, indicating military service is often a pathway out of the Haredi community despite societal opposition.
