Jerusalem – Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer on Monday called on the heads of the ultra-Orthodox sector in Israel to promote employment among Haredi men and women in order to minimize the prevalent poverty among them.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
During a conference for the ultra-Orthodox community in Jerusalem, Fischer said that the low employment rate among the Haredi men and women was the root cause of for the high incidence of poverty, higher than any other sector in Israeli society, including the notoriously poor Arab sector.
According to Fischer, 60 percent of the ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel were defined as poor in 2008, and that number has only grown since. “There is an enormous pool of human resources in the Haredi sector, which, harnessed, could contribute another driving force for growth to the economy, while also minimizing the poverty,” he said.
Addressing the general financial situation in Israel, Fischer said that the economy is beginning to display signs of growth over recent months, with exports up in May and June and imports up during last month as well. The Bank of Israel combined index has risen for the first time in 11 months, he added.
“We have a strong economy, but unemployment is rising and there is also inflation in Israel,” Fischer said. “Right now, we just don’t know when the market will begin growing again
Jobs? which language is that…???
“the low employment rate among the Haredi men and women was the root cause of for the high incidence of poverty” GENIUS!
Kol Hakovod to Fischer for speaking out on what many of us think is the single most important domestic policy issue in EY. With their rate of reproduction increasing and their job skills declining, there will be growing poverty and alientation within the Chareidi sector that not even more government welfare will be able to address. The results will be more cases of rioting, mental and physicial illness and a growing sense of despair that will lead to domestic abuse. These bochurim and girls are generally very smart and can learn a vocational skill if only given the chance. To mindlessly say, “just keep sitting in the kollel or beis yaacov” and either someone will marry you or somenow “hashem will magically provide you a parnassah” is one of the most irresponsible positions a leader could take.
Brilliant pronouncement!
If you get a job, you won’t be so poor! Who could thought of that? Brilliant!
And this Stanley Fisher will provide a patur from serving in the army?
This is the obstacle to many frum men from entering the workforce. Any honest frum person living in Eretz Yisroel will admit that the yeshivas and kollelim are filled with many people who spend most of their time by the the coffee machine, nearby barbershop or makoles. These people should not be in the bes medrash. They have no desire to spend their life in the Bes Medraah; however, they have no alternative b/c there is no way that they can be in the army.
Fischer is one of the greatest minds in EY today. He left a very lucrative job at the top of the IMF here in Washington to take over the Bank of Israel and has walked a political minefield to restore the value of the NIS while the economy is tanking. He speaks from the heart and has the best interests of ALL yiddin at heart. He understands the special circumstances of Chareidi boys and girls and that is why he has been pleading for the Chareidim to either slow the rate of family growth or find ways of supporting themselves without handouts from the government or sending shelichim to the U.S. and Europe to schneur money for “poor struggeling Chareidi families”.
if he really knows the system he would say dear american people work harder to support them, he dosent know that tey don’t want to work
Well, it’s pretty radical, but if all else fails, why not try actually going out and earning a living (just like the Talmud requires you to do).
mr, fischer: they leave very poor they don’t need high standatd life so stop criticising them,they not taking ur money even they do take its not your’s its america’s money
NO.5….What Talmud are you learning from? LOL….
It’s about time someone tells these freeloaders to get a job.
I only hope this statement finds its way to Lakewood.
Every girl/woman looking for a Shiddach, should ask as a first question. Does he have a job, and can he support a family? If not Keep on looking!
Stanley Fischer, a secular jew who was pulling in around $6 million per year in the Dallas office of Citibank prior to taking this job. He took a pay cut to making approximately $200,000. He takes a hefty paycut because not everything is about the money. Also, the Israeli economy is bad so it is vey hard to make a living. He was on top in America, but in Israel the situation is different.
Although the situation is not good for many of the bnei torah in EY, Fischer should first look in the mirror before he criticizes anyone.
Before making of them, realize that there are a lot, not sure if it’s most, of Charaidim that are plotzing for jobs. There are none. They have a hard time outside their community partially because many companies wouldn’t want someone who wasn’t in army. Most American Viber that I know of, work for the same company. This shows how few the job opportuneties are. Whoever is actually interested and able to help, should open a B&H.
For all the VIN talkbackers who think it is to easy to tell a poor person “get a job!” try being unemployed and look for a job. I have not been able to find work in over a year. I live in Detroit which makes it very hard. Do not be so quick to condemn the unemployed. You have no idea how difficult it is for us.
If they decide to go to work they have to serve in the army! Their hashkafos don’t allow them to do that!!
So how are they supposed to get jobs if they need to do army service first???
Too little to late,under the current financial situation there are not may jobs to be found.And if u do find something they dont pay u enough to provide enough support for your family.
Those lazy Americans. He should be addressing them they are causing the poverty.
Does not take a Bank of Israel Governor to come up with that brainstorm. We have been saying that for years.
Fischer is right, but he has the order wrong. First they should serve in the army. Contribute to the society that pays their tuition and provides them with parks, health care and roads, and much more. Then, they are free to do whatever they want. If they want to be poor, let them be poor. If they don’t, let them study something that will enable them to provide for their families.
Of course, the gedolim will never let this happen. Sorry, so-called gedolim.
He is 100% right I cant believe that people here are using the excuse of the army There is nothing wrong with serving its the law. its better to serve then hang around the streets looking for trouble
One of the problems is that most Hareidim do not position themselves as a separate nation of Jews living among a nation of Israelis. Even though the Israelis do their best to trample everything Jews hold dear. If an average Israeli would see an average Hareidi as his real enemy, the question of service in Israeli army would not even be raised. The Arabs do not serve not because of kindness of Israelis but because no country would allow an enemy within its defence forces. And the Zionists do not have an option of taking Arabs’ civil rights away (anyone remembers Rhodesia and South Africa?). So it might not be such a bad idea to learn from the cousins.
It’s nice for him to say “get a job”. The facts and reality are that the “chiloni” companies refuse to hire “chareidim”. Talk to all the yungerleit in E”Y that have been looking for months for a job – any job. They can’t find one.
Sure they can be hired to shlep boxes and load aisles in a grocery store, but no job of potential and substance – AND THAT IS THE FACT (sad, but true)
how many times the americans who goout there to live try to find jobs and there are non to be found
In 1932 when the rav of jerusalem harav chaim zonnenfeld zt”l passed away the Rabbis declared on that day, all shops should be closed and that no one should go to work. However, the problem is that since then, the rabbonim neglected to inform everyone that’s it’s alright to go back to work…
Kol Hakavod to Mr. Fischer! Its about time.
I say the American Yeshiva bochrim are to blame. The Israeli Chareidi yungerleit really want to work but the Americans stop them from getting jobs. Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? Of course it does! Well so does every other time Americans are blamed for Israeli problems (ie. rioting). I know this comment is not really on the topic of the post but it’s been on my mind for a while.
First of all army is only required until age 30. Second of all, there is no good excuse not to serve in the army. The israeli army would be happy to make all concessions to allow chareidi bochurim to serve in a halachic manner. The truth is that some people look for excuses not to carry their own weight. If the country is good enough to live in, it is good enough to protect. Does chareidi mean afraid to fight?
i beg my wife to move to israel she gets a good job i go learn or what ever gos on their all i know its the good life they have so much free time im dreaming already.
If chareidim don’t serve in the army, they are parasites. They take and they don’t give.
The only way these problems will ever be resolved is if the Israeli government cuts off all welfare to able bodied citizens.
Condoning parasitical behavior only creates another generation of lazy, uneducated men who feel entitled to a free lunch indefinitely.
Looking the other way, and capitulating to the will of political voting blocs is not sustainable. As the population shifts towards the ultra-orthodox, the secular and modern orthodox alone will no longer be able to subsidize the chosen lifestyle of a freeloading people.
He’s obviously a leftist, anti religious super zionist. They always trying to keep us down. Work? Who is he kidding? We are way too busy buring the city garbage bins and deciding how the city should operate.
Combining many of the comments I think we should conclude the following:
1. The wheel has turned-thousands of very educated Bnei Torah in America have no jobs as unemployment has hit 20% in many sectors.
2, We must now send Meshulochim to Israel for all the Leidigayers(who used to schnorrer here) there to get jobs and send us money, after sixty years of US yiddin sending them That is the sad fact of where we find ourselves today!!!!
3, Many of our AMERICAN Mosdos are on the verge of Bankruptcy(no federal help!). Since many bldgs in eretz yisroel are fully paid for, could they take some mgtges out and send our mosdos to help us pay our mgtges. We could use their help for a change!!!!!
4. For the younger crowd-Hesder unit and Nachal Hareidi in the army is growing exponentially . The Hilonim are becoming the refuseniks to serve in their army today due to their lack of knowing kedushas eretz yisroel.
5. Will the government work with Industry to train Chareidim and work for corporate investment in their neighborhoods.
6. THE FACT IS_ CHAREDIM ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST THROUT ISRAEL IN THE CORPORATE< POLITICAL AND MILITARY ARENA> THAT IS A FACT>
SO WHAT WILL FISHER DO TO CHANGE THIS??????????
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/132491
The above comments by Mr. Fisher was at a conference called by the Hareidish paper Hamodia. See the article above in Arutz Sheva— So all of u knocking Mr. Fisher know where it was said and who invited him to hear his thoughts- Heimish people at a conference.
Who are you kidding? There are not jobs for those that WANT to work let alone those that don’t want to!
The problem there is that ppl can’t work legaly cause of the draft they all required to serve in army or learn so they all choose to learn (at least what they claim)
about time something is said about this serious issue which applies not only to the charaydim of Israel – but the litvich and chassidish boys of the USA who think it is noble and rightouse to hide from their responsibilities…behind the pages of a Gemorah. GO GET JOBS TO SUPPOR THE CHILDREN U BROUGHT INTO THIS WORLD! This should be said not only by the Israeli banks but by all Rabbis and Rosh Yeshivah!!! It is NOT holy to sit behind a Gemorah all day when your family does not have the basic necessaties and lives off the government money and handouts and it is 100% NOT OKAY if your wife is giving birth to the kids, raising the kids, taking care of the home AND bringing in the money to hold the family together. To the woman who do this YOU ARE NOT HOLY u are enablers of a crime. The crime of deserting ones family, the crime of laziness, the crime of using the Torah for your own purposes. Be like all our great chachomim of old – LEARN AND WORK!!! You can’t have one without the other…………….
If the haredi want to sit and learn, then they must find someone or some organization to sponsor them. Otherwise, they need to work. They can’t have it both ways.