Haredi Men’s Employment Stalls at 53% in 2025, Missing Israel’s 65% Goal Path
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jul 9
Haredi Men’s Employment Stalls at 53% in 2025, Missing Israel’s 65% Goal Path
3 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jul 9
Summary
53% of Haredi men were employed in 2025, virtually unchanged from 53.1% in 2022 and only 1 point above 2015, leaving the group off track for the government’s 65% target by 2030.
47.3% of young Haredi men were employed at the end of 2025, a rate the Labor Ministry said did not improve over the decade and was lower than a decade earlier.
3.5% adjusted unemployment and a 4.6% job-vacancy rate—about 152,000 openings—show the stagnation came despite a tight labor market and strong worker demand across much of the economy.
Northern evacuated and confrontation-line localities remained a weak spot after the war, with employment at 74% versus 77.6% before it; northern men fell to 64% in the second half of 2025 from 79%.
230,000 foreign workers helped ease shortages, especially in construction, while the ministry warned of heavier reliance on external labor and pressure on low-skilled Israelis’ wages and job opportunities.
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Israel’s Haredi Draft and Employment Crisis: Stagnant 53% Workforce Participation Threatens Economy, Security, and Social Cohesion
Overview
The report highlights how the long-standing debate over the exemption of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men from military service has reached a breaking point in 2026, driven by the rapid growth of the Haredi community and the expansion of these exemptions. This issue has triggered a severe political crisis, threatening the stability of the Israeli government. Haredi political parties have threatened to dissolve parliament if a bill granting their exemption is not advanced, forcing urgent parliamentary discussions. The situation underscores deep divisions in Israeli society and raises urgent questions about equality, national security, and the future integration of the Haredi community.