So, the walls of the Knesset echoed this week—not with wisdom, not with law, but with the raw, agonizing testimonies of women who say they were sexually abused for years. Not in back alleys or lawless regions, mind you, but under the sanctimonious shadow of sacred rituals—performed, allegedly, in the heart of certain ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) communities.
Yes, those same enclaves of divine devotion where boys memorize texts older than microscopes, and girls are trained to serve a life of obedience, all while the rest of Israel pays their bills.
An Empire of Children and Ignorance
Let’s take a hard look at the numbers. The Haredim are about 1.3 million strong—13.6% of Israel’s population. But wait, there’s more! A full 58% of them are under the age of 19. If Israel ever needs a population boom to rival rabbits, we know who to call.
But don’t expect Israel’s future scientists or economists to emerge from this group. Roughly 84% of Haredi boys don’t learn core curriculum subjects like math, science, or English. That’s right—no theory of evolution, no critical thinking, no algebra. Only Torah. As if reciting Leviticus pays the rent.
This system ensures that generation after generation is locked in economic dependence. It’s not a bug—it’s the design.
War Is for the Secular, Prayers Are for the Pious
While secular Israelis are conscripted into the IDF to defend the nation, Haredi men have historically enjoyed a sacred get-out-of-service-free card, courtesy of “religious scholarship.” Never mind the blood and tears spilled on the battlefield—somehow, spiritual battles in yeshivas are deemed equally heroic.
But now that the Supreme Court has dared to question this golden exemption, the community is crying persecution. Apparently, equality is fine—as long as it doesn't apply to them.
Living Off the State with Divine Entitlement
Let’s talk shekels. The average Haredi household has eight children. That’s NIS 1,336 per month just in child allowances. Add in subsidized housing, discounts on utilities, and tax breaks, and you’ve got an economic miracle—funded by those secular community who actually work.
Only 54% of Haredi men are employed. The rest? Supported by the State of Israel, a secular apparatus they scorn, yet leech from. Meanwhile, they contribute a mere 4% to the national tax revenue. Four percent. For a community of 13.6%.
In any other country, this might be called what it is: parasitic.
Baby Steps Toward Reality
To be fair, some in the community are waking up. Programs like Mego are trying to train Haredi men and women for the high-tech sector. In fact, 81% of Haredi women now work, and there’s a noticeable uptick in computer science enrollment. But these are exceptions—not the rule.
The real problem? The system isn’t just broken—it was built this way. A structure designed to preserve ignorance, protect power, and ensure immunity.
Immunity from the draft, from the economy, and—perhaps most chillingly—from accountability.
Behind the Beards and Holy Books
What makes this week different is that survivors, many of them women raised in these communities, broke their silence. They testified to years of sadistic abuse, allegedly orchestrated by individuals cloaked in religious authority.
And what did the institutions do? Nothing. Police reports went ignored. Social workers feared community backlash. And political leaders treaded lightly—because Haredi parties hold the keys to coalition power.
So much for justice.
Testimonies form the victims
“I was a child. I did not understand… I was alone.”
Adiel Bar Shaul, a 43-year-old from Bnei Brak, recounted his experience of being abused at the age of 10 by a close family acquaintance. The abuse began during Shabbat, a sacred time for Haredim. He shared:
> “He started giving me stickers. Then, in exchange for them, to put my hand on his pants."
Adiel remained silent for most of his life, burdened by shame and guilt, before eventually speaking out.
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“I thought if I endured, I would find a better place in the world to come.”
Reut, a 32-year-old mother of five, endured over a decade of verbal, physical, and sexual abuse by her husband. He exerted extreme control over her, dictating even her basic bodily functions. Reut believed her suffering was a test from God. After giving birth to her fifth child, she escaped to a shelter for victims of domestic abuse, seeking a new beginning.
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“I took the stain on me so that my husband could be as white as snow.”
Naomi Ragen, an Orthodox woman and advocate for gender equality, highlighted the societal pressures within the Haredi community that compel women to remain silent about abuse. The emphasis on family honor often leads women to endure suffering to preserve their husband's reputation.
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These testimonies underscore the profound challenges faced by survivors in the ultra-Orthodox community, where cultural and religious norms can hinder the acknowledgment and addressing of abuse.
Conclusion: Sacred Hypocrisy Has a Price
The Haredi lifestyle isn’t just a “different way of life.” It’s a taxpayer-funded bubble, sealed with sacred justifications and political blackmail. It’s a community where systemic abuse can allegedly flourish behind a wall of ritual, poverty is sanctified, and national responsibility is outsourced to everyone else.
Israel must ask itself: How long will it sacrifice equality, progress, and justice at the altar of religious appeasement? And more urgently: Who protects the children—not just from rockets and war—but from the monsters within their own ‘holy’ walls?
God may forgive, but a state built on silence will eventually collapse under its own sanctimony.
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