The Haredi population in Israel, totaling approximately 1,335,000 individuals, accounts for 13.6% of the overall population. Notably, 58% of young people up to the age of 19 belong to the Haredi community, surpassing the 31% found in the overall Jewish population of all ages. This information is extracted from the “Haredi Society Report 2023,” an annual publication by the Israel Democracy Institute, marking its eighth consecutive year.
Looking ahead to 2030, projections indicate that the Haredi population will constitute 16% of the total population, with around one million individuals, or 25% of those aged up to 20, identifying as Haredi. The “Haredi Society Report 2023” outlines that in the academic year 2022/23, the Haredi education system enrolled 390,000 students, making up 20% of the total student population in Israel and 26% within the Hebrew education system. The growth rate of the Haredi education system has slowed to 3.7% per year over the last decade (compared to 4.2% in the years 2013-2003), while the state education system has accelerated to 2.2% in the past decade (compared to 0.5% in the years 2013-2003). Significantly, the report notes a substantial increase in the number of Haredi students taking matriculation exams, rising from 24% to 44% between 2008 and 2021. Within five years, the percentage of Haredi male graduates increased from 2% to 6%, and Haredi female graduates increased from 20% to 25%.
As of the beginning of 2024, the combined number of students in Haredi yeshivas and kollels reached 156,036. Following a year of tapering growth in 2022, with a 2.5% decline in the number of yeshiva students and kollel members—coinciding with the return of Haredi parties to the coalition—there was a renewed increase of 4.1%. The authors of the report emphasize a noticeable correlation between the presence of Haredi parties in the coalition and the growth rate of yeshiva students and kollel members. It is noteworthy that, since 1999, the only years witnessing a decrease in their numbers were 2014-2013.
Five Percent of University Students in Israel Are Haredi
In the academic year 2022/23, there were approximately 16,700 Haredi students, constituting 5% of the total university student population—an increase of about 900 students, reflecting a growth of 7%. Among these Haredi students, 69% were women, with approximately 14,100 Haredi students (84%) pursuing undergraduate degrees, while around 2,700 were pursuing advanced degrees, mainly master’s degrees. The majority of Haredi students enrolled in undergraduate programs opted for academic colleges (46%) and colleges of education (23%) during the 2022/23 academic year, with a smaller percentage attending the Open University (21%) and other universities (10%). Nearly half (47%) of Haredi female undergraduate students, approximately 4,500, were under the age of 21. Conversely, the majority of Haredi male undergraduate students were older, with 39.5% aged 30 and above.
Over the course of four years, from the academic year 2018/19 to 2022/23, the proportion of Haredi female students studying computer science nearly doubled, rising from 883 to 1,436. In the 2022/23 academic year, they accounted for 15% of all female students, surpassing the 13.5% among their non-Haredi counterparts. Conversely, the percentage of Haredi male students pursuing computer science is notably lower than that of non-Haredi Jewish male students (19% compared to 28.5%, respectively). Furthermore, within this context, a significant minority (32%) of Haredi female students are engaged in education studies, in contrast to 22% of Haredi male students.
Preferring Technology
In the academic year 2022/23, approximately 7,000 Haredi students actively pursued professional technological training programs. Notably, since 2014, there has been a remarkable 120% surge in the number of Haredi individuals engaging in these fields. Haredi students now comprise 18% of the total participants in technological training programs, breaking down to 9% for Haredi male students compared to their non-Haredi counterparts and 29.5% for Haredi female students compared to non-Haredi female students. Among these students, almost half specialized in software engineering (46%), while another popular area of study was architecture and interior design (14.5%).
New Record in Haredi Employment
In 2023, a remarkable milestone was achieved with a record number of employed Haredi men and women. On average, approximately 110,000 Haredi men in the key working ages of 25-64 were gainfully employed, representing 55% of the Haredi male population. This figure constitutes the highest percentage recorded since 1995, building upon the upward trend observed in 2022 (53%) following a period of stability ranging between 52% and 50% from 2015 to 2021.
Furthermore, in 2023, the employment rate for Haredi women in prime working ages surpassed 80% for the first time, reaching 157,000, a notable increase from the 142,000 reported in the previous year. It’s important to note that the data for 2023 is based on the first three quarters, and the final figures for the year might be lower, particularly for employed Haredi men. This potential decrease is attributed to the economic conditions and challenges related to coalition funding for Torah institutions.