Ultra-Orthodox Community In Israel Research Articles

Determination of stigma among individuals who deviate from the norms and among community members: The price paid by all

AbstractThe Jewish Ultraorthodox community in Israel strongly opposes enlisting in the Israeli military. Young men who violate this norm must cope with negative social consequences such as stigma. In the current study we investigated risk and protective factors (self‐esteem, sense of community, positive and negative societal conditional regard, and “tightness of the community”) for public stigma against Ultraorthodox former soldiers, both among these young men and among community members. Among soldiers we also examined the determination of self‐stigma. The first study comprised 153 participants between the ages of 20 and 55 (M = 29.64, SD = 6.89); the second study comprised 433 participants between the ages of 21 and 75 (M = 36, SD = 10.82). Path analysis models indicated the protective role played by self‐esteem and societal conditional positive regard in participants' perception of public and self‐stigma, and the risk factor posed by societal conditional negative regard and “tightness of the community.” Sense of community was found to be a protective factor only for soldiers; for community members it was found to be a risk factor that increased public stigma. The findings reveal that stigma exacts a price not only from soldiers but also from the community, leading to losses for all involved.

Using societal conditional regard to cope with drug use in the ultraorthodox community and the unintended consequences.

A developing theoretical framework for the investigation of tight cultures' reaction toward members who violate communal norms is societal conditional regard (SCR). Using a qualitative interpretive approach, in the current study we investigated the way the Ultraorthodox Jewish community uses SCR to cope with substance use disorders (SUDs), which considered to be a norms violation in closed religious communities. We did so by drawing on in-depth interviews with 14 young men from the Ultraorthodox community in Israel who were diagnosed as having an SUD and were in recovery. (a) The community's socialization process, educating its members to lead a life that is the only right one; (b) The community's use of God as the one whose love and regard are conditional; (c) The SCR emotional and behavioral practices used by the community toward individuals who violate norms, and (d) How, paradoxically, the use of SCR may eventuate in the initiation of drug use, and within the community itself. Findings are discussed in the context of self-determination theory and SCR, and shed light on how tight cultures cope with the threat of deviation of communal norms. Implications for intervention and policy are outlined.

"Sense for Gambling" Among Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Men With Gambling Disorder.

Making sense of the social world is an intricate process heavily influenced by cultural elements. Gambling is a prevalent leisure-time activity characterized by risk-taking conduct. While some individuals who engage in it do so without experiencing any harm, others will develop gambling problems. Judaism tends to perceive gambling negatively since it contradicts fundamental Jewish principles. The current study focuses on the Jewish Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel which is characterized as a cultural enclave with minimal interaction with the secular world. Hence, it provides a unique and novel socio-cultural context to inquire how individuals with gambling disorder (GD) from this community make sense of gambling. Following constructivist grounded theory guidelines, 22 Ultra-Orthodox men with GD were interviewed using a purposeful sampling design. Sixteen Rabbis were also interviewed, illuminating the socio-cultural context of Halachic regulations and norms regarding gambling in this community. An abductive analysis of the data, interwoven with Bourdieu's concept of habitus, yielded an overarching theme that we dub as "sense for gambling," encompassing matrices of Ultra-Orthodox external (e.g., a conservative cultural structure with numerous prohibitions and life marked by poverty) and internal (e.g., feelings of loneliness, dissatisfaction, and deviance) dispositions imprinted onto the body, creating diverse embodied reactions (emotional and sensory) to gambling, and leading to developing GD. We recommend placing the body, as the locus of internalized dispositions, at the core of examination when researching pathways to GD. We propose that this intricate interplay between external and internal dispositions shapes the decision-making regarding gambling, thus mitigating individual responsibility for GD.

Subjective Nearness-to-Death and COVID-19 Worries Among Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel: The Moderating Role of Israeli Identity and Sense of Community.

The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel is characterized by close everyday contact and a strong sense of community. While the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in global uncertainty, fear, and fatalities, this group was particularly affected by the pandemic. Accordingly, the current study examines whether subjective nearness-to-death was associated with increased COVID-19 concerns, and whether Israeli identity and sense of community moderate this association. Data were gathered from 255 Israeli Ultra-Orthodox Jews, and results yielded a significant link between subjective nearness-to-death and COVID-19 worries, moderated by both moderators. Results are discussed in line with terror management theory, and theoretical/practical implications are suggested.

Modesty, religion, and community: Therapists' perspectives regarding the treatment of child sexual abuse in the ultra-orthodox community

BackgroundReligion is a significant cultural component that impacts child sexual abuse (CSA) in various ways, including its definition, perception, and treatment. This study focuses on the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, a strictly religious, segregated, and close-knit community with unique cultural practices and beliefs that impact children's safety and vulnerability to CSA. ObjectiveThis qualitative study aimed to explore therapists' perceptions and ascribed meanings of CSA treatment within the ultra-Orthodox community. Participants and settingThirty in-depth interviews were conducted with therapists working with the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel. MethodsThe interviews were analyzed using thematic qualitative analysis. ResultsThree central axes pertinent to the treatment of CSA in the ultra-Orthodox community were discovered: 1) religious interventions, 2) modest approach, relating to the community's taboo attitude towards sexuality; and 3) the collectivistic nature of the community. The results include specific effect sizes and their statistical significance. ConclusionsThe discussion explores the findings in light of the literature on CSA among religious minority communities and connects them to the unique underlying perception of sexuality in the ultra-Orthodox community. Specific ramifications and recommendations for practice are then considered, alongside the limitations and directions for future study.

The Medium Is the Definer: Daily Journalism as a Tool for Forming Community: A Case Study—The Ultra-Orthodox Community in Israel

There are many studies that deal with the role of media and the motives for their creation. The present article explores the background behind the development of Ultra-Orthodox journalism. It examines the establishment of Ultra-Orthodox daily newspapers in Israel at the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first by analyzing semistructured texts and ideas. The historical background and the way this journalism developed in general and specifically during those years reflect a strong social and censorial orientation. This study concludes that these newspapers can be seen as social definers that help preserve a community through censorship aimed at the general and other Ultra-Orthodox media. It helps communities and individuals self-define and can delineate an additional role for mass media as a social definer. The contention herein is that the establishment of Ultra-Orthodox newspapers in Israel serves as a mode for social definition; a definition that is arrived at by being part of the circle of the newspaper’s readers, and the newspaper, in turn, defines itself by its censor board.

Sense of community, meaning in life, and satisfaction with life among Ultra-Orthodox Jews: A mediation model.

The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, characterized by close-knit ties and strong community values, has been particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, both epidemiologically and socially. Accordingly, the current study examined whether the connection between the sense of community and life satisfaction in this population is mediated by meaning in life (MIL). Three hundred and fifty-eight Ultra-Orthodox participants (age range: 30-70; M = 49.50, SD = 10.24) filled out scales assessing MIL, sense of community, and satisfaction with life (SWL), as well as sociodemographic and COVID-19-related scales. Sense of community was linked with increased MIL and life satisfaction. Moreover, the connection between sense of community and life satisfaction was mediated by MIL. This study highlights the roles of sense of community and MIL for Ultra-Orthodox individuals and emphasizes the importance of both concepts for maintaining SWL during COVID-19. Practical implications for Ultra-Orthodox communities are suggested.

Protecting the community: How digital media promotes safer behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic in authoritarian communities—a case study of the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel

The Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in new behaviors and digital practices. This study explores how digital media has advanced safer behavior among ultra-Orthodox Israeli adults during the pandemic in authoritarian societies. We explored the level of adherence to government-issued health guidelines during the Covid-19 pandemic by conducting a public opinion survey among a representative sample of ultra-Orthodox Israeli adults ( N = 500) during the second Covid-19 wave (Autumn 2020). The results show that digital media usage significantly contributes to higher levels of adherence to health guidelines. This offers new insight into the field of new media research, revealing the significant role of digital media in promoting safer behavior in times of emergency in authoritarian communities, possibly because it bypasses Internet censorship and disinformation. It also emphasizes the need for adapting risk communication to the media habits and cultural beliefs of different social groups, in turn contributing to well-being and life itself.

Inclusion of Ultra-Orthodox Students in Higher Education: A Case Study about Women Seminary in the Engineering College of Jerusalem

This study examines how far the establishment of an ultra-orthodox (Haredi) women-only curriculum and learning environment crafted for their needs, such as supplementary Biblical studies, fosters students’ enrollment and achievement in STEM. The methodology utilizes interviews with administrators accompanied by a Google questionnaire surveying students in order to compare the secular Azrieli College of Engineering with its new ultra-orthodox branch, Tmura Seminary, which aims to promote the acquisition by ultra-orthodox Jewish women of an engineering diploma so that they can find employment in the job market. This objective is significant because the ultra-orthodox community in Israel represents a unique family setting in which the men devote most of their workday to Judaic studies while the women are the breadwinners. The findings of the current study show that addressing the higher education gender gap by purposeful efforts to include ultra-orthodox women is indeed feasible. Still, it remains a challenging endeavor because besides being first-generation students subject to religious constraints, Haredi students are insufficiently prepared in mathematics and English before arriving at the campus, which requires that they participate in an intensive pre-academic preparatory program. The analysis of results showed differences between ultra-orthodox and secular students in their motivation for study, sources of information about suitable education institutions, balancing work and family life priorities, financial need for scholarships, and career path, which is directed toward finding a job in the high-tech industry rather than continuing after graduation to pursue a Master-level degree.

“Maybe what happened is actually OK?” Child sexual abuse by authority figures in the ultra-orthodox community in Israel: Survivors' perceptions of their relationships with the perpetrator

BackgroundChild sexual abuse (CSA) by authority figures in a religious community (AFRCs) has been studied extensively among the Catholic clergy, and to a limited extent among Orthodox Jewish communities in the United States and Australia. However, less attention has been devoted to the phenomenon within the Israeli context. ObjectiveThis article examines the perceptions of survivors within the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel of their relationships with authority figures in the community who sexually abused them. Methods21 in-depth interviews were conducted with men who were abused by authority figures within ultra-Orthodox institutions, which were analyzed based on a thematic approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006). ResultsThe results indicated that in childhood, almost none of the participants recognized that they were sexually abused. Their relationships with the authority figures were instead perceived as one of four variations: (1) normative-educative; (2) mutual; (3) an episode in a hypersexual routine; or (4) abusive punitive. Perceptions later shifted, mostly in adulthood, towards a recognition of the sexual abuse and its personal consequences. ConclusionsThe findings stress the importance of contextual factors (such as perceptions of sexuality, community structures, and cultural norms) in how ultra-Orthodox children experience abuse by authority figures in the community and its aftermath, with implications for successful prevention and intervention efforts.

"A Little Bit of Light Dispels a Lot of Darkness": Online Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse by Authority Figures in the Ultraorthodox Jewish Community in Israel.

Social media sites such as Facebook have become popular platforms for promoting public awareness of sexual abuse by encouraging user engagement around this issue. There is, therefore, currently emerging research on the functions and implications of social media as a platform for sexual abuse disclosure. However, as yet, no study has examined this phenomenon specifically through a religious-cultural lens. This study explores perceptions of, barriers to, and motives underlying online disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) by religious authority figures (RAFs) in ultraorthodox Jewish society in Israel. The data were gleaned from the popular Facebook page of a nonprofit devoted to raising awareness of CSA in the ultraorthodox community. The analysis was based on admins' posts, anonymous and nonanonymous survivors' shares, users' comments, and in-depth interviews of eight page users. The findings suggest a culture-oriented model of online CSA disclosure (OCSAD), identifying four primary factors (safety, benefit, relevance, and legitimacy) that, weighed against cultural barriers, influence the decision to engage in online CSA disclosure. This context-informed understanding highlights the importance of social media as an alternative platform for CSA disclosure in an isolated but changing cultural arena such as the ultraorthodox community in Israel. The theoretical model is of international interest for its conceptualization of the unique characteristics and perceptions of OCSAD within religious-cultural contexts.

The Experience of Mothers from the Israeli Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Sector after Disclosure of Their Child’s Sexual Abuse as Manifested in Drawings and Narratives

ABSTRACT Child sexual abuse is present in all strata of Israeli society. However, there is scant research on the emotional experiences of non-abusing mothers after disclosure. In particular, no studies have examined the experiences of these mothers from the Jewish Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel. The current study analyzed the drawings and short narratives of 21 Israeli Ultra-Orthodox mothers to explore the effects of the disclosure of their child’s sexual abuse. A phenomenological approach was used to analyze the drawings and yielded four different phenomena: (1) squiggles that represented distress, (2) the mother-child relationship, (3) pseudo-sweet houses, and (4) split drawings. The drawings were either colorful, sweet or shallow, or alternatively were in black and white. As confirmed by the narratives, these drawings primarily expressed the negative emotions of shock, sadness, distress, guilt, and failure as mothers. While some mothers reported breaking down and that pain had permeated their daily lives others coped by dissociating the painful experience, putting up a façade of normalcy, or splitting their lives into two parts corresponding to before and after the disclosure.

“Torn between Two Worlds”: Practitioners’ Perceptions of Children in Situations of High Intensity Parental Dispute in the Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Community in Israel

Exposure to high intensity parental dispute (HIPD) can have harsh consequences for children both in childhood and adulthood. Most of the research on children and HIPD has been conducted in Western societies. Guided by context-informed perspective, the present study was designed to learn about the lives of children in HIPD situations within the Jewish Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, in which one of the parents has disaffiliated with the community, as perceived by frontline practitioners who intervene with the children and their families in this context. Nine semi-structured interviews with social workers with extensive experience in such cases and 25 written reports authored by social workers were analyzed. The thematic analysis highlighted the impact of the clash between the Ultra-Orthodox world and the secular world on the lives of the children. The findings also underlined the challenges facing social workers in assessing these children’s most urgent needs given the various risks they face, including spiritual risk. The discussion points to an urgent need for further theoretical advancements regarding HIPD and children in other non-Western contexts and the crucial role of context-informed research in understanding this multifaceted phenomenon, which should greatly impact both decision making and intervention. The study’s conclusions indicate the importance of incorporating the findings into policy and practice in order to more effectively adapt interventions for children to situations of HIPD in closed societies.

Law, Value and Norm: The Constitution of a Culture-Bound Ethical Dilemma in Social Work in the Ultra-Orthodox Community

Abstract Multi-cultural encounters pose challenges and ethical dilemmas for social workers. A common form of dilemma in these settings stems from the clash between the ethical requirement of cultural sensitivity and contradictory ethical principles. This article presents qualitative findings from an exploratory study of social workers (n = 30) working with Jewish Ultra-Orthodox families and children who are at risk in Israel. Our exploration was guided by the following research question: What are the constructions, perceptions, beliefs and meanings associated with the dilemmas social workers face while working with the Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel around issues of child well-being, risk and protection? A thematic analysis of 30 in-depth interviews yielded three themes of dilemma: the collectivist nature of the Ultra-Orthodox community, religion and spirituality and gender and sexuality. Further analysis of the findings revealed a typology of three elements that constitute a culture-bound dilemma: laws, values and norms. This article, which also addresses limitations and recommendations for future research, suggests how the understanding of what components make up a specific dilemma can aid social workers in managing the dilemma and may require a different course of action.

Earthquake preparedness among religious minority groups: the case of the Jewish ultra-Orthodox society in Israel

Abstract. To work effectively, emergency management systems that deal with earthquake threats must consider the needs of religious minority groups. Studies regarding earthquake preparedness among marginalized social–cultural groups can highlight ways to improve it. Recently, some research has focused on the effect of religion on earthquake preparedness. However, very few studies have connected the two and examined earthquake preparedness among religious groups that are also a social–cultural minority in relation to the authorities. This study examines the effects of religious beliefs and customs on earthquake preparedness among the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, a significant religious minority with unique social, cultural, and economic characteristics. Data were obtained using mixed methods including a survey, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. Results demonstrated that the majority of the community had a low level of hazard knowledge and a high level of disbelief that a devastating earthquake would occur in their area in the near future. This is despite a long-documented history of earthquakes that devastated the Levant and, in particular, dwelling locations for this community. Low exposure to media, insularity of educational institutions, and suspicion toward state authorities were shown to hinder preparedness, while strong social capital improved it. This research is unique for it studies a religious group that is also a cultural minority, which, therefore, requires special adaptations. Some of the recommended adaptations include receiving support from religious leaders, publishing preparation guidelines in proper settings, working with civilian organizations that are seen as legitimate by the religious communities, and adapting technologies and information to be religiously appropriate. To conclude, this research offers a perspective on the complex reality of hazard preparedness in a religiously diverse country. The conclusions are applicable to other countries and natural hazards.

“I was scared, like never in my life”: Children’s perspectives of nonfamilial sexual abuse within the Jewish ultraorthodox community in Israel.

“I was scared, like never in my life”: Children’s perspectives of nonfamilial sexual abuse within the Jewish ultraorthodox community in Israel.

High intensity parental dispute in the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community in Israel: Perspectives of social workers and disaffiliated parents

• Most studies on HIPD have been conducted in Western societies, with a focus on the nuclear family. • The ultra-Orthodox is extremely instructive for understanding HIPD in closed communities. • Community leaders and institutions play a key role of in the dispute and escalation process. • The findings highlight the need to promote knowledge, awareness, and skills among social workers. The present study discusses the role of the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community in high intensity parental disputes (HIPD) in cases of divorce following one parent’s disaffiliation from the community. In the ultra-Orthodox community, a parent who disaffiliates might encounter harsh sanctions, including excommunication, often resulting in divorce and loss of child custody. Based on a qualitative, context-informed perspective, we explored the role of the ultra-Orthodox community and its leaders in HIPD cases from the perspectives of social workers and disaffiliated divorced parents. We conducted nine semi-structured in-depth interviews with social workers specialized in HIPD, reviewed 25 reports by twelve social workers likewise specialized in HIPD, and conducted 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews with disaffiliated divorced parents. The interviews and reports were thematically analyzed and triangulated, yielding three main themes: (1) the active role of the community; (2) the children as instrumental in the community’s active role; and (3) challenges for social work. The discussion sheds light on the community’s role in the dispute escalation process. It also highlights the importance of promoting awareness, knowledge, and skills among social workers for intervening in such complex situations, given the clash between the need to collaborate with community leaders and their often-counterproductive role in HIPD.

Patriarchal norms, practices and changing gendered power relations - narratives of Ultra-Orthodox women in Israel

The Ultra-Orthodox community in Israel is undergoing massive changes, and these changes are clearly impacting the status of women, the different types of goals women set for themselves, and the myriad of ways in which they act towards achieving them. In this article, we examine these changes, focusing on how these women formulate and reformulate articulations of domestic femininity in ways that do not challenge the ‘Orthodox Ideal’ in the fundamental sense. We argue that the focus on these reformulations adds an additional and understudied arena – that of the household – in which to examine innovative representations of agency of women belonging to conservative religious groups. Our position thus contributes to a wider understanding of how religious women express agency while adhering to an overall religious patriarchal structure. Based on a series of group interviews with Ultra-Orthodox women, this article investigates the ways in which these women narrated their experiences within the changing gendered structures and spaces of Ultra-Orthodox society. By focusing on an analysis of women’s agency in the context of changing patriarchal practices, this article contributes towards an understanding of the role of women in promoting change within religiously conservative communities. The analysis highlights the ways in which women traverse and constitute boundaries between the domestic and the public, and how they narrate gender relations within their community and their own households.

Attachment style and prolonged singlehood in the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel

The present study investigates the relationship between attachment style and prolonged singlehood in the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel. As in many religious and collectivistic communities, great value is attached to the institution of marriage while singlehood is perceived as an unwanted phenomenon and inflicts suffering on ultra-Orthodox singles and on their families. Two hundred and fifty-nine singles, women and men, who define themselves as ultra-Orthodox responded to an online questionnaire about “Experiences in Close Relationships” and a personal details questionnaire. The dependent variable of the singlehood period was defined by three values: (1) “number of years of singlehood” (N = 259), (2) “number of years of dating” (N = 249), and (3) “number of partners dated” (N = 239). The end of the singlehood period by marriage was defined functionally as the engagement of the participant. Data was subjected to a Cox proportional hazards survival analysis. Results generally showed that avoidant and anxious attachment styles were negatively correlated with the odds of getting married. Results are discussed in the context of attachment theory and the capability of compromising during the process of match-making.

Mediatizing the Holy Community—Ultra-Orthodoxy Negotiation and Presentation on Public Social-Media

In recent years, media theorists stress macroscopic relations between digital communications and religion, through the framing of mediatization theory. In these discussions, media is conceptualized as a social institution, which influences religious establishments and discourse. Mediatization scholars have emphasized the transmission of meanings and outreach to individuals, and the religious-social shaping of technology. Less attention has been devoted to the mediatization of the religious community and identity. Accordingly, we asked how members of bounded religious communities negotiate and perform their identity via public social media. This study focuses on public performances of the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, rhetorically and symbolically expressed in groups operating over WhatsApp, a mobile instant messaging and social media platform. While a systematic study of instant messaging has yet to be conducted on insular-religious communities, this study draws upon an extensive exploration of over 2000 posts and 20 interviews conducted between 2016–2019. The findings uncover how, through mediatization, members work towards reconstructing the holy community online, yet renegotiate enclave boundaries. The findings illuminate a democratizing impact of mediatization as growing masses of ultra-Orthodox participants are given a voice, restructure power relations and modify fundamentalist proclivities towards this-worldly activity, to influence society beyond the enclave’s online and offline boundaries.