ultra-Orthodox Community Research Articles

Women’s centrality of life domains: the Israeli case

PurposeThis article aims to provide an examination of the impact of Jewish religious tradition on attitudes toward life domains among Jewish Israeli women. This is the first study of importance of life-domains among women in the ultra-Orthodox community: the fastest growing population in Israel. This population exhibits a unique occupational pattern in which women are the primary economic actors. As women are transitioning into more central occupational and economic players throughout the world, this research has both theoretical and practical implications.Design/methodology/approachIn total, 567 employed Jewish Israeli women (309 secular, 138 traditional and 120 ultra-Orthodox) completed a survey about relative importance of life domains. Responses were analyzed via mean-comparison tests, ANOVA and regression analysis.FindingsSurprisingly, religiosity was associated with higher lower work centrality. Work centrality was the highest among ultra-Orthodox women, and family centrality the lowest. Centrality of religion increased and centrality of leisure decreased with religiosity. No differences emerged regarding centrality of community.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of this study is that attitudes toward life domains are based on one-time responses to one question. With that, the psychometric characteristics of the measure and its wide-spread use indicate its acceptability and applicability for the issue studied.Practical implicationsThe data point to changes in the attitudes of ultra-Orthodox women toward life-domains. Those changes and the increased presence of these women at the workplace challenge both organizational and community leaders to reexamine how to best react to and benefit from the above.Social implicationsUltra-orthodox society is a fundamentalist, enclave society that has, generally, been able to retain traditional internal social and familial patterns until now. However, increased exposure of community members – and particularly women – to a variety of organizations and individuals operating in them, may be contributing to changes in attitudes of those women regarding their traditional social and familial roles.Originality/valueThis study closes gaps in research examining the impact of religion and of gender on work attitudes. It does so among women in the fastest growing population of Israel, that exhibit a unique occupational pattern that can contribute to both theoreticians and policy planners regarding implications of the transition of women to more central economic roles.

Degrees of Separation: Identity Formation While Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism by Schneur Zalman Newfield, and: Hidden Heretics: Jewish Doubt in the Digital Age by Ayala Fader

Reviewed by: Degrees of Separation: Identity Formation While Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism by Schneur Zalman Newfield, and: Hidden Heretics: Jewish Doubt in the Digital Age by Ayala Fader Michal Raucher (bio) Schneur Zalman Newfield, Degrees of Separation: Identity Formation While Leaving Ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2020. 228 pp. Hardcover $99.50, paperback $34.95, eBook $34.95. ISBN: 9781439918951, 9781439918968, 9781439918975. Ayala Fader, Hidden Heretics: Jewish Doubt in the Digital Age. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2020. 288 pp. Hardcover $29.95, paperback $19.95. ISBN: 9780691169903, 9780691234489. In the Spring of 2020, Netflix released UnOrthodox, the dramatic retelling of Deborah Feldman's exit from Hasidic Brooklyn. In a matter of weeks, Esty, played by Shira Haas (who has been nominated for a Golden Globe for this role), left her family, her home, her religious observance, her wig, and her clothing as she became an ostensibly secular woman in Berlin. This version of Feldman's story obfuscates the years that she spent trying to live within a religious context, despite her misgivings, and as such, the Netflix version reinforces a popular image of leaving a religious community as both abrupt and final. In two recent books, Ayala Fader and Schneur Zalman Newfield present meticulous social science research that complicates the dominant understandings about those who leave ultra-Orthodox Judaism. Fader and Newfield present nuanced characterizations of their research subjects and about the many ways people struggle with their religious identity. Degrees of Separation draws on interviews with 74 Hasidic ultra-Orthodox Jews who have left their religious communities. Newfield uses the term "exiters," or often refers to his research subjects by the religious affiliation of their youth: Lubavitch or Satmar. These terms reflect Newfield's broader claims about exiting as a process that is ongoing and religious identity as being constantly renegotiated. He writes, "Exiting is an ongoing process of becoming" (4). Elsewhere he refers to exiting as "residing in a liminal state for a prolonged period of time" (30). In Hidden Heretics, Fader presents an ethnographic account of 24 "double lifers," those who practice ultra-Orthodoxy in public (and at home) but violate commandments in secret due to their doubt about the veracity of the religious claims that underlie them. Fader focuses on individuals who have experienced "life changing doubt" but remain significantly tied to their ultra-Orthodox community. These individuals refer to themselves as "hidden heretics," which leads to the title of [End Page 99] Fader's book and reflects their own attempts to keep their double lives secret from their families and their communities (2). Taken together, Newfield and Fader demonstrate that religious identity is not a clear category that can be easily discarded. While one might be tempted to see these two books as existing along a continuum of leaving a religious community, Fader and Newfield reject any classification that indicates an evolution among their research subjects toward secularization. Fader explains that for those in her book, "there were more incremental changes over the years, a process of making ethical compromises … but ultimately remaining in their ultra-Orthodox communities" (14). Fader brilliantly traces how double-lifers are simultaneously engaged with the ultra-Orthodox and secular worlds. First, a young man or woman (often a man, married with a few young children) might begin to question some of the tenets of their religious faith. With access to the internet through a smartphone or a computer, that individual can find the Jewish blogosphere. Fader explains that, beginning in 2002–2003, the Jblogosphere "gave anonymous public voice to a range of private, interior life-changing doubt" (32). These blogs are produced by other hidden heretics who use familiar language and concepts while producing an ultra-Orthodox counterpublic, ultimately threatening rabbinic authority offline. Someone experiencing doubt may comment on these blogs and eventually move over to private Facebook or Whatsapp groups. Hiding behind profile pictures that obscure their true identities but indicate a shift away from ultra-Orthodox norms of facial hair or hair covering, an individual experiencing life-changing doubt may ultimately begin meeting others who share their concerns. Fader's rich ethnographic research allows readers to see how these individuals gather with each other at a...

Psychosocial Approaches and Discursive Gaps in Intersex Healthcare

Abstract Background In the past several decades, conflicting discourses have coexisted in the field of intersex studies, including the pathologizing discourse of the biomedical disciplines and the affirmative, subjective psychosocial discourse of people born with intersex bodies and their advocates. Intersex activists call for a positive discourse and a humanistic healthcare approach that accepts and protects intersex bodily autonomy and change the continuing harmful, traumatic treatments aimed at normalizing variations of sex characteristics (VSC). Methods We created a collaborative German-Israeli action study, in with 30 health care professionals, intersex activists and scholars from Israel and Germany, were gathered to learn different perspectives on intersexuality, interact and work together on projects aim to improve the care for intersex people and families. Results The participants created different collaborative projects, including “intersex workshops” for caregivers and professionals in Israel and Germany; unique materials for raising an awareness, e.g., booklets on intersex bodies with a positive and affirmative approach and language and an article for health care within the ultraorthodox Jewish community; parents' groups and implementation of programs that aim to build bridges between biomedical professionals, caregivers, parents, and intersex people in Israel and Germany. Conclusions The participants increased their knowledge and awareness of and sensitivity to intersex issues, and implemented these in their daily work and practices. The participants acknowledged the differences between the countries, especially in relation to the heightened Israeli use of assisted reproductive technology, which effect on the treatment practices, early genetic diagnosis and the preventive medical attitude. In Germany, more activism for intersex human rights and significant laws which regulate the medical treatment practices.

Pediatric Burns Unique Characteristics Among Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Minority-Retrospective Study.

Burn injuries are a significant cause of morbidity among children. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish children are at higher risk for burn injuries. The goal of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics of moderate to severe burns in this population in comparison to the general population in Israel. This retrospective cohort study included all pediatric patients 0 to 18 years of age admitted with burn injuries from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2018. Data were collected regarding demography, etiology, and clinical characteristics. Of 778 burns injuries presented to our tertiary center, 385 (49.5%) were hospitalized. Of those 212 (55%) were non-ultra-Orthodox Jews, 135 (35%) were ultra-Orthodox Jews, and 38 (10%) were non-Jewish patients. The total body surface area percentage (TBSA%) of scald-type burns was larger in ultra-Orthodox compared to non-ultra-Orthodox children (median TBSA% of 7% vs 5%, respectively, P < .05). Among the ultra-Orthodox group, the median TBSA% during weekdays was 6%, and for weekends, the TBSA% was 7.5% (P < .05). Females demonstrated the greatest diversity between subgroups. On weekends, ultra-Orthodox female's median TBSA% was 10%, and non-ultra-Orthodox female's TBSA% was 4.5% (P < .05). Ultra-Orthodox children and especially girls had a significantly higher median TBSA% than non-ultra-Orthodox children for burns occurring during weekends. This may be the result of the unique cultural norms of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, in particular, their lifestyle and observation of the Sabbath. These findings provide a focus for better intervention and prevention of pediatric burns among this unique population.

A prolonged, nationwide measles outbreak despite very high vaccination coverage in Israel, 2018-19

. A major, prolonged measles outbreak occurred in Israel during 2018-19, despite vaccination coverage rates of 97% and 96% for the first and second doses, respectively, of measles containing vaccine (MCV). . To study the causes and patterns of the outbreak through analysis of the epidemiological data, review the control measures taken, and identify lessons learned and efforts needed to prevent recurrences. . All reported cases of measles in Israel from 1 March 2018 through 30 September 2019 were analysed using the epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and demographic data that are systematically reported to the Division of Epidemiology of the Ministry of Health. . A total of 4,311 measles cases were reported. 75% of case patients were children and 25% were adults. Pockets of undervaccination and delayed vaccination were identified: 72.6% of measles patients whose vaccination histories were known had not received any doses of MCV. Case importation was also a key factor, with a majority being adults coming from European countries and over half from Ukraine, a major locus of measles cases during the recent measles resurgence in Europe. Control measures were implemented at the local, district, and national levels. . Similarities were noted between the 2018-19 outbreak and the prior one in 2007-08, principally pockets of undervaccination in the Jewish ultra-orthodox community, and case importation. Efforts to improve timeliness and coverage in pockets of undervaccination, and compliance with travel immunization guidelines, will be continued.

“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.

Perceptions among diabetic patients in the ultra-orthodox Jewish community regarding medication adherence: a qualitative study

BackgroundPromoting a healthy lifestyle and achieving strict adherence to medical treatment among patients with diabetes are key objectives in public health. Yet health behaviors are often culturally driven, especially in closed religious communities. This study seeks to reveal key cultural-religious factors, attitudes and behaviors characterizing the lifestyle in one such closed community—the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community—by understanding the attitudes of ultra-Orthodox patients with diabetes toward coping with their illness and the factors impacting their adherence to medicinal treatment.MethodQualitative interviews were conducted with 16 ultra-Orthodox patients with diabetes using a semi-structured, in-depth questionnaire.ResultsThree main themes emerged: 1) “The disease as a secret”: Hiding the disease among patients with diabetes in ultra-Orthodox society; 2) “Distinguishing between sacred and secular occasions”: ultra-Orthodox diabetes patients distinguish between treatment adherence on weekdays and treatment adherence on holidays or special occasions; 3) “Ask the rabbi”: In cases of dilemmas that involved conflicts between halakhic rulings and doctors’ instructions, the rabbi’s decision was usually the final one.ConclusionsThe findings of this study may help provide an in-depth understanding of the obstacles and motives of ultra-Orthodox patients in adhering to medicinal treatment of diabetes in particular and to medicinal treatment in general, thus helping family physicians who treat this population provide optimal and appropriate treatment.

"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.

"God, why?": The Experience of Mothers from the Israeli Ultra-Orthodox Sector after their Child's Disclosure of Sexual Abuse.

Studies dealing with the experiences of non-offending mothers from the general population and minority groups after their child's disclosure of sexual abuse are scarce, and studies on mothers from the Jewish ultra-Orthodox community are non-existent. This study takes an initial step in filling this gap by exploring how the normalization of sexual abuse shapes these mothers' experiences. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted on a sample of 21 mothers from the ultra-Orthodox sector whose children had been sexually abused. It consisted of in-depth, semi-structured interviews of the mothers followed by a drawing task on their experience. The analysis of the interviews yielded four central themes: the role of social stigmatization and religion on the mother's ability to share her child's abuse; the effect of the disclosure on the mothers' mental state and maternal competency; the mothers' ongoing experience in the shadow of this unprocessed/unresolved trauma; and the mothers' coping strategies, including acceptance, faith, and meaning making. The findings highlight the influence of the tension between the need to adhere to religious norms and preserve the social fabric and the need to enhance mothers' and children's well-being.

The smartphone and its punishment: Social distancing of cellular transgressors in ultra-Orthodox Jewish society, from 2G to the Corona pandemic

Over the past 20 years, the leaders of Israel's ultra-Orthodox (haredi) community carried out an intensive campaign against the diffusion of mobile phones in their enclave society. It included a variety of resistance strategies that escalated in parallel to the consistent increase in mobile phone penetration into the community. If at first the “cellphone danger” was contained by the successful “kosherphone,” a new threat appeared in the form of the smartphone. In this article we explore the severe rabbinic sanctions directed against those who deviate from the communal norm by using a smartphone. We analyze the general “lawfare” strategy of social distancing they adopted, and offer a close reading of the specific religious-law decrees, interpreting them through the historical and legal lens of halakhah (Jewish law). This socio-legal analysis constructs the way haredi leadership understands the role of the smartphone in two contexts. One is the rapidly changing contemporary media environment; the other is the social dynamic affecting this island community, as it encounters the surrounding national and global culture through digital media. The article concludes with a preliminary analysis of the implications of the Corona pandemic on the campaign against the smartphone.

Clinicians' Views on the Need for Cultural Adaptation of Intervention for Children with ADHD from the Ultraorthodox Community.

Culture is a core context within occupational therapy, with a recent literature emphasizing the importance of cultural competence, as well as culturally sensitive assessment and intervention. The recent literature has indicated the efficacy of the Cognitive-Functional intervention (Cog-Fun) for children with ADHD among the general Israeli population, yet no studies to date have examined the necessity of cultural adaptations for minority groups. The current study examines the necessity of adapting the intervention protocol and process to the Ultraorthodox (UO) population, as perceived by occupational therapists. The study included 28 occupational therapists certified to use the Cog-Fun intervention, who reported using this approach with UO children. Participants responded to an online questionnaire developed for this study, regarding characteristics of the UO population and necessary adaptions to the Cog-Fun intervention process and protocol. Findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis. Results of the study point to the necessity of addressing various features of the UO community, including daily routines and habits, cultural values, knowledge regarding ADHD, and accessibility of information. Participants also reported a need to adapt the graphic content of the intervention materials. The qualitative data expanded on the perceptions of the participants through four main themes: (a) knowledge regarding ADHD diagnosis and intervention; (b) perceptions and attitudes regarding ADHD diagnosis and medication; (c) factors affecting communication between the OT, parents, and teachers; and (d) adapting the intervention protocol to habits, routines, and lifestyle of UO families. This study has direct implications for therapists utilizing the Cog-Fun with UO children and may also provide insights relevant to occupational therapists using other treatment approaches with children from this culture, as well as other minority or traditional groups. Furthermore, this study may serve as an important addition to the limited literature describing cultural adaptations of evidence-based interventions.

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.

Utilizing the ACCESS Model to Understand Communication With the Ultraorthodox Community in Beit Shemesh During the First Wave of COVID-19.

IntroductionThe coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately negatively affected the ultraorthodox in Israel. Their unique characteristics and slow adoption of preventative health guidelines resulted in a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. To lower these rates, health and government authority figures employed methods to change the ultraorthodox community health behaviors.MethodologyThis study utilizes the ACCESS model for transcultural nursing to analyze the response by authorities to high infection rates in the large ultraorthodox community in city of Beit Shemesh during the first wave of the outbreak (through early May).ResultsThe authorities employed all model components to varying degrees and found moderate success in changing health behaviors of the ultraorthodox.DiscussionEmploying the ACCESS model as a response to the health care crisis among the ultraorthodox community in Beit Shemesh led to some success in increased compliance, thus lowering morbidity rates. However, not establishing strong respect and rapport hindered the process.

Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy by Chaim Waxman

Reviewed by: Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy by Chaim Waxman David Ellenson Chaim Waxman . Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy . Liverpool : Littman Library of Jewish Civilization , 2017 . vi + 226 pp. doi:10.1017/S0364009420000604 In 1967, the famed sociologist Peter Berger declared that "secularization has resulted in a widespread collapse of the plausibility of traditional religious definitions of reality." 1 Almost five decades later, in 2014, Berger was moved to conclude that this observation was simply wrong. He candidly admitted, [End Page 198] "So-called secularization theory was mistaken in the assumption that modernity necessarily leads to a decline in religion." 2 In his later work, Berger argued that the pluralism and fragmentation that marked the modern social condition led to the resurgence of traditional religion and a renewed quest for spiritual expression and meaning in the modern context. This development serves as a decisive backdrop for understanding the substance and importance of Social Change and Halakhic Evolution in American Orthodoxy by Chaim Waxman. Waxman, who (along with Samuel Heilman) is the foremost contemporary sociological commentator on the state of Orthodox Judaism, writes as the paradigmatic "insider-outsider" in all his writings on Orthodox Judaism in the contemporary setting. In this volume, he draws brilliantly on this lifetime of scholarship to illuminate the history and character of Orthodox Judaism in America in a time of religious revival. His framework is self-consciously "sociological rather than ideological or religious-legal" (3). He emphasizes throughout his book that Orthodox Judaism cannot be understood apart from the contours of the sociological and historical contexts in which Orthodox Jews and their institutions find themselves. Waxman's portrait of American Orthodox Judaism shows what distinguishes Orthodox Jews and Judaism from non-Orthodox Jews and Judaism in this nation while highlighting the breadth and diversity of American Orthodox Judaism itself. At the very outset of this volume, Waxman employs the familiar categories of "Modern Orthodox" and "ultra-Orthodox" as "ideal-types" for comprehending the nature of Orthodox Judaism both past and present in America. While each group displays a commitment to halakhic observance, the birthrates of each group, their economic success in American society, and their attitudes toward a whole host of social and cultural issues demonstrate the diversity of Orthodox opinions and practices. Waxman illuminates what distinguishes all circles of American Orthodox Jews from the non-Orthodox by highlighting their demographic, political, and cultural-religious differences. He points out that in the New York area, the birthrate in the ultra-Orthodox community is twelve times that of the non-Orthodox world and that Modern Orthodox Jews have more than double the birthrate of Reform and Conservative Jews nationwide. Politically, the Orthodox world is much more heavily Republican than the non-Orthodox one, and it fails to support the traditional wall of separation between religion and state that is championed by a majority of American Jews. While Orthodox Jews have an average income lower than non-Orthodox Jews, Waxman reports that there are proportionately a larger number of households with annual incomes of more than $150,000 in the Modern Orthodox community than exist in the non-Orthodox Jewish world. This affluence among the Modern Orthodox, combined with bloc-voting among the ultra-Orthodox that assures patronage and grants from state and local governments, play key roles in sustaining ever-burgeoning Orthodox institutions and schools. Waxman pays careful attention to history by pointing out how the immigration of Rabbi Aharon Kotler to the United States in 1941 and his establishment of [End Page 199] the ultra-Orthodox Lakewood Yeshiva, along with the arrival of 140,000 Hungarian ultra-Orthodox Jews on these shores in the aftermath of the Holocaust, combined with the current-day economic and political developments mentioned above to strengthen all sectors of American Orthodox Judaism. The result of these demographic, cultural, religious, and economic factors is that Jewish day school education has become standard among the overwhelming number of Orthodox Jews in America, whether Modern or ultra-Orthodox. Orthodox Jews, unlike most of their non-Orthodox counterparts, therefore currently inhabit what can be described anthropologically as a "thick Jewish culture." The phenomenon of "nonobservant Orthodox Jews"—who belong...

Low pH Hypromellose (Taffix) nasal powder spray could reduce SARS-CoV-2 infection rate post mass-gathering event at a highly endemic community: an observational prospective open label user survey

ABSTRACT Objectives: Bney Brak city tops Israel’s COVID-19 infection rate and mortality. Before the Jewish New Year (two-day gathering) SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity rates were 17.6% and reached 28.1% two weeks later Taffix – an innovative nasal powder creates a protective gel over the nasal mucosa blocking viruses from infecting nasal cells, was tested for efficacy in preventing SARS CoV2 infection. Methods: In a prospective users survey, 243 members of an ultra-orthodox community that participated in two days prayers were followed for 14 days following this ‘superspread’ event. Eighty-three used Taffix throughout holiday’s prayers and the following two weeks (ITT). Eighty-one used it regularly (PP). Two used it rarely if at all. The remaining 160 did not use Taffix. Results: After 14 days, 0/81 (0%) of (PP) Tafffix users, 2/83 (2.4%) of (ITT) Taffix users and 16/160 (10%) nonusers were infected. Odds ratio for infection among Taffix users was 0.22, a reduction of 78% (95%CI 1%–95%). No side effects reported. Conclusion: Taffix could be an additional tool against COVID19 spread, in addition to recommended safety measures. This is the first time that a prevention measure of SARS-CoV-2, beyond the use of masks, has proved effective.

Public Attitudes Toward Institutional Child Sexual Abuse in Israel: The Case of Malka Leifer

This study examined Israeli public perceptions of institutional child sexual abuse (CSA) in the Malka Leifer case. Leifer is a Jewish ultra-Orthodox former Melbourne school principal who is wanted in Australia on CSA charges, after fleeing to Israel. Based on a qualitative analysis of 2,451 reader comments retrieved from four Israeli news websites and six public Facebook pages, the findings indicated diverse attitudes toward the alleged perpetrator, the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community, state authorities, and victims. All parties involved were criticized, but less so the victims. Criticisms included sociopolitical and gender stereotypes, and demonic attributions. Positive comments were directed at all involved, even the alleged perpetrator, and especially the victims. The results demonstrate the need to better understand CSA portrayals in cyberspace, as they affect both public and policymaker attitudes, and the importance of fighting prejudicial discourse about the ultra-Orthodox community, especially in light of its changing attitudes regarding CSA.

The relationship between education levels, lifestyle, and religion regarding the prevalence of myopia in Israel

BackgroundThe ultra-Orthodox Jewish community has a unique lifestyle including minimal outdoor activity and intense, prolonged nearby work, beginning at a very young age. Their prevalence of myopia is extremely high. This paper provides a unique insight into the attitudes of this community towards myopia.MethodsUltra-Orthodox Jewish parents of children who came to the pediatric ophthalmology clinic in one tertiary care and two community centers in ultra-Orthodox-oriented cities were given a questionnaire. Demographic information, along with myopia prevalence in the family, was gathered. In addition, their attitudes and common knowledge regarding myopia were investigated.Results161 questioners were collected, mostly completed by mothers (n = 110, 68%). The average number of children per family was 6 (range 1–16). In 148 families (92%) at least one of the parents has myopia. The average parent refraction was − 4.5 diopters (range − 0.5 to 15 diopters). Out of 935 children, 410 (44%) wore glasses. Twelve parents (7%) believe that myopia is a disease and 94 (58%) reported that they are concerned because their child wears glasses. Twenty-four (15%) believe that glasses are a sign of a high education level. Regarding treating myopia progression, 144 (89%) think that myopia progression should be treated, but only 36 (22%) are aware of the available treatments for it.ConclusionThis study examines an insular community with a very high incidence of myopia. In this community most parents think that myopia progression should be treated but most of them are unaware of the currently available treatments.

“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.

COVID-19 Amongst the Ultra-Orthodox Population in Israel: An Inside Look into the Causes of the High Morbidity Rates.

The current paper focuses on the circumstances that have led to the high COVID-19 infection rates amongst the ultra-Orthodox population in Israel. The current study utilizes a qualitative design and is based on in-depth interviews, email correspondence and online records of 25 ultra-Orthodox individuals who either tested positive for COVID-19 or had contact with a verified COVID-19 patient. The data were analyzed through identification of main themes and an interpretation of their meanings. The findings showed that a wide range of causes led to the high infection rate, including aspects that derive from a structural element, a religious element and a social-ideological element—all of which are directly or indirectly connected to religion. These findings demonstrate the central role of religion in health outcomes among the ultra-Orthodox community in general and during pandemics in particular, and they shed light on the central role of religion in health outcomes among closed-religious communities. The findings further reveal the importance of cooperation between the state authorities and the religious ones, and of providing culturally adapted health service solutions in the fight against COVID-19 and promoting health more generally. Study limitations are discussed and recommendations for future research are provided.

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.