ultra-Orthodox Jewish Research Articles

Forming an Affiliation Between Two Culturally Different Academic Institutions of Nursing Studies.

IntroductionThis article describes the association of two culturally different institutions opening a joint Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program for ultra-Orthodox Jewish (Haredi) women in order to enable them to find jobs due to changes in their society and increasing global demand for nurses in the labor market. The objective of this description is to illustrate the efforts and changes needed to facilitate the affiliation of two culturally and ideologically different organizations and the implications and conclusions of such a program.MethodsThe study is based on interviews with past administrators, a review of the literature, and supporting institution documents.ConclusionsA joint nursing academic program was founded by two culturally different educational institutions for the ultra-Orthodox Jewish women population. Creating a culturally sensitive nursing academic program helped ultra-Orthodox women acquire an academic profession which enabled their integration into the academic professional's work world and add more nurses to the labor market.The authors reviewed the efforts and changes needed to facilitate the affiliation of two culturally and ideologically different organizations based on the Bolman and Deal four frames model.

Barriers and facilitators of health behavior engagement in ultra-Orthodox Jewish women in Israel

Abstract Background The ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) community is a primarily low socio-economic, culturally insular minority sub-sect in Israel. Compared with the general population, UOJ women report higher rates of diabetes and overweight, lower physical activity rates, and have lower breast cancer survival rates. Research in this sub-sect is limited. Identifying the facilitators and barriers to health behavior engagement would facilitate public health intervention design in this population. Methods This study describes UOJ women’s barriers and facilitators to engagement in targeted health behaviors (i.e. health nutrition, physical activity), identified through mixed methods analysis. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of interviews (N = 5), focus groups (5, including 35 women), and questionnaires (N = 239) identified barriers to engaging in preventive health behaviors and intervention preferences. Results Most of the barriers identified (financial and time limitations, personal preferences, lack of education/awareness, and family-related obstacles) are similar to those reported by women from the general population. Cultural aspects such as women’s role in the home, religious restrictions, and modesty were also identified as barriers to health behavior engagement, comparable to women from other insular communities. Conclusions Utilizing a mixed methods approach in identifying barriers and facilitators informed intervention development and improved cultural tailoring, potentially serving as a model for intervention design with additional UOJ communities as well as other difficult to access, low socio-economic, culturally insular populations. Key messages This is the first study identifying facilitators and barriers to UOJ women’s health behavior engagement. Findings can inform intervention design in difficult to access, culturally insular populations.

Ideological-Spiritual Fulfillment of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Employment Women

The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (hereinafter: UOJ) society, as a faith-based community, is a traditional Jewish society based on the principles of Torah and Jewish law. Traditionally, the objective of wo...

Hidden Figures: Are Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Women Really so Different When it Comes to Health Care?

Incorporating the needs of at-risk populations into national health care initiatives is essential. Israel has identified ultra-Orthodox Jewish, or Haredi, women, as at risk of increased morbidity and mortality, yet actual data on this insular community are lacking. We reviewed published research on Israeli Haredi women's health status, behaviors and health care access and examined methodologies. Of 273 articles identified, 14 publications and four government reports were included. More research is needed on this community, essential not only to Israeli health care policy, but to that of the USA and the UK, who share the largest percentages of Haredi Jews.

Offline: The possible effects of Internet-related behavior on work values, expectations, & behavior among Ultra-Orthodox millennials

ABSTRACTThis work examines differences in the work-related values, expectations, and behaviors between millennials who are significant users of technology and social media, and those who are not. We delineate the development of millennial behavior using a unique group of millennials, those in the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (known as “Haredi”) community in Israel. Due to religious and community norms, many Haredi millennials were shielded from digital technology, and particularly the Internet and the various technologies associated with it, such as text messaging and social media. Those who were raised and remained in Haredi communities did not encounter the Internet with any regularity as children. Many as adults are still unfamiliar with social media. Thus, this community presents a unique natural experiment, comparing Haredi millennials who are immersed in social media with those who are not.

“All Glorious is the Princess within Her Chamber”: Ideological-spiritual fulfillment of Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jewish women in the changing employment environment

ABSTRACTThe ultra-Orthodox Jewish (hereinafter: UOJ) society, as a faith-based community, is a traditional Jewish society based on the principles of Torah and Jewish law. Traditionally, the objective of women’s employment is to financially support their husbands’ Torah study. In recent years, however, there have been many changes and the fields of work have expanded, so that many UOJ women have acquired academic or professional education in new fields that were previously uncommon among this unique society. Women’s desire for self-fulfillment, professionalism, and work has become a main source of self-expression, beyond the fulfillment of the traditional roles of UOJ women. In the current study, 203 UOJ women in Israel answered a questionnaire comprised of occupational, familial, and ideological-spiritual fulfillment items. Findings indicate the existence of positive correlations among ideological-spiritual fulfillment, self-expression, job satisfaction, family size, age, and occupational experience. In addition, study findings indicate a complex picture in UOJ women’s lives – the preservation of tradition alongside change. On the one hand, the findings reflect some stability in UOJ women’s ideological-spiritual principles; yet on the other, they also reflect several changes, especially in relation to job satisfaction and self-expression. These findings are discussed both in practical and theoretical contexts.

Correlates of depression in caregivers of Ultra-Orthodox frail older adults.

Depression is the most frequent negative health outcome among informal caregivers. The aims of the current study were (a) to assess the level of depression, (b) to explore associations among care recipients' characteristics, caregivers' characteristics, situational factors, and depression among Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) caregivers. A total of 112 (44 men and 68 women) UOJ primary caregivers of frail older adults were interviewed face-to-face in their homes, using valid and reliable measures. Participants reported a notable depressive symptomatology. Three variables emerged as significant predictors of caregiver depression: higher external control (chance), being a spouse, and lower levels of social support. External locus of control, being a spouse, and social support were found to be highly important factors for explaining depression among UOJ caregivers. Resources should be allocated to target spousal caregivers with lower levels of social support and a greater sense of external locus of control in order to alleviate their depressive symptomatology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-efficacy, Challenge, Threat and Motivation in Virtual and Blended Courses on Multicultural Campuses

Aim/Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the sense of challenge and threat, negative feelings, self-efficacy, and motivation among students in a virtual and a blended course on multicultural campuses and to see how to afford every student an equal opportunity to succeed in academic studies. Background: Most academic campuses in Israel are multicultural, with a diverse student body. The campuses strive to provide students from all sectors, regardless of nationality, religion, etc., the possibility of enjoying academic studies and completing them successfully. Methodology: This is a mixed-method study with a sample of 484 students belonging to three sectors: general Jewish, ultra-orthodox Jewish, and Arab. Contribution: This study’s findings might help faculty on multicultural campuses to advance all students and enable them equal opportunity to succeed in academic studies. Findings: Significant sectorial differences were found for the sense of challenge and threat, negative feelings, and motivation. We found that the sense of challenge and level of motivation among Arab students was higher than among the ultra-orthodox Jewish students, which, in turn, was higher than among the general Jewish student population. On the other hand, we found that the perception of threat and negative feelings among Arab students were higher than for the other two sectors for both the virtual and the blended course. Recommendations for Practitioners: Significant feedback might lessen the sense of threat and the negative feelings and be a meaningful factor for the students to persevere in the course. Intellectual, emotional, and differential feedback is recommended. Not relating to students’ difficulties might lead to a sense of alienation, a lack of belonging, or inability to cope with the tasks at hand and dropout from the course, or even from studies altogether. A good interaction between lecturer and student can change any sense of incompetence or helplessness to one of self-efficacy and the ability to interact with one’s surroundings. Recommendations for Researchers: Lecturers can reduce the sense of threat and negative feelings and increase a student’s motivation by making their presence felt on the course website, using the forums to manage discussions with students, and enabling and encouraging discussion among the students. Impact on Society: The integration of virtual learning environments into the learning process might lead to the fulfilment of an educational vision in which autonomous learners realize their personal potential. Hence they must be given tasks requiring the application of high learning skills without compromise, but rather with differential treatment of students in order to reduce negative feelings and the sense of threat, and to reduce the transactional distance. Future Research: Further studies should examine the causes of negative feelings among students participating in virtual and blended courses on multicultural campuses and how these feelings can be handled.

Coordinated Daily Activity Pattern Type in an Applied Activity-Based Travel Model System: Specifics of Modeling Large Households and Modality Preferences

This paper describes a modified approach to modeling an individual daily activity-travel pattern (DAP) coordinated at the household level. The model was primarily introduced to handle large households that are typical for the city of Jerusalem. However, the developed method proved useful in adding more behavioral aspects to the model. The study introduced daily modality and added the emphasis on modeling it for all household members simultaneously. It is of special practical value for Jerusalem since such population sectors as ultra-Orthodox Jewish and Arabs are characterized by a large share of persons who have an entire day of travel implemented in a non-motorized fashion. In addition to daily modality, this paper presents a simple but useful approach to understand at-home time-use. A binary choice model was formulated for the main reason of being inactive (working-at-home or other). The paper also discusses possible extensions of the current approach as well as alternative approaches to frame DAP type choice in the context of a complete activity-based travel model (ABM). In particular, this model can be easily extended in order to better address the joint nature of the choices using the Gibbs sampler. The paper discusses how DAP type choice can be framed in many ways and with different levels of detail subject to the ultimate model system design.

Future Orientation in Cultural Transition: Acculturation Strategies of Youth From Three Minority Groups in Israel.

Using adolescents' narratives and survey data presented in earlier studies, we draw upon Berry's model of four acculturation strategies () to examine adolescents' narratives regarding the future orientation domains of education-and-career and marriage-and-family (Seginer, ) by three groups of nonimmigrant minority adolescents in Israel: Muslim, Druze, and ultra-Orthodox Jewish. The narratives of adolescents from the three communities studied here illustrate modified assimilation for education-and-career and separation for marriage-and-family, indicating both cultural transition and continuity. Quantitative analyses mapped domain-specific links from education-and-career and marriage-and-family to adolescents' academic achievement.

Legitimizing public schooling and innovative education policies in strict religious communities: the story of the new Haredi public education stream in Israel

The study explored how a group of private Haredi (ultra-Orthodox Jewish) schools legitimized an innovative non-mandatory reform. Specifically, it examined the circumstances that facilitated and hindered a coincidence of wants between the schools and the Ministry of Education, which resulted in signing agreements that changed the status of the schools from private to public. The study drew on interviews and on various documents, including contracts, summaries of meetings, and work plans. The conclusions portray the correspondence between the top-down and bottom-up processes that facilitated the reform. At their intersection, discursive interactions transpired between the Haredi inspectors at the Ministry of Education and school leaders, reflecting a mutual aspiration toward pragmatic legitimacy. The prominent barriers to the reform derived from the Ministry of Education’s strategic assumption that a quiet, unregulated reform would generate less resistance. However, this assumption led to actions that ultimately reduced the effectiveness of the discursive interactions and their ability to produce pragmatic legitimacy. We argue that to legitimize innovative non-mandatory educational reforms in strict religious groups, the State should speak in several voices: through discursive interactions led by cultural mediators, but also through official publications, regulations, and marketing campaigns that would strengthen the reform’s pragmatic legitimacy.

A Culturally Tailored Intervention for Promoting Breast Cancer Screening Among Women From Faith-Based Communities in Israel: A Randomized Controlled Study

Lower rates of screening for early detection of cancer were reported among ethnic minorities and faith-based communities. The purpose of the article is to assess the effect of a culturally based intervention program intended to increase breast cancer screening adherence among two groups in Israel: ultra-Orthodox Jewish and Arab women. Using a randomized controlled study design, 598 participants completed the 3-month follow-up questionnaire regarding adherence to screening and perceived effect of intervention. Results show that having a lower level of religious beliefs and gaining a better understanding of the importance of screenings were significant predictors of performing breast awareness practice (BAP) and undergoing clinical breast examination (CBE) in both groups. We conclude that interventions should be specifically tailored to cultural groups to reduce barriers stemming from unique beliefs and perceptions, which prevent individuals in these groups from undergoing screening. Special efforts should be made to increase CBE among young women.

The Place of Culture and Religion in Patterns of Disclosure and Reporting Sexual Abuse of Males: A Case Study of Ultra Orthodox Male Victims

ABSTRACTThis article deals with reporting patterns of sexual abuse in males in a religious-cultural context through a case study of ultra-Orthodox Jewish (Haredi) men who were young victims of sexual abuse. The study is based on in-depth interviews with 40 Haredi men. The results indicate that sexual abuse involving ultra-Orthodox boys was and is underreported. Moreover, the results indicate that even when such incidents were reported, the avenues for disclosure were parents, educational-religious figures, and friends. It was also found that silencing in matters related to sexuality, viewing sexual abuse in boys as a serious sin and taboo, and encouraging blind obedience—all of which characterize Haredi society—were factors in the underreporting. The results also show a strong tendency to cover up incidents of sexual abuse on an individual level, on a family level, and at the community level. The findings indicate a linkage between the religious and cultural background of male victims of sexual abuse and their reporting patterns.

Profile and burden of care among caregivers of Ultra-Orthodox Frail Elders

ABSTRACTObjective: A paucity of research exists on burden of care (BoC) and factors associated with it among minority groups, such as Ultra-Orthodox Jews. The aims of this study were (1) to portray the profile of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) caregivers and their BoC; (2) to explore relations between care recipients' characteristics, care situations, characteristics of caregivers, and BoC.Methods: A total of 107 UOJ (66 women, 41 men) family caregivers were interviewed face to face in their homes, using valid and reliable measures.Results: Participants reported moderate BoC and high level of social support. Caregiver's self-rated health, caregiver's anxiety, and social support emerged as significant predictors of caregiver burden.Conclusions: Our findings might help social workers and other health professionals to better understand the unique characteristics of the UOJ community and to target caregivers with higher anxiety, lesser social support, and poorer self-rated health in order to reduce their caregiving burden.

Social Workers' Attempts to Navigate Among the Elderly, Their Families, and Foreign Home Care Workers in the Haredi Community.

The study's aim is to examine social workers' experience in facilitating the integration of foreign home care workers (FHCWs) into the ultraorthodox Jewish (UOJ) community for the purpose of treating older adults. Using the qualitative-phenomenological approach, semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 social workers in daily contact with UOJ older adult clients in the process of integrating FHCWs. Data analysis revealed three central themes-integrating FHCWs into the aging UOJ family: barriers and challenges in the interaction between the two worlds; "even the rabbi has a FHCW": changing trends in caring for older adults; and the social worker as mediator and facilitator of a successful relationship. Social workers play a central role, serving as a cultural bridge in the process of integrating FHCWs, as a way of addressing the needs of ultraorthodox elderly and their families, while also considering the needs of the foreign workers.

Recalling an Attachment Event Moderates Distress after Ostracism

Ostracism is known to cause psychological distress. Studies have indicated that immediate distress is resistant to individual differences and situational factors, but delayed reactions are more sensitive to moderation. Because attachment orientation is inextricably tied to rejection and inclusion, we hypothesized that attachment orientation would moderate both immediate and delayed ostracism effects and that recalling an attachment event compatible with a person's attachment internal working model would moderate the distress of a laboratory ostracism experience. In two experiments, 158 individualistic (secular Jewish) and 190 collectivistic (ultra–Orthodox Jewish) participants played Cyberball with two other ostensible in–group players. Distress was measured immediately after the game and 30 minutes later. The results show that less anxious and more avoidant individualistic but not collectivistic participants were less distressed by ostracism. After the delay, recall of an attachment event compatible with the participants‘ internal working model eliminated distress in both individualistic and collectivistic ostracized participants as measured on the needs satisfaction scale. Among individualistic participants, avoidants, who are known to avoid meaningful attachments, were less distressed by ostracism; anxious participants, who seek proximity, were more distressed. Recalling a compatible attachment event may be a mechanism that reduces individuals‘ perceptions of threats to their fundamental needs. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology

Battered women in Orthodox communities in Israel: Social support, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and coping styles

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to assess the association between family and social support, posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms, and coping styles among ultra-Orthodox Jewish battered women (BW) who chose to flee to a shelter. In all, 88 women took part in the study. Positive correlations were found between appealing to friends, shelter staff, professionals, or neighbors for help in stressful situations and the use of problem-focused coping. Positive correlations were also found between appealing to professionals for help in stressful situations and PTS symptoms and routine functioning difficulties. In addition, a positive correlation was found between PTS symptoms and emotion-focused coping. The findings indicate the resemblance between BW in Jewish ultra-Orthodox society and BW in Western society in general.

Same Education, Different Treatment

In this study we examine employment discrimination against ultra-Orthodox Jewish (Haredi) academic graduates in Israel. During the last decade, attitudes towards higher education and employment within ultra-Orthodox communities in Israel have shifted dramatically, with a growing number of graduates seeking to integrate into the general workforce. During the years 2002-2012, the number of ultra-Orthodox students grew by 1000% and this growth trend is still ongoing. Using questionnaires and interviews, we followed the entire job search process of 492 graduates of the same college, half of them belonging to the ultra-Orthodox community and the other half belonging to the general group. We found that although ultra-Orthodox candidates took longer to find a job, received fewer responses from potential employers, and received fewer invitations for job interviews, they experienced a similar level of job acceptance after being interviewed. We argue that personal interaction between employers and candidates can overcome initial negative biases. Policies encouraging direct communication between minorities/immigrants and the general population may thus have positive influence on the job search process. The conclusions of this study may be applied to other minority groups who share the same language with the general population such as second generation immigrants or other ethnic minorities.

Differences in Travel Behavior across Population Sectors in Jerusalem, Israel

The population of Jerusalem, Israel, can be divided into three distinct ethnic sectors: secular Jewish, ultra-Orthodox Jewish, and Arab. Not only do these population sectors tend to inhabit and work in different areas of the city, but they each have unique household structures, activity patterns, mobility tendencies, and, ultimately, travel behavior. These substantial variations in behavior, largely driven by differences in culture and lifestyle that are not captured by other personal characteristics, are essential to representing travel behavior in the Jerusalem travel model. In this paper, sector differences were traced through the activity-based travel demand model framework by using the 2010 Jerusalem Household Travel Survey. Significant variations in behavior were seen both in direct relation to the population sector and in interactions with other socioeconomic and demographic characteristics such as income and gender. This is the first known travel demand model in practice to incorporate ethnic differences so extensively in its application.

The centrality of guilt: working with ultra-orthodox Jewish patients in Israel.

The ultra-orthodox Jewish (Haredi) community in Israel is characterized by strict observance of the requirements of orthodox Jewish life. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy within this community brings us into contact with guilt as a central emotion throughout the therapeutic process. The exposure to new concepts, ways of thought and a previously unknown space, together with increased awareness of internal wishes and drives, are experienced as forbidden areas that arouse an awakening of conscience and a sense of guilt. The author's cases illustrate these conflicts.