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The Haredi population makes up approximately 14% of Israel’s total population. Haredi society is characterized by a particularly observant lifestyle and close-knit community life, maintained separately from the broader society. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the existence of risk situations among Haredi adolescents and young adults in Israel. Many young Haredi individuals drop out of school due to difficulties meeting the religious demands or unsuitability for religious studies. This dropout is seen as a deviation from community norms, leading to social alienation. Consequently, some of those who drop out resort to substance abuse, engage in delinquency, and sever family ties.
Welfare authorities provide services to help these youths return to school, rebuild family connections, and reintegrate into the community. The aim of this study is to examine the welfare services offered to at-risk Haredi youth and to identify the challenges in adapting these services to the needs of this population.
Methods
The study uses mixed-methods design, combining qualitative and quantitative research. The qualitative component involved 25 interviews with professionals working with at-risk Haredi youth, as well as 19 interviews with Haredi young adults aged 18–25 (13 men and 6 women) who had received welfare services during adolescence. The quantitative component involved an on-line survey conducted among welfare service professionals working in welfare services (n = 214).
The interview data was coded and thematically analyzed using Atlas.ti 9 software, while the survey data was analyzed with SPSS using descriptive statistics and suitable tests (e.g., t-tests) to compare different groups.
Results
Both the interviews and the survey reveal challenges in providing effective welfare services to Haredi youth. First, accessing these services often leads to negative labeling within Haredi communities. This stigma causes many families to avoid seeking assistance. Additionally, religious leaders and educators are often suspicious of welfare services and advise parents against using them. Furthermore, many parents refuse to send their children to programs they fear may lead them away from a Haredi lifestyle, thus preventing them from receiving necessary support.
Services not specifically tailored to the needs of Haredi clients—such as youth probation programs—face unique challenges. Non-Orthodox professionals often struggle to build trust and communicate in culturally sensitive ways. Many Haredi clients perceive these therapists as less attuned to their cultural context, hindering early treatment communication. Topics considered taboo in Haredi society, such as sexuality, are especially challenging to address. In addition, Haredi youth frequently find it difficult to engage in programs with non-Haredi peers.
Conclusions and Implications
The challenges identified in this study stem from the Haredi community’s unique cultural characteristics and an incomplete adaptation of current welfare services. To address these issues, the study recommends implementing targeted cultural competence training, recruiting additional Haredi professionals, and fostering robust partnerships with community leaders. These measures aim to bridge the cultural gap and enhance service effectiveness. Overall, this research establishes Haredi youth welfare as a paradigmatic case, offering critical insights for developing culturally tailored approaches in social work.