Jerusalem Manufacturers Association chairman Moti Teperberg said yesterday that haredi (ultra-Orthodox) employment in Jerusalem industry was on the rise. The majority of employees in 42 enterprises in Jerusalem are haredim. Haredi employment in Jerusalem has tripled over the past three years to 1,400.
Teperberg, the general manager of Efrat Winery, called on the government to budget money for training haredi workers to work in Jerusalem industry. Half of Jerusalem enterprises employ haredim. Most Jerusalem haredi employees in industry are programmers in high-tech enterprises.
Haredi industrial workers constitute 2-10% of the workforce in the enterprises employing them. 220 enterprises have a workforce with 10-50% haredim, and 270 enterprises employ no haredim at all. Some enterprises have had to provide special conditions for haredim, such as glatt kosher food and prayer facilities.
Teperberg added that the haredim in Jerusalem industry were a “high-quality and available workforce.” In recent months, special programs for training haredim for advanced industry in Jerusalem have begun operating. For the first time in Israel, eight courses have opened in haredi institutions, with 100 trainees. Teperberg called on the government to finance more such courses.
41.7% of the Jerusalem haredi labor force is employed in the city.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on January 21, 2004