The Jewish world in the age of coronavirus – A special Israel Hayom project
Part XV: Has the media turned the ultra-Orthodox community into scapegoats?
Perhaps no other Jewish community has been affected more by the coronavirus pandemic than the ultra-Orthodox. The number of those infected has stood out compared to the vast majority of other sectors, in Israel and beyond.
On top of that, the Haredim's way of life and its societal structures have been put to the test in every possible way: from social distancing and remote Torah study to revamped prayer services and scaled-down funerals and mourning. It has all been upended.
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The prevailing approach in the Haredi world has traditionally been that of seclusion. But the pandemic has forced this community to make an about-face, resulting in the de facto end to this phenomenon.
"During the first wave, the consequences of the virus led to the collapse of the system that had Haredim live in a modern world even as they reject modernity," Avishay Ben Haim, a Channel 13 News analyst and commentator on Haredi affairs, said.
"On the one hand, leading rabbinical figures said Torah study can continue as normal because 'things will be fine,' but on the other hand Bnei Brak [a Haredi-majority city] saw high infection rates. The walls of integration collapsed, coupled with security forces and media crews descending on Haredi neighborhoods because the Haredi world was seen as a 'troubled child' who had to be helped."
In practice, the very concept of disengaging the Israeli ethos, modernity and technology unraveled. "The feeling is that this is the time for doctors and scientists to shine in the Haredi world, with everyone looking at them, whereas the yeshiva students have been sidelined and the centralized control of the rabbis has been turned on its head," he added.
Ben Haim noted that Haredi society made sure to change course during the second wave of the virus in Israel. "When the school year resumed after the Sukkot holiday, the conventional wisdom was that the Haredi neighborhoods would become red zones because of infections, but that did not happen." According to Ben Haim, it was clear that their attitude changed. This was attributed to divine providence and reinforced their over-arching approach that rejects integration.
Minister of Diaspora Affairs Omer Yankelevich offered a different interpretation. "I think the main difference between the first and second waves was not just how Haredim saw themselves but also how the state treated them. Despite Haredi-bashing being a hot trend, you cannot ignore the fact that the state [during the first wave] did not properly address their unique needs as a community."
Yankelevich was referring to the crowded living conditions in many Haredi communities and households, which increase transmission risk, as well as the fact Haredim often choose not to have TVs and internet, making it virtually impossible to follow the latest guidelines.
"Such conditions require an approach that is tailored to that specific sector, and that is why I worked, together with the prime minister and alternate prime minister to properly address their needs. We made sure they would get proper facilities to increase housing and reduce the burden on families and launched an information campaign in outlets that enjoys popularity with Haredim, using the language they understand."
"You can't say that the Haredim did not change their mindset between the two waves, that would be divorced from what we see on the ground. As soon as the state's attitude [towards them] changed and it started tailoring its response to them, their mind set changed as well," she added, noting that she toured many Haredi communities over the past several months.
She further explained that this was noticeable from the top down, saying:. "We saw a clear change in the social distancing and awareness, as well as in the preparedness."
She lamented the attacks on Haredim in the mainstream media, stressing that many ultra-Orthodox abided by the rules perhaps even more so than in other communities. "In many cases, the media has used the Haredim as a punching bag that inflamed the antagonism toward them. Now that the Haredi communities have changed their ways, our goal is to heal the wounds this created [between secular in ultra-Orthodox Israelis.]
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