Among the different sectors of Israeli women, Hareidi women have the highest percentage of women in the workforce, according to a Ynet report.
In 2000, 48% of Hareidi women were in the workforce, while in 2013, that number rose to 75.7% of Hareidi women. For the general population, 64.4% of women were in the workforce in 2000, and rose to 73.85% in 2013.
In 2014, the current data shows that in the general population, 75.3% of women will participate in the workforce, but in the Hareidi sector that number jumps even higher to 79.5%.
These numbers are a little tricky though, as it includes women on maternity leave.
In 2009, Hareidi women averaged 6.5 children per family, down from 7.5 children in 2003, before the government began the process of slashing child subsidies.
The slashing of government child subsidies is one of the primary reasons for the dramatic rise of working Hareidi women, as well as the more recent cutting of Kollel funding for men.
Hareidi women also prefer take on jobs in the public sector, as well as part-time jobs that provide more flexible hours. So while a higher percentage of Hareidi women are in the workforce for their sector, their salaries are typically less than those of the general population.
Of course, at the end of each day, when they finish bringing home the bacon, with an average of 6.5 children per family, that’s when the really hard work begins – at home.
