ISRAEL
A scheme by which Israeli ultra-orthodox men can join the Civilian Service Program instead of serving in the military has been found to have severe failings, including falling enlistment numbers and fictitious placements.
Even so, the Program remains a key part of efforts to increase the integration of the ultra-orthodox, known in Israel as Haredi, into the wider Israeli community.
The legislation was first introduced six years ago, yet for most of the years since targets have been dramatically missed.
In 2016, the target of 2,000 recruits was missed by 66 per cent; in 2015 it was missed by more than 50 per cent and in 2014 by almost 60 per cent.
No target was set for 2017.
Targets for Haredi enlistment in the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) have fared better.
In 2016 the target was 3,200 recruits and the total number who enlisted was 2,850, some 89 per cent of the target.
Surveys by the IDF showed that approximately 80 per cent of the participants in the Civilian Service Program volunteered in not-for profit organisations within the Haredi community, giving them almost no contact with non-Haredi populations.
Author of the report, Dr Asaf Malchi said it was not surprising that only 16 per cent of the graduates reported an improvement in their attitude towards the non–ultra-Orthodox population as a result of their service.
He said another cause of the low recruitment rate were the low monthly stipends paid to Civilian Service recruits, especially compared with what the IDF paid for a married man with children, which many of the Haredim recruits are.
As a remedy to these issues, Dr Malchi recommended that volunteering in the non-profit sector for Civilian Service be phased out.
Jerusalem, 15 May 2019
