How Would Opening the Workforce Earlier Economically Benefit Both Charedim and the State?
The artificial delay placed on Charedi men entering the workforce—due to army exemption laws—doesn’t just hurt the individual. It harms the economy of the entire State.
Let’s be clear: when thousands of capable, intelligent, motivated Jews are legally barred from working until age 26, both their communities and the country lose out on years of productivity, growth, and opportunity.
A Missed Economic Engine
Contrary to the stereotype, Charedim are not unskilled or incapable. Many possess strong analytic thinking, entrepreneurial energy, and a desire to provide for their families in a dignified way. Delaying their entry into the workforce stifles their ability to:
- Begin careers at an age where they can still grow into senior roles
- Gain access to higher education or vocational training early enough
- Start businesses, contribute to tax revenue, and support others
A 2022 study by the Israel Democracy Institute estimated that every percentage-point increase in Charedi men’s employment could generate billions of shekels in long-term GDP impact over time. But that growth is frozen by age-based army exemption laws that choke the pipeline.
Earlier Entry, Greater Stability
Families are also affected. The delay in workforce entry places immense strain on young couples trying to support growing families. Earlier employment opportunities would:
- Increase financial stability
- Reduce poverty rates
- Decrease reliance on government assistance
- Enable more young families to purchase homes, invest, and contribute to the economy
What Would Change If the Barrier Were Removed?
If the law were changed tomorrow and Charedim were allowed to freely enter the workforce at 18 without compromising their Torah values or army exemption status, we would see:
- A surge in enrollment in vocational programs and training
- A rise in new Charedi entrepreneurs, especially in tech, retail, and education
- More dual-income households with long-term financial independence
- Increased integration of Charedim into the broader economy—all without forced cultural assimilation
The Torah World and Work Can Coexist
The Charedi world has never claimed that no one should work. Rather, the ideal is that Torah learning comes first—and each person must honestly evaluate when and how to transition to a working lifestyle, in consultation with daas Torah.
In a healthy system, those who can learn should learn. Those who must work should be allowed to do so—without being punished for avoiding army service.
What the Gedolim Have Said
Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein shlit”a, a posek in Bnei Brak and son-in-law of Rav Elyashiv zt”l, explained:
“If a person can no longer sit in learning, and he has daas Torah guiding him, it is a mitzvah for him to support his family. But he must never be forced to choose between kedushah and parnasah.”¹
Rav Aharon Feldman shlit”a similarly noted:
“We are not against work. We are against uprooting yeshivos. The moment a person is no longer learning full-time, we help him find a kosher path to make a living.”²
The Bottom Line
The economic benefits of allowing Charedim to work earlier are obvious—higher GDP, lower poverty, stronger families, and a more unified society.
But more than that, it would show respect for Torah values. When the State stops fighting Torah, and starts working with the Torah world, everyone benefits—spiritually and financially.
Sources & Footnotes
- Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, in Aleinu L’Shabeach on Parshas Vayigash (regarding Torah and parnasah).
- Rav Aharon Feldman, address to Agudah Convention, 2017.
- Israel Democracy Institute, “Ultra-Orthodox Employment Report,” 2022.
- Central Bureau of Statistics, Israel Labor Force Data, 2023–2024.
- See also: Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro zt”l, Shaarei Shemuos, on the proper balance of Torah and work.