The Central Bureau of Statistics published yesterday its survey regarding the living conditions of the population according to their degree of religiosity * 36% of the ultra-Orthodox live in a house without a breadwinner compared to 25% among the religious and 17% among the secular
Avi Blizovsky
In 2004, 81% of Israel's population aged 20 and over defined themselves as Jews, Muslims - 12%, Christians (Arabs and non-Arabs) - 3.5%, Druze - 1.5%, atheists - 1.5% and another 0.5% members of other religions.
Among the Jewish population, 8% defined themselves as ultra-orthodox, 9% as religious, 12% as traditional religious, 27% as traditional and 44% as secular.
Among the Arab population, 11% defined themselves as very religious, 49% as religious, 21% as not so religious and 18% as not religious.
Among the Muslims, they defined themselves as very religious - 11%, as religious - 57%, not so religious - 21% and not religious - 12%.
Among Arab Christians, they defined themselves as very religious - 7%, as religious - 26%, not so religious - 32% and not religious - 35%. Among the Druze, they defined themselves as very religious - 19%, as religious - 20%, not so religious - 13% and not religious - 48%.
Among non-Arab Christians (mainly immigrants from the former USSR), the majority defined themselves as non-religious - 58%, 32% as not so religious, 8% as religious and only 1.5% as very religious.
This is according to the social survey data of the Central Bureau of Statistics. The social survey is an ongoing annual survey that provides information on the living conditions of the adult population in Israel and their well-being and examines the perceptions of individuals in society regarding various aspects of their lives. The 2004 survey was conducted by the Central Bureau of Statistics in the months of January-December 2004. A total of 7,616 samples aged 20 and over participated in the survey, representing approximately 4.2 million Israelis of this age.
In the social survey in 2004, as well as in the social survey in 2002 and 2003, the degree of religiosity of the Israeli population was examined separately for Jews and members of other religions. The Jewish sample was asked, do they see themselves as: 1. ultra-Orthodox 2. religious 3. traditional religious 4. traditional not so religious 5. secular. The non-Jewish sample was asked, do they see themselves as: 1. very religious 2. religious 3. not so religious 4. not religious
Changes in the degree of religiosity between the years 2002 and 2004
According to the findings of the social survey, between the years 2002 and 2004 there were almost no changes in the distribution of the Arab population according to the degree of religiosity. On the other hand, among the Jews there was an increase in the relative share of ultra-orthodox and secular people in the entire adult Jewish population, and a decrease in the relative share of religious and traditionalists.
The percentage of the ultra-Orthodox increased between 2002 and 2004, from 6% to 8% of the entire Jewish population aged 20 and over, and the percentage of seculars increased from 42% to 44%.
Degree of religiosity by gender
Among the Jews, there are no noticeable differences in the degree of religiosity between men and women. Conversely, among members of other religions, women are characterized by a greater degree of religiosity compared to men: 16% of women define themselves as very religious, compared to 7% of men, and 10% of women define themselves as not religious, compared to 26% of men. More than half of Arab men define themselves as not so religious or not religious at all, compared to 29% of Arab women.
The degree of religiosity and the number of children up to the age of 18 in the household
Among the Jews, a decrease in the degree of religiosity is accompanied by an increase in the relative share of people living in a household with no children under the age of 18: 28% of the ultra-Orthodox live in households with no children under the age of 18, compared to 55% of the religious and 66% of the secular. The relative share of the ultra-Orthodox who live in households with 5 or more children up to the age of 18 is almost 10 times higher than the figure for the Jewish population as a whole (23%, compared to 2.4%)
Religiosity by origin
9% of Jews born in Israel define themselves as ultra-orthodox, compared to 5% of Jews born in Europe-America and Asia and 5% born in Africa. Most of those born in Europe-America define themselves as secular (56%), compared to 13% of those born in Africa, most of whom defined themselves as traditional.
Among Jews born in Israel whose ancestors were also born in Israel, 13% define themselves as ultra-orthodox and 51% as secular. The natives of the country of European-American origin stand out in a relatively high percentage of those who define themselves as secular: 63%, compared to 33% of the natives of the country of Asian origin and a quarter of the natives of the country of African origin.
The degree of religiosity of the immigrants from the 90s onwards is low compared to the degree of religiosity of Jews born in the country: only 7% of the immigrants define themselves as ultra-Orthodox or religious, compared to 18% of the natives of the country. 6% of the immigrants define themselves as religious traditionalists, compared to 11% of the native-born, and another 87% as non-religious or secular traditionalists, compared to 71% of the native-born.
The degree of religiosity according to the level of education
Jews who define themselves as secular are characterized by the highest percentage of those with an academic education (32%), compared to Jews who define themselves according to other categories of degree of religiosity. A relatively high percentage of those with an academic education is also found among religious people (28%), although among them there is also a relatively high percentage of people who did not study at all (6%).
30% of the ultra-Orthodox reported a yeshiva as the last place they studied in the past or currently study, compared to 5% of the religious.
employment status
Among Jewish men aged 20-65, the percentage of workers increases with the decrease in religiosity, the main difference being between ultra-orthodox men and other Jewish men. About a third of ultra-Orthodox men (32%) aged 20-65 work, compared to 66% of religious men and 73% of secular men.
Among Jewish women aged 20-65, a relatively low percentage of ultra-Orthodox women who work (45%, compared to 59% of all Jewish women), and ultra-Orthodox women who work full-time (25%, compared to 42% of all Jewish women).
main activity
In the main activity of the Jewish men, the most striking differences are between those who define themselves as ultra-Orthodox and those who define themselves differently: for 31% of the ultra-Orthodox men, work is their main activity, compared to 54-64% in other groups, the main activity of 57% of them is studies (compared to 3-10%), and 5% of ultra-Orthodox men are retired/sick or disabled adults, compared to 15-25% among Jewish men in other groups.
Among Jewish women, the differences between those who define work as their main activity are less pronounced than among men: from 40% among ultra-Orthodox women to 55% among secular women. Caring for home or family members is the main activity of 41% of ultra-Orthodox women and 10-17% of women who define themselves differently.
The number of breadwinners in a household
Among the Jews, the relatively high proportion of the ultra-Orthodox who live in households with no breadwinners (with income from work) stands out: 36%, compared to 25% among the religious and 17% among the secular, or who have only one breadwinner (44% compared to 29% of the population as a whole the Jewish).
Degree of religiosity and living conditions
Among the Jews, as the level of religiosity increases, so does the proportion of people who live in conditions of high density (two or more people per room). The main difference is between the ultra-Orthodox and other groups: 27% of the ultra-Orthodox live in conditions of high density, compared to 6% of the religious and 2% of the secular. Only 29% of the ultra-Orthodox live in households with at least one car, compared to 60-73% of the religious, traditional or secular. 26% of the secular live in households where a maid is employed, compared to 13% of the ultra-Orthodox.
The degree of religiosity and satisfaction in different areas of life
Among the Jews, the ultra-Orthodox are characterized by a high degree of satisfaction in most areas of life compared to other groups: 96% of them are satisfied with life (compared to 81%-89% among religious, traditional and secular), 62% believe that in recent years their lives will be better (46%-50% among members of other groups), 49% of
Haredim never feel lonely (compared to 29%-33% among members of other groups).
