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ultra-Orthodox Jews

Illustrative: Men arguing in Beit Shemesh, October 2013. (Yaakov Lederman/Flash 90)
Real estate Israel
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Israel's 1.45 million Haredi Jews are 14% of the population
Separate cities or shared space? Ministries at odds over huge Negev housing plan for Haredim
By Zev Stub
As the ultra-Orthodox population surges, plans for three major new cities in the south highlight a growing divide over integration, economics and the future of Haredi life
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men block a bus on Route 4, near Bnei Brak, during a demonstration against the arrest of draft evaders, on July 16, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
July 16, 2026, 10:04 pm
Ultra-Orthodox extremists block roads, clash with public over arrest of draft dodgers
Two arrested as roads in central Israel closed, public transport routes altered; video shows cyclist attacked by Haredi mob; thousands attend separate rally outside military prison
By ToI Staff
Haredi extremists protesting the arrest of a draft evader break into the backyard of the house of Military Police chief Brig. Gen. Yuval Yamin in Ashkelon, April 28, 2026. (Israel Police)
April 29, 2026, 6:15 pm
Rioters who broke into IDF police chief’s home charged with assault, trespassing
Charges also include property damage and unlawful assembly; Ashkelon court extends detention of 10 suspects who held anti-conscription protest in yard of top officer
By Sam Sokol
Illustrative: A Haredi school in the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Beitar Illit, August 27, 2014. (Nati Shohat/Flash90)
April 15, 2026, 12:56 am
Knesset finance panel approves nearly NIS 100m in additional funds for Haredi schools
Yesh Atid accuses ‘draft dodgers and the corrupt’ of prioritizing schools that don’t teach core curriculum, while ultra-Orthodox MK claims the community has the best schools
By Sam Sokol
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri attends a vote on the 2026 state budget in the Knesset, March 29, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
March 30, 2026, 7:14 pm
Opposition MKs voted to allocate NIS 800 million for Haredi schools. How did that happen?
Caught by a parliamentary ‘maneuver,’ lawmakers mistakenly supported a surprise reservation to the 2026 state budget massively boosting ultra-Orthodox education funds, sparking a harsh backlash
By Sam Sokol and Ariela Karmel
People look at the damage after a missile fired toward Israel overnight struck the Bedouin town of Zarzir, in northern Israel, March 13, 2026. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
March 18, 2026, 7:36 pm
Arab Israelis experiencing higher distress levels in war than Jews — study
Survey undertaken during current Iran war shows Arabs feel greatest losses in economic stability, social connections, emotional resilience, faith and hope
By Sue Surkes
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the National Health Command Center, March 9, 2026. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)
March 10, 2026, 11:44 pm
Cabinet okays $1.6 billion in coalition funds, including $715 million for ultra-Orthodox
Allocations approved for Haredi institutions, West Bank settlements and other coalition priorities; opposition politicians accuse government of funding draft evasion during wartime
By Sam Sokol
An ultra-Orthodox man casts his vote at the Safed Likud polling station on February 5, 2019 during the party's primaries. (David Cohen/Flash90)
February 26, 2026, 7:10 pm
Likud’s ultra-Orthodox wing accuses Haredi factions of seeking to take over party
In a letter to Netanyahu, Likud Haredim condemn what they describe as an ‘organized movement aimed at harming and weakening Likud and its leader’
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox children in their classroom at a Heder in Jerusalem, August 25, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
February 19, 2026, 1:08 am
State budget set to increase spending on Haredi education by NIS 1 billion
Ultra-Orthodox school networks associated with Shas and UTJ parties to receive hundreds of millions of taxpayer shekels despite not properly teaching core curriculum
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men clash with police, following an assault on two female Israeli soldiers in Bnei Brak, February 15, 2026. (Oren Ziv/Flash90)
February 15, 2026, 8:49 pm
Bnei Brak violence follows years of rabbinic incitement and anti-draft campaigns
Attack on two female soldiers occurs after hardline Jerusalem Faction sends out incorrect alert that they were attempting to deliver conscription orders
By Sam Sokol
Haredim protesting against military conscription stand by a bonfire on a street in Jerusalem, January 6, 2026. (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)
January 29, 2026, 1:24 pm
As Haredi protests spiral into perilous chaos, police are often nowhere to be found
Cops appear to be taking hands-off approach to unrest, allowing demonstrations to turn violent while employing excessive force once they do respond, souring already tense ties
By Sam Sokol
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men block a road and clash with police during a protest against the planned autopsy of babies who died in a daycare, in Jerusalem, January 20, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
January 20, 2026, 7:40 pm
High Court nixes autopsies of babies found dead at daycare as Haredim riot in protest
Elderly man assaulted as ultra-Orthodox rage against ‘desecration’ of infants who died at unlicensed Jerusalem daycare; teen protester blocking road is run over, moderately injured
By Stav Levaton and ToI Staff
Security and rescue forces seen near a bus that ran over Haredi protesters in Jerusalem on January 6, 2026, killing Yosef Eisenthal, 14 (right). (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90; Courtesy)
January 7, 2026, 11:43 am
Bus driver who ran over Haredi protester remanded on suspicion of negligent homicide
Driver’s lawyer says suspect felt his life was in danger as demonstrators massed around bus; 14-year-old killed, three injured in incident; minister blames anti-Haredi incitement
By Sam Sokol and Lazar Berman
MKs Limor Son Har-Melech (Otzma Yehudit) and Zvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism) at the first meeting of the newly established 'Knesset Caucus for the Renewal of Settlement in the Gaza Strip,' June 18, 2024. (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)
December 19, 2025, 12:40 am
Far-right MKs Har-Melech, Sukkot set to take over Knesset panels vacated by Shas
Health and education committees were left inactive since Shas quit its coalition posts in October, in protest of failure to pass Haredi draft exemption law
By Sam Sokol
Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox men attend a protest against mandatory military conscription, in Jerusalem, October 30, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 30, 2025, 7:22 pm
200,000 ultra-Orthodox men block entry to Jerusalem in protest against serving in IDF
20-year-old man falls to his death after scaling unfinished building in construction site; protesters attack journalists, clash with Border Police
By Charlie Summers, ToI Staff, Agencies and Emanuel Fabian
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men block a road during a protest against the jailing of yeshiva students who failed to comply with an army recruitment order in Jerusalem on August 7, 2025. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 27, 2025, 2:37 pm
Ultra-Orthodox plan massive anti-draft rally at entrance to Jerusalem on Thursday
Demonstration set to unite Haredi factions in protest of arrests of draft dodgers; 2 members of ruling Likud party weigh joining the event, while another voices opposition to it
By Sam Sokol
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