Communications of the ACM
Why Are Haredi Women Majoring in Computer Science?
Women comprised 69% of Haredi students in higher education in 2022-23.
Credit: Noam Revkin-Fenton
The Israel Democracy Institute's yearbook on the Haredi sector, which reviews changes in various fields in ultra-Orthodox society, sheds light on Haredi women in higher education and in efforts to join the workforce.
A statistic that emerges from this study is that 15% of Haredi female students are studying computer science (compared to 13.5% among non-Haredi female students). The number of Haredi men studying computer science among all Haredi students (19%) is significantly lower than the number of non-Haredi Jewish students (28.5%).
Gilad Malach, Editor of the Haredi society's yearbook, explains the data: "The Haredi society is a 'studying society,' that directs its sons to focus on learning Torah, and this has led to a dramatic change in the role of women in this society. If a few decades ago they were employed as teachers — today, in order to support the household, they have to work in high-quality positions, in many cases in professions in the field of technology."
Curricula in Haredi high schools for girls have changed as a result. "Many Haredi women prefer to undergo technological training in a full academic track, generally on a Haredi campus, resulting in a situation where the percentage of women studying computer science is even higher than non-Haredi women," Malach says.
From Israel Hayom
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