I just finished creating a report on the status of education in Israel which you will find on my Political and Economics page. I invite you to make comments on this report.
In Israel men and women appear to be treated equally because of the equal representation in the military, and past female leadership, however this is not always the case. Because religion is such an ingrained part of Israeli society the roles of men and women are centered around their roles in the temple. “Jewish religion seems to firmly place women into a predetermined role as a home-maker” (Reich, 2009). For example, when reading the Torah, only men are allowed up to read. The women don’t get to participate in things like this. My best friend happens to be Jewish and is now living in Israel, so I have had my fair share of experiences in her temple here in the United States. I have seen her read from the Torah numerous times in front of the whole congregation. To me it is shocking that women would not be able to read from the Torah in Israel, when they are permitted to do so in America. It is proof that the inequality in Israel is not only due to religion, but also to a very different society. Many things have changed for Israel in the past century. There have been female rulers, and laws have been passed to narrow the gap between men and women. However it doesn’t seem to be working. Although women are the majority in higher education, they are severely underrepresented in high paying positions. The women who are in the work force have an experience that is anything but equal. “The average gap between a man’s salary and a woman’s salary in Israel is 20 percent” (Gender Equity and the Role of Women in Israeli Society , 2011). This is infuriating to me because the number of women who are qualified for these jobs is so much higher than the number of men, so if everything was fair and equal, then statistically there should be more women than men in these positions. Just thinking about the injustice my friend will have to face makes me sick. It is very hard for me to grasp the inequality that exists for women in Israel because both men and women are required to serve in the military after high school. “Israel is the only country in the world which has compulsory military conscription for women as well as men” (Reich, 2009). In fact, this month my friend will be given her post to report to. “Although women are conscripted into the army, the roles that most serve during the period of their military service are clerical and secretarial duties” (Reich, 2009). This is comforting to me as a friend because the thought of my five foot best friend fighting on the front lines for a country that seems to have more enemies than friends is terrifying. However as a woman it is more discouraging than ever. It’s like they took one huge step forward only to take another step back. For a country not to see people equally in the eyes of the military or the workforce for no reason is appalling. If they see women in the same position as men-good enough to defend their country-then why can’t women be given equal salaries and the same positions. Women in the workforce not only have smaller salaries than that of men in the same position, they also face discrimination. Although women make up the majority of students earning their doctorate, the percentage of women in these positions is extremely small. In fact, “Women made up 25 percent of senior faculty in Israeli universities” (Gender Equity and the Role of Women in Israeli Society , 2011). This indicates that women hit a point when they do not advance any higher in the work force, not because they are not qualified, but because they are women. The women who cannot find a job or who marry young are expected to take care of the home. Traditionally the men go to study the Torah, and the women take care of the children. This Torah study doesn’t bring in a lot of money, so ironically in recent years with a less stable economy women in these situations have had to seek employment outside the home and they become the financial supporters of the family. Citations:
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