At the age of 24, Shlomi Margulis of Safed found himself at a crossroads. After years in a yeshiva, he felt it was time to move forward in life and acquire a profession that would combine physical work with an intellectual challenge. “I was looking for something that would suit someone like me from the ultra-Orthodox sector,” he says. The answer came in the form of the “Foundations” program – an innovative initiative that demonstrates how a population with unique cultural characteristics can be transformed to prevent significant growth in the Israeli economy.
“Because I come from an ultra-Orthodox background, I don’t have what a normal child has – math and other basic subjects,” explains Shlomi, who now lives in Jerusalem with roommates. “I needed a framework that would suit my level of learning, with friends who would start with me from scratch.”
So What’s in the Program?
The “Foundations” program is a collaboration between JDC-Tevet, the “Business” initiative, the Foundation for the Encouragement of the Construction Industry, and the Coalition for Haredi Employment, which aims to develop professional human capital from Haredi society for work in the construction industry. The program offers a holistic approach that combines culturally adapted professional training, alongside quality placement in the industry. Already during their studies, participants experience professional work in their field, in the program, and receive personal guidance from both the academic staff and employers.
“They know we’re starting from scratch, so they teach us everything from the beginning,” says Shlomi about the course for training certified electricians in which he participates. “Once a week we study math, and once a week electricity. The other days at the same time, we’re already working in the field and applying what we’ve learned. The course is supposed to be two years long.”
The program, which is planned to train at least 100 new candidates by 2025, is not just about professional training. It provides a comprehensive support package. “They really invest in us,” emphasizes Shlomi. “They support us and help us both personally and in general. They take care of us and ask if we need help, making sure everything is okay with work and studies.”
An Opportunity that Helps to Look Ahead
For Shlomi, who started his journey in the program about three months ago, this is an opportunity to build a promising professional future. “I want to be a good professional, and later know how to conduct myself properly as an independent,” he describes his aspirations. “The program gives me much more independence, self-discipline, and an understanding of life. These are lessons from which one grows.”
Shlomi’s story demonstrates how the “Foundations” program is successfully bridging the gap between the need for required professions in the economy and the potential inherent in the Haredi population. It is a tangible example of how culturally adapted solutions can be developed that serve both the needs of the economy and the needs of the population, while creating quality and sustainable employment opportunities.
The “Foundations” program is an example of some of the solutions and tools that the 360 program is implementing in the construction industry in Israel. The program, founded by JDC-Tevet, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Labor, the Innovation Authority and the Digital Division, also supports businesses with solutions to encourage increased productivity while improving the quality of employment for their employees.
