One in every 132 haredim over 65 in Israel has died from coronavirus

• Date: 29 December 2020
• Published date: 29 December 2020
• Author: SHIRA HANAU/JTA
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Now new data from the Israeli Ministry of Health shows that one in 132 haredi, or ultra-Orthodox, adults in Israel over age 65 has died from the coronavirus, compared with one in 475 adults over 65 among the general population, according to Israel Hayom. That puts the death toll among haredi adults over 65 at 3.6 times that of the general Israeli population.

Haredi families in Israel often live in cramped quarters, with large families in small apartments, allowing the virus to spread easily among family members. The communal nature of the haredi lifestyle has made their communities particularly susceptible to the virus, as has continued resistance to social distancing measures and lockdowns. Even as Israel has gone through several lockdowns, haredim have continued to come together for large weddings, funerals and other gatherings.

As the Israeli government has struggled to have the haredim comply with social distancing measures, haredi Israelis have flocked to get the vaccine.

"The response has been overwhelming," a medical official familiar...