Promoting a Culturally Adapted Policy to Deal with the COVID-19 Crisis in the Haredi Population in Israel.

Publisher: Springer International Publishing Country of Publication: Switzerland NLM ID: 101628476 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2196-8837 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 21968837 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Racial Ethn Health Disparities Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: [Cham] : Springer International Publishing

Judaism* ; COVID-19*; Humans ; Jews ; Israel/epidemiology ; Policy

COVID-19 has caused high morbidity and mortality in Israel but, as in other countries, not all groups were equally affected. Haredi Jews (often called ultra-Orthodox), a religious minority, were disproportionately harmed by the pandemic. This group has distinctive cultural, lifestyle, and demographic characteristics, which may be related to these higher COVID-19 rates and call for policies specifically adapted for this community. This paper describes in detail the steps the Israeli Ministry of Health (MoH) took to try to improve the quality of care and prevent morbidity in the Haredi population through working in cooperation with the leadership and members of the Haredi community and strengthening mutual trust in order to increase adherence to government regulations and recommendations. This case study is based on the unique perspective of the two people who worked in the Israeli MoH and led the initiative as well as a review of relevant government documents and statistics. It discusses to what extent the initiative seemed to have been successful and what lessons can be learned not only for Haredim but for other religious and/or minority groups and closed communities in Israel and elsewhere.
(© 2021. W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.)

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Keywords: Coronavirus; Haredi; Health policy; Israel; Minority groups

Date Created: 20211118 Date Completed: 20221107 Latest Revision: 20221228

20221228

PMC8597873

10.1007/s40615-021-01186-2

34791614