Known for its strict segregation of the sexes, ultra-Orthodox Judaism in Israel is undergoing a notable change in gender relations, according to a researcher at Hebrew University.
A paper by Nurit Stadler presented at the meeting of the Association for the Sociology of Religion (ASR) finds that the image of Heredi, or ultra-Orthodox, Jewish men spending more time with their studies than with their families is giving way to a more egalitarian family model. In traditional Heredi writings, women tending their homes and families is seen as a way to gain awards in the world to come. In her research, Stadler found in popular books and other media a new emphasis on men to providing emotional support to their wives and children and on being aware of womens’ psychological needs and desires.
Such a process of domestication is in effect redefining fatherhood and motherhood in the Haredi community, she concluded.
