Ultra-Orthodox Women Enter Israel's Tech Elite

From the 27th floor of an office building in Bnei Brak, a quiet revolution is unfolding as ultra-Orthodox women prepare to enter Israel's booming tech sector. These women, who once saw their career paths limited to teaching or daycare, are now landing jobs at some of the world's biggest companies.

Over the past decade, about 7,000 ultra-Orthodox women have passed through KamaTech, a Haredi-led organization that trains them for high-tech careers. The most successful 2,000 graduates now work at Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon.

"I thought I'd be a teacher or a kindergarten teacher," says one woman in her early 20s who recently secured a position at a major tech firm. "But this world opened up to me, and I realized I could do something meaningful and earn salaries that Haredi women could only dream of in the past."

The transformation goes beyond technical skills. These women learn to navigate workplaces vastly different from anything in their traditional communities while maintaining their religious values and boundaries.

Yael, a mother of eight and tech veteran of 16 years, mentors the new recruits. She teaches them practical strategies, like saying "I'm uncomfortable" instead of "It's not appropriate" when setting personal boundaries with colleagues.

The financial impact is significant. Women who previously earned 5,000 shekels monthly in exploitative conditions now start at 15,000 to 20,000 shekels, with top performers earning far more.

The Ripple Effect

This shift is changing entire families and communities. Yael's husband teaches at a yeshiva while she supports their family of ten through her tech career. Her success shows that ultra-Orthodox women can honor their faith while pursuing professional ambitions.

Behind the movement stands Moshe Friedman, CEO of KamaTech and father of six from deep within the Haredi community. His organization proves that university degrees aren't required for tech success when proper training and mentorship are available.

The women arrive at KamaTech's offices carrying babies, balancing family responsibilities with career ambitions. They consult rabbis before making career decisions and decline photo opportunities to protect their privacy, but their determination is unmistakable.

The program respects religious boundaries while opening doors previously closed to ultra-Orthodox women. They're not just learning to code; they're learning to build bridges between two worlds that once seemed incompatible.

One participant arrived at a recent lecture with her two-month-old baby, holding him throughout the session. Her presence captures the essence of this revolution: ultra-Orthodox women refusing to choose between family, faith, and fulfilling careers.

These women are rewriting what's possible for the next generation of Haredi girls who will grow up seeing tech careers as achievable dreams rather than distant fantasies.