In Israel’s Orthodox technology scene

At first glance, the Bizmax office in Jerusalem’s Romema district looks like any other startup accelerator. Computer screens flicker in glass-fronted cubicles. In the kitchen, a young entrepreneur is taking a dose of caffeine.

Bizmax’s mission, however, is comprehensive: Founded five years ago, its goal is to bring the ultra-Orthodox Haredi community — which has traditionally avoided many of the trappings of modern life — into Israel’s tech-fueled economy. And the more I walk around the office, the more this mingling of worlds becomes apparent.

Pictures of old rabbis and religiously inspired quotes adorn the walls. “Be cool,” advises one sign. Another says, “Pray hard.” “Success depends on it. [God]” adds the third.

The task Bizmax has set himself is a vital task for Israel’s economy. Today, the observant Haredi – Hebrew for “those who tremble before God” – make up an eighth of the population. But with an average of seven children per family, the Haredim will make up nearly a quarter of Israel’s citizens by 2050.

That change will have far-reaching implications. In Haredi families, women are mainly breadwinners, while men devote themselves to religious studies. Only about half of Haredi men work, and half of ultra-Orthodox families are below the poverty line.

“We have a big challenge with the Haredi community and the integration of the workforce,” said Bizmax founder Yitzhak Crombie. We try to show them that it is possible. And the way to show that it is possible is to build role models. . . One way to be a role model is to help startups.”

Few places are more fertile for entrepreneurs than Israel. Last year, self-proclaimed “startup country” tech groups raised $25.4 billion in funding, and the sector now accounts for more than half of Israel’s exports.

However, the long-term advancement of Israeli technology has largely outstripped the Haredim. Many of the community’s religious schools do not teach math or English. The spiritual leaders have fought a defensive move against modern technologies such as smartphones and social media and TV. And because Haredi men do not serve in the military, they are outside the technological networks connected to Israel’s elite cyber and intelligence units.

Bizmax’s goal is to alleviate this by helping Haredi entrepreneurs develop the business skills they lack and connecting them with investors in a context that is attuned to the complexities of Haredi life. So far, Crombie said, 42 companies have participated, raising $36 million and employing 200 people. Among these entrepreneurs is Jonathan Heller, whose company Mikvatek provides water purification technology for swimming pools and Jewish rituals – a practice governed by strict religious laws.

Although his technology gained support from leading rabbis, a few were so outraged that they launched a vociferous campaign against Jerusalem’s pashkevelim (large public bulletin boards where many Orthodox believers get their news). Bizmax understood the importance of this campaign, says Heller, and how his religious sensibilities intersected with his business. He added, “This demand will not be met with another immediate response.”

There was a time when initiatives like Bizmax were unthinkable. In recent years, however, customs in Haredi society have begun to change. Hillel Pali, a 22-year-old Bizmax student, says the company uses AI and dynamic speed limits to streamline traffic, and that the number of young Haredi at odds with the community’s strict lifestyle has made some leaders realize the need for change. “I’d say more. [of my friends] They are still in the system, but even those who stay are looking for something else, he said.

According to Crombie, the key is to help ultra-Orthodox entrepreneurs in a way that forces them to choose between their religion and their business. “We need to change the way haredi people think about the tech industry, especially how to launch startups,” he says. “We’re trying to show that it’s possible, and that it can be done in a way where you don’t have to fear that you’re going to have to change your lifestyle.”

james.shotter@ft.com