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T

he traditional chareidi stance toward secular Israeli society had always been one of extreme insularity. That was a natural response of a small community to a frequently hostile outside society. In the heady, early days of the state, traffic from religion was all one way: “Ein bayis sh’ein bo meis” described the situation even in Meah Shearim.

But efforts to keep building ghetto walls can no longer be sustained for two reasons. The first is regrettable. Modern technology renders all boundaries permeable. The second is positive: We are no longer a small, beleaguered community. Over a fifth of Israeli schoolchildren are now in chareidi educational institutions.

Machon Haredi, founded by Mishpacha publisher Eli Paley, is one manifestation of this newfound chareidi confidence and a desire for a seat at the Israeli table. Paley describes the goal of the Machon as developing public policies that serve both the chareidi population and Israeli society generally.

As Noam Efron documents in his new book Real Jews: Secular vs. Ultra-Orthodox and the Struggle for Jewish Identity in Israel, secular Israeli society has lost the swagger of its early days and is no longer so sure of the wisdom of jettisoning all connection to Jewish tradition. Indeed, there is great curiosity among the youth about both chareidim and our shared heritage — of which the phenomenal popularity of the program Shtisel is but one manifestation.