"I've always loved building and repairing things, thank God I have good hands," says Shmuel (30), a father of four who participated in the open day for construction studies, "Over the past six months I started thinking together with my wife about the need to increase the family's livelihood and after consulting with my rabbi I decided to look for a field of work that would suit me."
When the war began, Shmuel heard that there was a need for people to work in construction: "I don't know many people from the ultra-Orthodox community who work in these fields. But because I've always had an attraction to the technical side, I give it a chance and hope to succeed. If it suits me religiously and personally, I will be able – besides making a living – to develop in this field."
Amar, a resident of the Bedouin diaspora, also took part in training the "Academy for Construction Professions" founded by the Foundation for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry. "I integrated into the labor market after many years, mainly because of the opportunity I was given. In Bedouin society, working in construction and agriculture is a livelihood with a lot of dignity."
'Essential workforce'
The need for working hands has been felt in the construction industry since the beginning of the war. The ongoing closure of the Occupied Territories and the abandonment of foreign workers have led to an acute shortage of tens of thousands of workers, and contractors find themselves in real distress.
The political establishment, Real Estate Today has learned, expressed concern this week about a crisis with the Chinese government as the war intensifies, among other things in light of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman's announcement about the war, which was as laconic as ever and spoke of the need for calm on "all sides." It condemned "actions that harm civilians" but did not mention Hamas by name.
The bringing in of more Chinese workers is already being delayed, and there is growing concern that the 12,11 Chinese workers in Israel, who have become the main workforce at the 500,<> construction sites, will return to their country because of the situation. "The Chinese are essential for construction," clarifies Eldad Nitzan, chairman of the construction manpower corporations, "but there is concern that they will not come, and we must prepare for quick and individual agreements. A strong real estate market is needed, especially now, for reconstruction and for the post-war period."
The applicability of interstate agreements is problematic and cumbersome, especially when the need for workers is so urgent, and at this stage the Population Authority is making it difficult to make arrangements outside the framework that could speed up the process. Chairman of the Interior and Environmental Protection Committee, MK Yaakov Asher (Torah Judaism), who was interviewed on Israel's real estate program on Tel Aviv radio last week, expressed surprise at the disagreements with the Population Authority. Meanwhile, agreements are currently being signed with India and Sri Lanka to bring in construction workers.
At the same time, the Fund for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry, led by CEO David Yahalomi and pushed by all the heads of the industry – including the president of the Israel Builders Association, Raul Serogo, the chairman of the Construction Workers Union, Yitzhak Moyal, and the chairman of the Renovation Contractors Association, Eran Siv – is pushing for an increase in the quota of foreign workers, but also for the state to understand that it must fund training for Israeli workers as required and not bit by bit as usual. Even before the war, a special team had prepared a long-term and comprehensive plan to train Israeli workers, and its implementation is now more necessary than ever. Assisting in formulating the plan was the head of the Ripman Institute for the Development of the Negev and former Director General of the Ministry of Construction and Housing, Hagai Reznik.
Contractors are waiting for employees
On the ground, there are already many successes thanks to these initiatives, such as the courses for Bedouin and Israeli Arabs of "Riyan" – employment centers that are an auxiliary body of the Ministry of Labor, or in training workers from the ultra-Orthodox sector, led by the "Kivan" center in Jerusalem, which operates on behalf of the municipal authority for employment and the Ministry of Labor. These organizations bring a refreshing voice, but the heads of state must understand that this is an occupational earthquake and use other tools as well.
Haredim and Bedouins participate in courses for construction professions, photo: courtesy of the Academy of Construction Professions
The Fund for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry also promotes courses for foremen for the ultra-Orthodox.
The Kivan Center and the Kemach Organization for Haredi Employment focus on exposure to open days and advertising campaigns for the ultra-Orthodox population. Deputy CEO of Kemach, Adv. Avraham Justman: "Over the years, the ultra-Orthodox have been less interested in the 'wet' professions of the construction world. In light of the situation, we have received many requests from the field and many contractors are willing to absorb workers who have completed the course. The Ministry of Labor initiated the shortened course in order to facilitate rapid integration and we hope that we will be able to do our part."
Shmuel: "I don't know many people from the ultra-Orthodox public who work in construction, but because I've always had an attraction to the technical side, I give it a chance and hope to succeed. If it suits me religiously and personally, I can – besides making a living – also develop in the field."
Musa Karini, Director of Ryan, adds: "Together with the Fund for the Encouragement and Development of the Construction Industry and our Employer Relations Coordinator, Shiran Moskowitz, we are working to create an employment revolution in the industry. Bedouin society very much wants to take part in the developing world of work, and just as we showed solidarity in the joint campaign, we will also be partners in building the Negev and our state."
And what next, after the quota of missing workers is filled? The scope of construction will increase to unprecedented proportions, in view of the significant need to build military bases that will increase security. in the planning and construction of the destroyed settlements; And, of course, the demand to increase the supply of apartments, which even before the war was far behind the amount of demand.
"All this will require enormous manpower," concludes Netivei Hakama CEO Yigal Chudner, "Everything will be financed by entrepreneurs and ultimately by the public, but if the government does not take care to organize it, reach agreements with countries and simplify processes, there is a reasonable chance that we will reach a situation where the entrepreneurs will not be able to honor agreements. And it would really be a disaster."
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