Google’s New Initiative Will Bring More Haredi Jews into Hi-Tech

Google is dedicating $25 million in an initiative to get more underrepresented groups involved in hi-tech in Israel. In addition to Haredi Jews, the opportunities will be focused on women, Israeli Arabs and residents of the periphery. A separate initiative for Palestinian hi-tech is expected to be announced as well.

The Chief Financial Officer of Alphabet and Google, Ruth Porat, arrived in Israel herself over the weekend to have meetings with Israeli and Palestinian entrepreneurs, business leaders and policymakers to discuss the initiatives.

In the meetings thus far, Porat focused on the challenges these minority groups face in Israeli hi-tech. The plan right now is to create a hi-tech skills program for adults and teens and work together with the Israeli government’s focus to increase the hi-tech workforce from 10% to 15%.

“At Google, we believe that to have sustainable economic growth, you must have inclusive growth,” said Porat. “By providing members of underrepresented groups with a path into tech, we hope to help create a more diverse workforce and increase opportunities for a broader group of people. We look forward to deepening our commitment to Israel as we work to support the government’s ongoing efforts in this area.”

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Alex Abel

Alex is an editor, writer and content creator. Most recently she served as the Editor-in-Chief of 2.0, Mishpacha’s business magazine. Before that she was the News Editor at People Style where she covered entertainment, fashion, beauty and lifestyle. She has interviewed dozens of celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Hudson, Melissa McCarthy, Priyanka Chopra, and Khloé Kardashian. She’s worked and created partnerships with influencers, hosted and produced videos and managed the brand’s social media accounts. Previously, she worked as an assistant editor at Seventeen. Her work has also appeared on POPSUGAR.com, People.com, Time.com, SHAPE and the website she launched, Chai on Life, which profile and highlights inspirational Jewish women.” During Hurricane Irene, she worked as a stringer for the New York Times reporting on flood conditions. She is a graduate of Binghamton University with a degree in English.