חוויותיהם של מתבגרים במצוקה ובסיכון בחברה החרדית

This study addresses experiences of at-risk Haredi adolescents expressed in various life circles and analyzes unique risk characteristics in this collective and multi-cultural society. A multiple case methodology included interviews of 68 participants and 11 observations. The data analysis was based on grounded theory. The findings revealed alienation-connection to be a formative experience for these adolescents, creating dialectic tension that pushes them to marginal behavior and concomitant bonding to the Haredi society. From a religious and gendered perspective, their experience is multidimensional and manifests itself in the context of family, community, and learning institutions. The discussion analyzes the experience of alienation-connection and four collectivist typologies [paradigms] that emanate from this experience and reveals the factors that “enhance risk” for adolescents in the Haredi society. In addition, the different nuances that emerged between the subgroups in the Haredi society are described, as well as the rigidly stratified social order that shapes their experience. This study enriches existing knowledge on Haredi adolescents, contributing to constructing appropriate, culturally sensitive educational therapeutic interventions.