I just read a Haaretz.com article about Jewish poverty in the United States. The article points out that the U.S. has a higher Jewish poverty rate than Israel. That means that a higher percentage of the United States’ Jewish population lives in poverty than Israel’s Jewish population.
This news may shock some people because they think of the United States as the richest country in the world. It shocked me because I know Israel has a very high poverty rate.
Reading the article, I found out that, while Israel has a 24% poverty rate, half of the poor people in Israel are not Jewish.
The UJC estimates that 15 to 20 of Jewish people in the United States live in poverty.
Why do you think so many Jewish people face poverty in the United States? What do you think of the fact that the United States has a higher Jewish poverty rate than Israel? Tell us your answers to those questions and more in this thread at the Hunger and Poverty Forums. It’s completely free, and all viewpoints are welcome.