Israel’s Knesset on Monday advanced legislation aimed at accommodating Chareidim who use “kosher phones.” Lawmakers voted unanimously, 72–0, to approve the first reading of a bill that would require public bodies — including the National Insurance Institute and the Israel Tax Authority — to deliver official notifications via recorded voice messages to citizens whose phones cannot receive text messages. The measure was sponsored by United Torah Judaism MK Yisrael Eichler and will now return to the Knesset’s Science and Technology Committee for preparation ahead of the final two readings required for passage.
Large segments of the Haredi population avoid smartphones and unfiltered internet access for religious reasons, relying instead on so-called kosher phones that block web browsers, messaging apps and, in many cases, even SMS functionality.
As government agencies have increasingly shifted to text-based notifications — from benefits updates to tax alerts — Chareidi lawmakers have argued that thousands of citizens are effectively cut off from essential state communications.
“This is about basic accessibility,” Eichler has said in past debates, arguing the bill is a technical fix rather than a cultural concession. The unanimous vote suggested little appetite among coalition or opposition lawmakers to contest that framing, at least at this stage.
Still, the legislation lands amid a broader and more contentious fight over the role of technology regulation in the Chareidi sector. Last year, the Knesset approved a controversial law that rolled back certain consumer protections to allow cellphone carriers to continue offering restricted plans tailored to Chareidi users. That law also gave Chareidi institutions formal mechanisms to verify that individuals are using kosher phones, a move critics warned could entrench communal surveillance and limit personal choice.
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It should be a global initiative, that people without a smartphones are not excluded in any service, discounts or travel. Ryanair started digital boarding, making it harder (not impossible) for passengers without a smartphone. A national UK supermarket offers discounts with a loyalty scheme only available with smartphone. the list goes on…