Paying a double price: The immense economic burden on reservist families
A new study sheds light on the heavy economic burden placed on reservists and their families: more than half report increased household expenses and career damage following their service. The situation is also troubling for the general public: 77% of parents in Israel are forced to cut back on buying clothes for their children, and 45% feel that the situation harms their ability to provide a good education.
About half of reservist families have experienced career damage following their service, and 60% of parents in these families feel that the cost of living harms their ability to provide their children with a good education. A new study conducted by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) in collaboration with Geocartography ahead of the school year presents a worrying picture of the economic pressure on families in Israel, especially on reservists.
Alongside the shared struggle with the cost of living and back-to-school expenses, reservist families must deal with the consequences of prolonged service, including increased household expenses, employment setbacks, and in some cases, layoffs. According to the study, 51% of parents in families where one parent serves in the reserves are highly stressed by financial expenses ahead of the upcoming school year.
The study was conducted among 802 men and women aged 18 and over, including a representative national sample and 300 respondents who performed active reserve service in the last 3 years.
The economic difficulty is not limited to school supplies: 55% of reservist families report an increase in household expenses following reserve service. The most prominent increases were in travel, fuel, and transportation (30%) and in prepared food and deliveries (29%). Other reported expenses include medical or emotional treatments (23%), personal equipment for reserve service (21%), childcare (18%), and home maintenance (14%).
Prolonged service also takes a toll on the professional front. About half of reservist families experienced career damage. The most common issues reported are limited promotion opportunities (18%), reduced salary or work volume (18%), and lower status in the workplace (16%). Additionally, 11% reported damage to their business or self-employment, and 7% reported layoffs.
The study indicates that this complex economic reality is not unique to reservist families: 23% of parents of school-age children in Israel cannot purchase all the necessary equipment for the upcoming year. Furthermore, 58% of parents are stressed about expected expenses, and 45% feel their economic situation harms their ability to provide a good education.
Even routine purchases have become a burden. 77% of parents in Israel are forced to cut back on buying clothes for their children for economic reasons, with 22% doing so constantly or often. Among reservist families, 79% are forced to cut back on clothing purchases, with 15% doing so constantly or often.
The difficulties ahead of the school year are not only economic: 60% of parents report that their children express concerns. 34% expressed concern about academic difficulties, 33% about social challenges, 22% about the school framework or staff, 21% about returning to routine, and 12% about a lack of study equipment.
Against this backdrop, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews will assist more than ten thousand children and teenagers as part of the "Returning to Study with Friendship" project by distributing "Kravitz" gift cards worth 300 shekels each.
President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Yael Eckstein, stated:
"It is important for us to appreciate the families of the reservists who protect us every day. For us at the Fellowship, supporting reservist families is a deep mission. This is our way of telling them that they are not alone, and that behind them stand millions of lovers of Israel in the country and around the world."
