Unorthodox Information Sources of Coping With the COVID-19 Crisis in the Ultra-Orthodox Society

Abstract

This study examines the role of information sources in the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) Jewish community’s coping with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Israel by comparing their use of digital versus traditional information platforms. The study examined coping with COVID-19, considering explanatory variables such as Community Sense of Coherence (C-SOC), Internet usage, and other demographic variables. Using an online survey, 212 participants responded who identified as ultra-Orthodox and had access to the Internet, of which 47.2% were women and 52.8% were men, with a mean age of 37.66 ( SD = 12.60). Findings showed that the emotional and cognitive coping levels of members of ultra-Orthodox society with COVID-19 utilizing digital information sources were significantly better than those among community members using traditional information sources. Furthermore, the more the Internet was used for information or social needs, the more digital information sources helped community members cope with the crisis from an emotional and cognitive viewpoint. Conversely, the more participants felt that ultra-Orthodox society is a significant factor that helps them face life’s challenges (C-SOC), the better they coped with the pandemic utilizing traditional information sources. This study presents a novel, previously unstudied approach to ultra-Orthodox society’s coping methods with a worldwide crisis, whether through digital or traditional information sources. The study’s findings emphasize the need to make reliable and timely digital information accessible to this community, especially during a crisis, while respecting the culture and values of ultra-Orthodox society.