Perspectives of ultra-Orthodox children in Israel on risk and protection: The intersection of culture, religion, spirituality, and socio-political context

This article explores subjective perceptions and constructions of “risk” and “protection” among ultra-Orthodox Jewish children aged 10–16 in Israel. Eight focus groups were conducted, with a total of 30 ultra-Orthodox children (boys and girls). Our analysis indicates that the children’s subjective perceptions of “risk” and “protection” coincided with four fundamental domains: the physical, the emotional, the political, and the spiritual. The findings highlight that—from the perspective of children—culture, religion, spirituality, and other macro socio-political contexts, in addition to gender and age, are factors that function simultaneously to shape the way in which “risk” and “protection” are constructed.