The Medium is a Mess: Virtual Communication in Social Service Provision With the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Community

The integration of virtual communication in the provision of social services has enhanced accessibility and efficiency in service delivery while simultaneously creating challenges, especially for marginalized communities with limited digital access or ideological resistance to technology. This study investigates the experiences of social workers within Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community-a religiously segregated group with deeply embedded resistance to virtual technology. Through semi-structured interviews with 15 social workers, five major barriers to effective virtual service delivery were identified: technical limitations, spatial restrictions, boundary concerns, confidentiality risks, and religious objections. The findings underscore the need for culturally competent strategies that honor the community's values while ensuring service accessibility. This study illustrates the impact of ideological resistance to technology on social service providers, emphasizing the necessity of innovative, multi-level approaches to support similar communities facing technological challenges.