Israel's chief Ashkenazi rabbi has denounced the "phenomenon of women who make their careers on the backs on their children," the tabloid Ma'ariv reported.

"The principle role of the Jewish mother throughout the generations has been to take care of the home and the children," Yona Metzger told a religious assembly earlier in the week, the daily said.

"It is important that this principle be respected," he said, adding that "a prolonged absence by women from home is damaging for children's education."

The rabbi said that he was not against women working, on the condition that they "don't build careers."

Women in Orthodox Jewish families often work, as the men devote themselves to study.

According to surveys, the majority of Jewish Israelis do not consider themselves religious, but to various extents they observe Jewish religious traditions.

Güncelleme Tarihi: 13 Temmuz 2007, 19:40