Yeshiva budget hits record high at NIS 1.167 billion
Following a 107% increase since 2014, the newest NIS 43 million budget allocation for yeshiva students seeks to cover 95% of living expenses for foreign students studying in Israeli yeshivas.
The increase in budget comes a result of demands by the Haredim to provide financial assistance to foreign students who are studying in yeshivas in Israel. This assistance is meant to cover 95 percent of a student's needs and is an increase from the original 60 percent that was the norm until now.
An additional change is the cancellation of a condition for assistance which required foreign yeshiva students studying in Israel to attend "Israel heritage" programs put on by the Ministry of Education.
The previous record for yeshiva budget was recorded in June 2016 and stood at NIS 1.119 billion. At the beginning of 2014, the budget dropped drastically to NIS 564 million following a demand by then-Minister of Finance Yair Lapid. With this latest approval, the budget for aid to yeshiva students has grown 107 percent.
It is worth noting that this budget does not take into account income support, which could add another NIS 100 million. This addition is expected to be discussed Wednesday in the Knesset.
Residents of the north, who are struggling to have the budget for development of the Galilee approved, expressed outrage at the decision. Nissan Zeevi from Metula, head of "Shinuy Kivun," (Hebrew for 'changing direction') said, "It is unfortunate to see the government's priorities, which has repeatedly demonstrated contempt and lack of concern for the northern periphery. There is no budget for us."
For Lee Garcia, aged 46 from Kibbutz Dafna, who suffers from cancer and was forced to move to the center to receive radiation and chemotherapy treatment, the decision is "crazy." According to her, "The prime minister is trying to ruin us. He wants us to die quietly and I don't plan on it. These horrible priorities cannot dictate our lives in the dying north."
Liz Almakayis, 27, from Kiryat Shmona, who recently lost her job as a coordinator of demographic growth in the Galilee, said, "They allocate budget to whoever threatens to bring down the government. The north isn't threatening politicians' seats and because of that, they don't pay attention to us."
