A further significant step has been taken in the fight over ultra-Orthodox military enlistment: The Labor Ministry on Monday signed new criteria for daycare subsidies, stipulating that, beginning with the current school year, a family in which the father is classified as a draft evader will not be eligible for daycare subsidies — even if he is employed and reports income from work.
The change marks a significant departure from previous policy. In the past, ultra-Orthodox men who failed to report for military service could, under certain conditions, still receive points toward daycare subsidies by presenting income from employment, whether as salaried workers or through a self-employed business.
Now, the father’s status as a draft evader alone will disqualify the family from receiving the subsidy, regardless of whether he is employed, has pay slips, operates a business or pays taxes.
Gallery
Haredi children: No daycare subsidies for them if their father is a draft dodger
(Photo: Dana Kopel)
The practical effect is that even an ultra-Orthodox father who works legally and reports his income will no longer be able to rely on his employment to qualify for daycare subsidies if he is simultaneously classified as a draft evader. The change comes amid the legal and public battle over the status of yeshiva students who are required to enlist. After the expiration of the law governing deferments for full-time Torah students, the Supreme Court ruled that there was no longer a legal framework allowing the continued postponement of service for yeshiva students who had not enlisted.
At the same time, as previously revealed by ynet, an Agudat Yisrael hotline had instructed ultra-Orthodox men to register as licensed or exempt self-employed businesses in order to earn points toward daycare subsidies on the basis that they were working, rather than as full-time yeshiva students. Under the new criteria, that route is now closed to those classified as draft evaders: Even reported work and income will not confer eligibility for the subsidy as long as the father holds that status.
The move effectively expands the economic sanctions imposed on those who fail to report for military service. For the first time, eligibility for daycare subsidies will be determined not only by family income and the father’s employment status, but also by his standing with military recruitment authorities.
Tax Authority sends warning letters
Economic sanctions are also expanding against ultra-Orthodox institutions where draft evaders study. In recent days, the Tax Authority sent about 1,000 letters to ultra-Orthodox institutions demanding an unequivocal declaration that no yeshiva students who are evading IDF service are enrolled there. Otherwise, the authority may revoke their tax exemption on donations, which can amount to hundreds of millions of shekels a year.
Several weeks ago, the Tax Authority began enforcing the sanction partially, applying it only to yeshivas applying for the first time for the tax benefit under Section 46 and that did not already hold valid approvals. The sanction is now being expanded to all yeshivas and ultra-Orthodox educational institutions, including those that had already obtained valid tax-exemption approvals.
Haredim protest outside of prison 10 after the arrest of draft dodging yeshiva students
(Photo: Ariel Schalit/AP)
A letter sent by the Tax Authority to institution heads shows that in the coming weeks yeshivas will be required to state clearly that no student who evaded military service, despite being legally obligated to serve, is studying there. The declaration will also have to confirm that no draft evaders or individuals who have failed to regularize their status with the IDF authorities are enrolled.
Failure to meet these conditions will result in the immediate revocation of all approvals previously granted to the institutions that allowed donors to receive tax credits for their contributions. According to estimates, many donations could stop flowing to these yeshivas if the tax benefit for donors is canceled. Until now, the requirement that draft evaders not study at institutions benefiting from the tax exemption applied only to new institutions. As of Monday, it is being extended to all institutions whose donors have so far received the benefit.
Ultra-Orthodox institutions also will be required to commit in writing that they will not admit any yeshiva student in the future whose status with the IDF authorities has not been fully regularized, and that such students must present documentation proving their status.
The Tax Authority has instructed all institutions to immediately submit full lists of students who will study there this year, including their ID numbers and addresses. Students will be required to present a military ID card, exemption, discharge certificate, scheduled enlistment date or documentation explaining why they were released from service, such as for medical reasons.
There is concern in the ultra-Orthodox community that the new measure, under which the Section 46 tax benefit could be denied, may force institutions that rely heavily on donations to close if they enroll draft evaders beginning this year.