Israel’s Knesset Finance Committee approved today (Thursday) the transfer of about 1.8 billion shekels from the state budget reserve to ultra-Orthodox institutions, religious education, settlement-related education and coalition agreements, despite opposition protests.
The money comes from the government’s budget reserve and is being allocated largely to education frameworks affiliated with religious and coalition parties.
Under the decision, 426 million shekels will go to the Independent Education system aligned with United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox political party. Another 360 million shekels will be transferred to the Ma'ayan HaChinuch HaTorani network affiliated with Shas, the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox party. An additional 136 million shekels will be allocated to recognized and unrecognized ultra-Orthodox educational institutions.
Some 151 million shekels will be directed to ultra-Orthodox Talmud Torah schools that are exempt from teaching core curriculum subjects such as math and English. The Administration for Settlement Education will receive 111 million shekels to implement coalition agreements, in line with demands by the Religious Zionism party.
Additional allocations approved by the committee include 103 million shekels for the establishment of boarding schools within the settlement education system; 15 million shekels to support hesder yeshivas, religious seminaries that combine Torah study with military service; 32 million shekels for youth movements and organizations; 8 million shekels for transportation in settlement education in the West Bank; 11.5 million shekels for rabbis in the state religious school system; 10 million shekels for the Religious Education Administration; 32 million shekels for exempt institutions; and 75 million shekels for recognized but unofficial educational institutions.
Opposition lawmakers Vladimir Beliak and Naor Shiri of the Yesh Atid party, Naama Lazimi of the Labor Party and Orit Farkash-Hacohen of the National Unity party protested the transfers. The allocations were nevertheless approved due to the coalition’s majority on the committee.
In response, Dr. Yifat Solel, deputy director general of Hiddush, an advocacy group promoting religious freedom and equality, criticized the decision.
“The decision to add another roughly 800 million shekels to the partisan ultra-Orthodox education networks is a continuation of the Education Ministry’s cooperation with the ongoing violation of the law by networks that do not teach the full core curriculum,” Solel said. “Instead of establishing an effective oversight system and funding only schools that actually teach core subjects, the ministry insists on transferring more and more funds while repeatedly delaying answers to the High Court of Justice on this issue.”
First published: 22:25, 12.25.25