Religious Education Networks Warn of Mass Teacher Layoffs Over Budget Freeze

Religious education networks in Israel are warning that hundreds of teachers may be laid off in the coming days due to a significant budget shortfall. The Forum of Religious Education stated that approximately 30 million shekels, part of a larger 80 million shekel budget allocated to religious state education, remains frozen. This funding freeze has been ongoing for about a year, stemming from a High Court petition against the budgets.

While 50 million shekels of the total budget have been released, the remaining 30 million is still held up. The networks claim this portion was approved by the Finance Committee but is now subject to an interim order following a separate petition filed by MK Naama Lazimi against approvals made during the Knesset recess. This delay has forced the networks to seek alternative funding sources to maintain operations.

The Forum of Religious Education has repeatedly warned that the continued delay would harm both teachers and students, stating that these warnings are now becoming a reality. They emphasized that without the budget transfer, layoffs are imminent, as they cannot continue to employ teachers and fund activities without the necessary state funds.

Network leaders are urging Education Minister Yoav Kisch and senior ministry officials to intervene immediately to release the frozen budget. They stressed the need for intervention to resolve the crisis before the financial impact leads to direct harm to personnel, institutions, and students. The networks had previously warned before the school year began that they had reached their limit in covering deficits through loans and independent sources.