Israel's High Court Unblocks Funds for Haredi Education After Freeze

Israel's Supreme Court on Thursday allowed the release of remaining funds frozen for the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) education system, totaling 286 million shekels. This decision is a significant development for numerous institutions and programs within the sector.

The funds are designated for various purposes, including salary increases for Haredi kindergarten teachers, transportation for students in the Atzma'i and Bnei Yosef education networks, subsidies for after-school programs in exempt and recognized but unofficial institutions, and teacher training at seminaries. Additionally, the budget includes funding for Jewish cultural activities and programs for at-risk youth and dropouts.

The court's ruling follows months of contention over these educational budgets. Earlier this year, Supreme Court justices sharply criticized the method of fund allocation after it was revealed that hundreds of millions of shekels had been transferred before the Knesset Finance Committee's approval. This practice also led to a heated dispute between the Knesset's legal advisor and the Treasury.

Following the initial criticism, the Supreme Court ordered the Finance Committee to reconsider the allocations to Haredi education, as the original decision was allegedly made unlawfully. The funds in question were approved by the Finance Committee on August 4th through two separate transfers to the Ministry of Education, amounting to 270 million shekels and 16 million shekels.

An interim order from the Supreme Court had previously halted the transfer of 409 million shekels, including the 286 million for education and 123 million for the Ministry of Settlement, in response to a petition filed by MK Naama Lazimi and the Hiddush organization. A key provision of the funds relates to the salaries of Haredi kindergarten teachers, who have been involved in a recent struggle for wage increases and the implementation of the 'Ofek Hadash' (New Horizon) program in their kindergartens. With the freeze lifted, the Ministry of Education can now proceed with disbursing the funds for the approved frameworks and programs.