Zehut Party Leader Calls to Shutter Education Ministry, Cut Arts and Yeshiva Funding
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Moshe Feiglin, head of the Zehut party, proposed closing two-thirds of Israeli ministries, including the Ministry of Education, and ending state funding for arts and yeshivas. He argued that cultural and religious institutions should be self-funded or rely on private donations. Feiglin's proposals contrast with traditional approaches of allied parties. His party is running on a joint list with Religious Zionism in the upcoming 2026 elections, with polls indicating potential Knesset representation.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Zehut party leader Moshe Feiglin proposed closing two-thirds of Israeli ministries, including education.
- Feiglin also called for ending state funding for theaters, yeshivas, and humanities programs.
- He argued that cultural and religious institutions should be self-sustaining or privately funded.
- Feiglin criticized the current government's size, stating a third of the Knesset are ministers.
- His party is running on a joint list with Religious Zionism in the 2026 elections.
- Polls suggest the joint list could win five to eight Knesset seats.
Moshe Feiglin, head of the Zehut party, has proposed shuttering two-thirds of Israeli ministries, with a particular focus on eliminating the Ministry of Education. Feiglin, who is running on a joint list with Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism, also advocated for ending state funding for theaters, yeshivas, and humanities programs in universities. He articulated these views during a podcast interview this week.
Feiglin described the Ministry of Education as an "anti-education" body rife with ignorance, corruption, and "progressivism," expressing a desire to reduce the number of ministries to just 11. He specifically called for the abolition of the ministries of culture and sport, environmental protection, agriculture, and economy. Citing the government of David Ben-Gurion, which he stated had only eight ministries, Feiglin criticized the current government's size, remarking that "a third of the Knesset are government members."
Regarding cultural funding, Feiglin argued that artistic projects should either be self-sustaining or rely on private philanthropy, questioning the necessity of state support for theaters like Habima and Cameri or film production. He extended this principle to both religious and secular education, suggesting that ending state subsidies for yeshivas would foster a more independent study of Torah, citing the example of prominent Torah scholars in the U.S. who do not receive government funding.
Feiglin also criticized funding for gender studies at Tel Aviv University, labeling a relevant department an "ideological pagan yeshiva." He asserted that the state should not fund such programs or religious studies. This stance contrasts with the traditional approach of the Mafdal party, which Religious Zionism seeks to emulate, and which historically prioritized the education portfolio.
Feiglin and Smotrich agreed to a joint electoral run in early September 2026, with polls projecting their combined list to win between five and eight seats, potentially marking Feiglin's return to the Knesset after over a decade. Zehut secured the second, eighth, tenth, and eleventh spots on the list. The alliance is technical, with parties running separate campaigns and planning to negotiate coalition entries independently after the election.
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