Israel's High Court Rules Haredi Schools Must Teach Core Subjects for Funding

Israel's High Court of Justice (Bagatz) has ruled that Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) educational institutions will only receive frozen funding if they teach core subjects. The court announced on Tuesday, October 13, that 100 million shekels, frozen at the beginning of 2026, will be disbursed only to schools that adhere to the curriculum, which includes "mikzot ha-liba" (core subjects).

The decision stems from two separate petitions. One was filed by Yair Lapid and Knesset members from Yesh Atid, and the other by Knesset Member Naama Lazimi (Labor) and the Hiddush organization. Both petitions challenged the transfer of 1.1 billion shekels to Haredi schools that receive full state funding despite not teaching essential subjects. The Knesset Finance Committee had approved the transfer in late 2025, but it was revealed that 1 billion shekels had already been transferred before the committee's approval. Bagatz subsequently froze the remaining 100 million shekels.

The court adopted a plan proposed by the Legal Advisor to the Government. Under this plan, institutions failing to meet core subject requirements will not receive additional funds for 2025. For the first time, the court stipulated that Haredi schools not teaching core subjects cannot continue to receive full state funding, asserting that institutions not fulfilling their legal obligations are not entitled to taxpayer money from those who serve in the military, work, and pay taxes.

"This is a victory for the children of Israel and for society that serves and works," stated Naama Lazimi. She emphasized that society should not fund an educational system that deprives children of essential tools for integration into the workforce. Lazimi added that core subjects are not a punishment but a right for every child's future, and the state should invest in quality public education and equal opportunities.

Previous reports indicated that the Ministry of Education had not collected any fines from Haredi schools failing to teach core subjects, despite hundreds of fines issued between 2014 and 2022. This was acknowledged in a response to a petition filed by Hiddush and activist Israel Kreitzer, who challenged a nearly 1 billion shekel transfer in December 2025. The state's response revealed that deductions were not made from violators. "Calcalist" reported that uncollected fines amounted to approximately 103 million shekels. Haredi networks "Chinuch Atzmai" (Agudat Yisrael) and "Bnei Yosef" (Shas) were funded based on actual expenses rather than legal entitlements. The state also allowed concessions, such as reducing math, English, and science instruction by five hours per week in grades 7-8. Finance Ministry calculations showed that 34% of 176 Haredi institutions did not meet core program requirements, with 134 schools failing to implement even 75% of the curriculum. The state paid for 2,551 hours of core subjects that were not taught. In 68% of schools, some classes were taught by teachers lacking basic qualifications. The Legal Advisor to the Government, Gali Baharav-Miara, agreed that funding should be contingent on curriculum fulfillment in the upcoming academic year.