Finance Minister Smotrich Allocates Over 70 Million Shekels to Prevent Cuts in National Service Positions for Women

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced an immediate allocation of more than 70 million shekels to the Ministry of Education to prevent cuts in thousands of national service positions for women. This funding aims to secure the full salaries of female national service participants and ensure no disruption to their roles during the 2023-2024 school year. The decision follows concerns about significant budget reductions that could have led to salary cuts and fewer service slots.

Thousands of young women serve in various national service frameworks, including special education, boarding schools, immigrant absorption, welfare, and other sectors. The Ministry of Finance emphasized that this budget increase is a one-time measure to address urgent needs ahead of the school year, after many service placements had already been assigned.

Looking ahead, the Ministry of Education's Budget and Economics Division and the Finance Ministry's Budget Department will develop a long-term funding framework. This may include reclassifying the budget and potentially advancing a government resolution to secure ongoing support for the national service program.

The move reflects a coordinated effort to maintain the stability and continuity of the national service system for women, which plays a critical role in various social and educational services across Israel.