Israeli Finance Committee Releases 30 Million Shekels to Religious State Education After Yearlong Freeze

The Israeli Finance Committee approved the transfer of 30 million shekels to secondary education institutions within the state-religious education system on Tuesday. This release is part of an approximately 80 million shekel budget allocated to these schools, which had been frozen for a full year due to petitions filed with the Supreme Court challenging the funding of religious education. The 30 million shekels approved today follow the release of 50 million shekels last week, completing the disbursement of the delayed funds.

During the year of budget suspension, state-religious education networks had to finance religious studies, prayer, and identity programs from their own resources, including loans, to avoid disrupting teacher salaries and the academic year. The ongoing delay increased concerns about cutting educational activities, reducing teaching hours, and shifting costs to parents. The petitions, supported by left-wing organizations and opposition Knesset members, claim that state-religious students receive disproportionately higher funding than their secular counterparts, alleging improper budgetary preference.

The petitions specifically scrutinize budgets for religious studies, prayer, identity programs, and other characteristics unique to the state-religious education system. Representatives from the religious education forum praised the funding release, emphasizing that the delay threatened educational quality and financial stability. They condemned the petitions as attempts to undermine the core of religious Zionism, which centers on education.

They also expressed gratitude to Education Minister Yoav Kisch and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for supporting religious education against these legal challenges. The forum expressed confidence that the Supreme Court will reject the petitions and instruct the government to establish clear, permanent budget provisions for state-religious education within the national budget framework.