Israeli Supreme Court Freezes Most Budget Transfers to Haredi Institutions Amid Legal Review

One day after the Finance Committee approved a series of budget transfers to institutions and programs operating in the Haredi sector, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered a freeze on most of these transfers pending further legal examination. The decision currently suspends hundreds of millions of shekels allocated for education, welfare, and community activities within the Haredi community.

Among the budget transfers approved by the Finance Committee were 54 million shekels to change the funding model for kindergarten teachers in recognized but unofficial education, 69 million shekels for transportation of students in the "Independent Education" and "Bnei Yosef" networks, and 16 million shekels to subsidize after-school programs in recognized and exempt institutions. Additional allocations included 12 million shekels for Jewish cultural activities, 26 million shekels for dropout prevention programs in Haredi educational institutions, 21 million shekels for at-risk youth activities, 57 million shekels to subsidize training of Haredi teachers in seminaries, and 32 million shekels for Haredi Hesder yeshivas and yeshivas promoting IDF enlistment.

The legal proceedings are expected to continue in the near future, and until a final ruling is issued, most of the budget funds will remain frozen. This freeze may impact the operations of educational institutions, welfare programs, and social projects across Israel.