Israeli Supreme Court Allows Partial Release of Religious Services Funds Amid Budget Freeze
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
The Israeli Supreme Court upheld a freeze on hundreds of millions of shekels allocated to ultra-Orthodox and religious Zionist sectors but allowed 78 million shekels for the Ministry of Religious Services to be released. The decision followed a petition challenging the legality of the Finance Committee's August budget approvals. The ruling prevented closure of religious sites due to budget shortages and sparked criticism of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's handling of the funds.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli Supreme Court maintains freeze on hundreds of millions shekels for ultra-Orthodox and religious Zionist budgets.
- Court exempts 78 million shekels for Ministry of Religious Services from freeze, allowing release.
- Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's request to cancel freeze was rejected by the court.
- Ministry of Religious Services rescinded closure orders for religious sites following fund release.
- Petition filed by Hiddush Association and MK Naama Lazimi challenges Finance Committee's August budget approval.
- Critics accuse Smotrich of politicizing budget releases and harming urgent public needs.
The Israeli Supreme Court rejected Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's request to cancel an interim order freezing hundreds of millions of shekels approved by the Finance Committee in early August. The freeze followed a petition claiming the committee's session was illegal. However, the court agreed to Smotrich's request to exempt and release 78 million shekels allocated solely to the Ministry of Religious Services.
Following the ruling, Yehuda Avidan, Director General of the Ministry of Religious Services, rescinded his directive to close religious sites due to budget shortages. Earlier, the Finance Ministry had informed the court that no funds should be released until the entire petition was resolved, contradicting a previous court order to provide a list of urgent budgets for immediate release.
The petition challenges the Finance Committee's August 4 decision to approve 366 million shekels, mainly benefiting ultra-Orthodox and religious Zionist sectors. These funds include 71 million for National Service, 69 million for Torah education linked to Shas and United Torah Judaism, 54 million for kindergarten in unofficial recognized education, and various other allocations for Jewish culture, religious education, dropout prevention, at-risk youth, and subsidies for ultra-Orthodox institutions.
Later, transfers of 125 million shekels to the Settlement Ministry and 78 million to the Ministry of Religious Services were approved. The petition was filed by the Hiddush Association for Freedom of Religion and Equality and Knesset member Naama Lazimi (Democrats) against the Finance Committee's convening during the election recess and the illegal budget approvals.
Smotrich also requested excluding funds for rabbinical courts from the freeze. Hiddush's legal advisor, Dr. Yifat Solel, accused Smotrich of prioritizing allies over the public and obstructing urgent fund releases. Lazimi condemned Smotrich's tactics as "mafia-like," accusing him of holding critical budgets hostage alongside illegal coalition funds for political sectors, harming urgent rehabilitation efforts in northern and southern Israel.
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