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NEWS
High Court Decides Not to Intervene in Jewish Studies Budget at Yeshivos Ketanos
By Yechiel Sever
Following deliberations the High Court decided against hearing an appeal on the issue of boosting funding for Jewish studies at the yeshivos ketanos because it was not the subject the Reform Movement's suit regarding the regular funding of the yeshivos ketanos. The Israeli Reform movement has been aggressively trying to challenge government funding of chareidi education at all levels. The Reform movement has very few members in Israel, and its most prominent representatives in Israel function as attorneys rather than as rabbis. As a result of the High Court actions, the decision to transfer funding for boosting Jewish studies will be in the hands of the Education Minister.
MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni reacted to the High Court decision by asking Shas Chairman Eli Yishai and Education Minister Yuli Tamir to grant the funding increase for Jewish studies. The funding increase was instituted to help compensate the chareidi institutions for other budgets that have been challenged by Reform attorneys. In addition to the decision that enabled the transfer to take place, Rabbi Gafni noted in his letter to the Education Minister, "I would like to add that you are aware of the budgeting crisis in this sector, which is liable to lead to economic collapse, and of the importance of due caution regarding the state of these institutions. As such the latter option would be preferable, because not funding them would have grave, far-reaching consequences."
Rabbi Gafni concludes his letter by noting that a few days ago the Education Minister said she was unable to transfer funding for increased Jewish studies due to legal obstacles, and now that the legal obstacles have been removed, she should issue an immediate directive to fund Jewish studies. "I have full confidence that based on a responsible view of the situation you will issue instructions to provide the funding at a time when there no longer is any legal obstacle, as you announced in the Knesset plenum."
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