"The support granted to the chareidi educational networks
must be included in the basic budget. UTJ approval of the
budget at its second and third reading is contingent upon
this demand."
This ultimatum was made on 28 Cheshvan by Deputy Education
Minister Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz, at a deliberation in the
Knesset Finance Committee on the Education Ministry budget.
Rabbi Ravitz added that the Finance Ministry's claim that if
it honors this request and includes the subsidies in the
basic budget chareidi representatives will later make
additional demands, is incorrect. In the name of UTJ, he
promised that no additional demands for subsidies will be
made, other than those included in the basic budget.
Rabbi Ravitz also stated that if the demand is not met and
the subsidies are not included in the basic budget, UTJ will
abstain from voting on the budget at its second and third
reading, as it did at the first vote.
The Deputy Education Minister on behalf of Shas, Meshulam
Nahari, also demanded inclusion of the chareidi education
support in the basic budget. He made this demand on behalf of
the Shas Party.
Chareidi representatives want the state funding for chareidi
education to be a part of the regular budget like support for
all other education is, rather than a collection of special
items that is always given unfair public scrutiny.
