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NEWS
Jerusalem Municipality Overcomes Talmudei Torah Budget
Obstacles
By Yechiel Sever
After years of legal directives preventing unrecognized
talmudei Torah from receiving funding, the Jerusalem
Municipality recently made it possible to complete the
transfer of millions of shekels earmarked for substantial
renovations, equipment purchases and operational costs at
chareidi educational institutions.
The payments went through after Jerusalem Mayor Rabbi Uri
Lupoliansky formulated new criteria that allow the
municipality to legally support the institutions.
Deputy Mayor and Chareidi Education Commissioner Rabbi Uri
Maklev, who took part in reformulating the criteria, said the
move is an important building block in implementing the
Municipality's policy of providing full funding equality for
exempt institutions and schools that are "recognized but
unofficial." He said in light of the new criteria the
Chareidi Education Department has made arrangements to
increase its budget and is working to inform institutions of
the new budgeting opportunities now available.
Recently dozens of institutions where funding was cut off
have submitted budget requests. At this stage 58 institutions
meet the criteria and according to planning estimates a
similar number are expected to receive funding during the
next few months. Based on the new arrangement Mayor
Lupoliansky has been working to increase the Chareidi
Education Department budget to close the funding gap that has
formed in education over the years.
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