Despite the fact that it was mandated by the High Court, and
despite the fact that it merely formalizes an arrangement
that has been in place for some thirty years and adds no
extra money to the government budget, the law authorizing the
continuation of guaranteed income payments to avreichim draws
fiery, hostile debate whenever it is discussed.
As Rabbi Moshe Gafni, chair of the Knesset Finance Committee
explained, "This is not a law that bypassed the High Court,
but rather a law that has been proposed according to the
instructions of the High Court. In the past, the High Court
approved the arrangements that were made to provide avreichim
with a guaranteed annual income and that were in place for
three decades. More recently, the Court said that it was not
proper for the arrangements to continue in their current form
as administrative regulations and that they should be
formalized in legislation. That is why the Court delayed its
invalidation of the administrative arrangements until January
2011 — to give the Knesset time to pass the necessary
legislation. That is what we are doing now. It is not a law
defying the High Court but rather done at their
direction."
Rabbi Gafni added, "The Finance Committee recently discussed
the matter at great length and it became clear from the data
of the government's General Accountant that university
students receive several times the amount of money that goes
to avreichim, in programs that are tailored to them. Thus the
argument that the guaranteed income law for avreichim
discriminates against other students is not correct. The
opposite is the case."
Rabbi Gafni noted that all recent governments, including the
one lead by Kadima whose members lead the attacks against the
new law, authorized the provision of guaranteed income for
avreichim.
"This law does not add even a single shekel to the budget
beyond what was given for decades by all the Israeli
governments," said Rabbi Gafni.
Nonetheless, opponents of the bill continue to claim that it
somehow hurts students. The Likud accused Kadima of taking
its political playbook from the defunct Shinui party whose
strategy centered on attacking the chareidim.
