Education Ministry Suspends Yeshivah Budgets

By Hamodia Staff

After the interim injunction issued by the Supreme Court against the Torah world last week, stating that budgets for yeshivos should be stopped for yeshivah students who received an enlistment order but did not enlist, on Wednesday the Education Ministry sent a letter to the heads of yeshivos and institution managers, officially informing them of the suspension of budgets for the yeshivos.

In the letter, the Education Ministry writes, “We are pleased to announce the transfer of payment to Torah institutions for the month of April 2024. The payment will appear in the bank accounts tomorrow.

“For your attention,” continues the letter, “it was determined by the Supreme Court in an interim injunction dated March 28, that as of April 1, funds cannot be transferred to support yeshivah institutions for students who did not receive an exemption or postponement from military service and did not present themselves for enlistment since July 1, 2023, or students whose deferment from service has ended. Therefore, as of April 1, support payments for the aforementioned group of students have been suspended.”

The Education Ministry adds that “it was further determined that institutions affected by the interim injunction for receiving support funds for the aforementioned students will continue to receive support funds for students not included in the injunction until the end of the current academic year, ending on the 5th of Av, 5784. Payment for these students will be made in the coming days.”

According to the interim injunction issued last Thursday, the prohibition on funding took effect on April 1, two days ago, when the government’s directive allowing the postponement of yeshivah students’ enlistment expired, despite the repeal of the previous exemption law last July.

It should be noted that according to the injunction, funding will continue for students who are not “within the scope of the injunction” until the end of the current academic year. The justices determined that in May, a hearing will be held, with an expanded panel of nine justices, regarding the question of whether to turn the temporary interim injunction into a final one.