Israel’s Knesset Finance Committee approved today (Thursday) the transfer of about 1.8 billion shekels from the state budget reserve to ultra-Orthodox institutions, religious education, settlement-related education and coalition agreements, despite opposition protests.
The money comes from the government’s budget reserve and is being allocated largely to education frameworks affiliated with religious and coalition parties.
Under the decision, 426 million shekels will go to the Independent Education system aligned with United Torah Judaism, an ultra-Orthodox political party. Another 360 million shekels will be transferred to the Ma’ayan HaChinuch HaTorani network affiliated with Shas, the Sephardic ultra-Orthodox party. An additional 136 million shekels will be allocated to recognized and unrecognized ultra-Orthodox educational institutions.Some 151 million shekels will be directed…