Miriam, because part of being in society means that some of your tax dollars (or shekels in this case) are always going to go for things you don’t necessarily agree with. Our tax dollars go to subsidizing the theater, the opera, and other entertainment we don’t participate in or even feel is right. (And the kollelim get a lot less government money than the entertainment industry.)
Mdd, I don’t know what you are referring to when you say that staying in kollel in EY is the same as US is a big chiddush. If you’re saying that you always thought that in EY there were more benefits than in the US, then now you know that’s not the case, for sure if you’re talking about NY. The counterbalance to that is that the lifestyle in EY is of a much lower material standard.
And again, as the OP stated in his last comment – chareidim work!! I work, and so does my husband. But we still do not cross the threshold of having to pay income tax.
In Israel, there are NO tangible benefits that are given on basis of income – no food stamps, etc. Kitzvat yeladim is the same for everyone. There are only discounts on taxes like Arnona. Why am I taking advantage because we have a certain amount of children and a certain income?