The cabinet on Sunday 7 Adar approved an additional NIS 52.3 million to the biannual yeshiva budget for torah study. As per coalition agreements with Shas and Yahadut Hatorah, the government budgets NIS 477 per month for each talmid and NIS 857 for an avreich, and this is without a ceiling as to the number of persons continue learning.

As the yeshivos continue to grow, the budget has to be increased, now standing at NIS 224 million annually.

Meretz party leader Zahava Gal-On decried the allocation, using Facebook to her message out. Responding was Knesset Finance Committee Chairman MK Moshe Gafne, who stated the amount paid simply represents adherence to coalition agreements, nothing more.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)