Perhaps the cuts to chareidi yeshivos is a prime example of the ‘snowball effect’, for when the Bayit Yehudi dati leumi party joined forces with Yesh Atid, Naftali Bennett failed to look too far ahead. Some believe it is his political naiveté while others feel his disdain for chareidim blinded him and yet others do not seek to explain his actions. Those very same cuts are now delivering a lethal blow to many hesder yeshivot, the flagship program combining Torah study and IDF service of the dati leumi community. As Housing Minister (Bayit Yehudi) Uri Ariel boasted this week in a media interview, “hesder has been around for decades, it is a recipient of the coveted Israel Prize, and it is a prime example of limud Torah and service to the nation.”

It is unlikely when Bennett and his colleagues teamed with Lapid they realized their actions would not only impact chareidi mosdos, but hesder yeshivot as well. For a number of the hesder yeshivot, they no longer have minimal operating funds after absorbing a number of budgetary cuts this year. Some insist they do not even have money for paper and pens while others have sharply reduced the number of in Shabbatot, sending talmidim home for Shabbos more frequently to save money.

Rosh Yeshivat Maale Eliyahu Rav David Butchko admits that for him, it is so bad that some of the rabbonim have been sent home; laid off because there is no hope of paying them. The rosh yeshiva is quoted by Kippa reporting that today, they are struggling to buy bread for talmidim – they are simply broke and out of ideas to raise funds needed immediately to remain operational. He explains that many yeshivot have turned to parents, but many talmidim come from large families Baruch Hashem, and the parents simply have nothing to give.

While the government has cut funding to its offices by 5%, hesder yeshivot have been cut 40-60%! In actuality, 600 million NIS has been cut, 200 million NIS this year and an additional 400 million NIS planned for next year.

Before the signing of this year’s state budget the hesder budget was cut 20%. Last may there was an additional 20% cut so today, the hesder system is simply out of funds. Parents of hesder talmidim pay an average of 10,000-11,000 NIS annually for their five years of study and the government funds the remainder. Tuition is paid for the time they serve in the IDF as well towards keeping the yeshivot afloat. They used to receive 1,200 NIS per talmid monthly from the government. During actual army service funding is forthcoming from the Defense Ministry. At present, yeshivot are receiving 540 NIS per talmid a month and this sum will be reduced drastically in the coming year. Yeshivot report today, they do not have funds to pay rabbonim or for food and other basics.

An increasing number of roshei yeshiva from hesder are looking in the direction of the Bayit Leumi party to do something. It is unclear just what Bennett can or will do, but it is clear that many yeshivot are running out of oxygen and if funding is not forthcoming in the very near future, they will not be opening their doors in Elul chas v’sholom.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)