The Jerusalem Municipality before the beginning of the 5774 school year publicized criteria for kollel families detailing one’s eligibility for a reduction in rates for a child’s daycare afternoon session. The document stated that a couple would have to document that between them they could earn 125% of a possible 200% working points. That means if the husband learns fulltime he earns 100% and therefore, the wife only needs a quarter of a position to become eligible for the discount.

In reality however things were not as the tzibur understood they would be for many full time kollel avreichim whose wives have at least 25% of a fulltime position were told they are not eligible for the afternoon session discount.

As the number of avreichim being rejected for the discount increased, the matter was brought to the attention of Councilman Rav Yisrael Kellerman, Yated Neeman reports.It appears City Hall has decided to only recognize fulltime limud as 25%, and not 100% as promised.

Councilman Kellerman says it simply is not logical for if an avreich works all day, engaged in limud Torah, why should that be recognized as only a quarter of a position?

Rav Kellerman turned to the appropriate officials in the city’s education network to implement the necessary change. Baruch Hashem after Rav Baruch Helfgot, the deputy director of the city’s Chareidi Chinuch unit became involved the matter was changed to reflect that an avreich learning fulltime will be recognized as working fulltime regarding eligibility for the afternoon session discount in daycare centers.

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)