A protracted, uncompromising battle by MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni ended in success when the local authorities issued a notice saying chareidi schools would receive special equipment budgets following the war period in the North as part of the Israeli government’s Putting the Heart in the North program.

Immediately after the war the Education Minister and the Director-General of the Education Ministry announced that schools in the North would receive science equipment funding under the Putting the Heart in the North program yet, surprisingly, Chinuch Atzmai schools were not included in the program. Calling the decision shameful, Rabbi Gafni protested the policy before the Education Committee, which held a meeting to discuss the issue. “Were children in chareidi schools not under missile attacks? Is their blood and their skin different?” he demanded. Nevertheless the decision remained in force.

Rabbi Gafni did not give up, meeting with Education Ministry Director-General Shmuel Abuhav and with Dr. Chaya Vik. Eventually the two agreed that Chinuch Atzmai schools should also be included in the program and that the equipment budget would be transferred immediately. Despite attempts by legal figures to put up various obstacles, the funding was transferred through the local authorities.

Rabbi Gafni was the one who demanded that the funding be transferred through the local authorities rather through other channels. Last week mayors of northern cities with Chinuch Atzmai schools received letters confirming that they had received equipment funding to be distributed according to the list of schools in the city. Principals at chareidi schools in the North thanked Rabbi Gafni for the persistent struggle he waged until the funding was received.

(Dei’ah ve’Dibur)