Yair Lapid, who launched the new Yesh Atid (There if a Future) party continues to promise voters he will cut the “exorbitant” funding of chareidi mosdos and redirect funding where it should go.

The daily Maariv reports that chareidi politicians are working to legislate a law that guarantees funding for schools that do not include the so-called ‘core subjects’ in their curriculum, which includes English, math and science, i.e. many or most chareidi yeshivos. These mosdos are currently receiving 55% of the budgeting per child received by public schools, with the later complying with the curriculum of the Ministry of Education. The chareidi schools are categorized as “recognized” for the purposes of state budgeting.

Speaking with the chareidi news site Kikar Shabbat, Deputy Health Minister (Yahadut HaTorah) Yaakov Litzman addressed the challenges to the chareidi tzibur in the upcoming general election.

“I don’t know any chareidi who requires an explanation as to why it is imperative that we have a strong chareidi representation in the next government. It is clear to all. We are facing serious issues, including threats to religion and the world of Torah, a compulsory draft and the housing shortage”.

“We have addressed each and every one of these issues seriously in the last Knesset and it is imperative that we have the strength to continue doing so.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)