If Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s 4 million NIS budget cut for local religious councils in smaller communities passed, it would have brought a halt to many religious services, including the closure of many mikvaos in those communities chas v’sholom. The budget cuts would have also resulted in the firing of hundreds of rabbonim and baalaniyos for mikvaos.

During a session of the Knesset Interior Committee, Chairwoman Miri Regev worked with chareidi opposition members to present the cut, realizing the consequences of such an act.

Heads of local and regional councils warned state officials’ that if the budget cut is passed, they would not be able to find the funds to pay rabbonim, mikve ladies and others providing religious services while the funding for social workers, educational and cultural activities continue. Over 500 people involved in providing religious services would have been fired from their jobs.

The committee decided that while many residents of the communities involved are not religious, they are traditional and they are unwilling to live a life void of religious services. Regev spoke out strongly in support of continuing the religious services, stating she will be opposing the cuts recommended by Lapid and the treasury.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)