According to a joint study by Haaretz and Yisrael Chofsheet (Be Free Israel), NIS 8.7 billion [representing 2.3% of the 2016 state budget] was allocated to religious services and needs. The report adds the sum is also thirteen times higher than the budget for the Ministry of Religious Services.

The report explains the additional funding is spread via a number of government ministries including Agriculture, Culture & Sports, Justice and Education. For example, it reports that 36% of the Agriculture Ministry budget, which amounts to NIS 1.6 billion of NIS 4.46 billion, is used exclusively to compensate former Gaza residents for the loss of shul equipment in the 2005 expulsion. This and other such payments the report states are included in all state budgets, representing the hidden expenses that are not reported to the general public.

The ‘Be Free Israel’ organization, which promotes religious pluralism and freedom from religion, worked with Haaretz and the two have gone through the budget with a fine-tooth comb in an effort to locate money going to religious institutions and causes. This would include mikvaos, NGOs, Jewish identity programs and more. Other examples would include; NIS million to assist people

like the one million shekels the Justice Ministry grants to researchers of Jewish religious law, or the millions of shekels given to organizations that provide housing assistance in the heart of Tel Aviv for people becoming religious or NIS one million to the Justice Ministry for research of religious law. Much of the funding for yeshivos is also allocated outside of the official state budget.

So how does it work? Since the budget for many things including religious services are not fixed, they can change pending approval of the Knesset Finance Committee. The powerful Knesset committee has the authority to increase or cut the budget of organizations. The authors of the report admit that due to this, it is difficult to obtain accurate information and therefore, the authors admit the information in the report may be outdated since the Knesset Finance Committee can change budgeting realities or organizations all the time. The committee basically controls the national check book.

Seeking to paint unfavorable picture pertaining to high state-spending on religious services, the report adds the state does not collect data in all areas, and this includes how much revenue is lost by the fact shuls are exempt from municipal taxes, estimating the figure being NIS 8.7 billion.

“It’s astounding to see how many millions are allocated by the state to strengthen the religious foothold in secular space,” said Mickey Gitzin, executive director of Israel Chofsheet. From Gitzin’s perspective, this explains how the religious parties maintain control of Judaism in the state. He feels that today, the Education Ministry is simply a “political mechanism” for they Bayit Yehudi party which controls it.

Adding to the concern of the authors of the report, the chareidim are also funneling money to public schools “to forcibly place a yarmulke on it” as well, documenting that NIS 50.8 billion, which represents 7.1% of the ministry budget, is devoted to religious purposes.

Of this sum, NIS 1 billion is allocated to religious institutions with the largest recipient being Mir Yeshiva – NIS 22 million. In second place with NIS 519 million is the Mayan Chinuch system run by Shas, which is for all the schools in that system.

Other budgetary allocations from the Education cited in the report include:

· NIS 170 million for religious programing in schools

· NIS 142 million for Jewish culture

· NIS 100 million for stipends for yeshiva students

· NIS 16 million for religious youth groups

The report adds that the Education Ministry responded, explaining funding for religious purposes comprises a mere 0.3% of its total budget. “School enrichment activities are the full responsibility of the school principal, based on the spirit of the school and the community. The Education Ministry trusts the principals and is certain they operate based on the needs of their schools.”

Other allocations deemed objectionable by the report include:

· The Ministry of Sport & Culture Ministry: NIS 8.6 million for religious cultural institutions

· The Ministry of Negev & Galil Development: NIS 10 million towards development of religious tourism sites including kevarim of rabbonim.

The report estimated that here, lost tax revenue from religious services to be in the area of NIS 500 million.

Vice President of Research & Information at Hiddush Shahar Illan adds that the “generous funding” for yeshivos is contrary to ongoing efforts to bring more chareidim into the workplace. He adds that making things worse is the reality that in the chareidi school system, the children are not taught core subjects and therefore, in another 10-15 years, they will lack the basic skills to enter the workforce as is the nation’s goal today. He laments that this will feed and sharply increase the level of poverty in this tzibur.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)