The committee headed by Menachem Cohen, the deputy director general of the Ministry of Education, has submitted its recommendations pertaining to relaxing restrictions on chareidi educational institutions. The committee included representatives of the Ministries of Justice, Finance and Education.

The committee established new regulations towards facilitating operational realities between the mosdos and appropriate government ministries. The organization representing administers of the mosdos cooperated with the official committee, submitted the requested forms and information.

Topics discussed by the committee included the so-called core subjects, those subjects taught in the state public schools which are generally not taught in chareidi schools. The committee reviewed the current regulations, dating back a number of years, realizing that the current system simply doesn’t work – realizing that attempts to compel a curriculum upon chareidi mosdos may not be the route to take.

One of the recommendations made by the committee is the recognition of the hour break during the school day as one of the hours of study, similar to the hour calculated as part of the Israeli workday. The committee also favors accepting a government decision [from over a decade ago] that any non-profit seeking aid from the national government must be able to document a minimum of two years experience in that field – seeking to avoid allocations of funds to organizations simply not operating properly.

Priority will be given to a yeshivos established in a new area, an area without other chareidi institutions, or an area in which a request for assistance has not been received for two years; realizing in such situations the need may be greater and alternative solutions may not be available. Priority assistance will also be given to existing approved institutions seeking to expand, such as a yeshiva ketana wishing to launch a yeshiva gedola.

The committee also addressed funding for foreign students learning in mosdos in Eretz Yisrael, ageing there is a need to assist in funding during the first four months, the time usually required for said student to pass the bureaucratic hurdles associated with the Ministry of the Interior. There are currently 10,000 such students registered in the system today, and 2,000-3,000 of them are awaiting ministry approval to permit funding assistance. At present, until the ministry issues the required permit, funding for these students in the form of state aid is not forthcoming.

A number of bureaucratic regulations have been relaxed towards simplifying the process for yeshivos, including the probation period for a new institution.

Minister of Education Gideon Saar told Deputy Minister Menachem Eliezer Moses that he accepts the committee’s recommendations.

Representatives of the chareidi mosdos welcomed the announcement, realizing it is a step towards facilitating the process of working with state agencies.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)