The Supreme Court has already, twice, voided the law granting kollel avreichim funding through a program called "havtachat hachnasa" - guaranteed income. The Supreme Court called it discriminatory due to it being only for avreichim and not for all students.
As part of the coalition agreements from when this government wad formed last year it was agreed to bring back the havtachat hachnasa in a way to circumvent the Supreme Court opposition. After some delays, the issue is finally coming to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.
So, how will they get it by the Supreme Court this time?
They've made some changes to the law proposal from what the havtachat hachnasa used to be. The current law proposal has qualifying avreichim receiving 2600nis per month. A qualifying avreich will have to have at least one child, will not be disqualified by ownership of a home, and also choosing to not work but learn will not be a disqualifier. And, the law will also give this money to qualifying students, under the same exact terms.
Previously:
- the amount was smaller
- owning a house disqualified one from getting the monthly payment
- one had to have worked and be unemployed or at least somehow tried. This is no longer necessary
- the minimum number of children for qualification used to be 3. It was decided that this number knocks out all students, as students don't have so many kids, even if they are married at all, which itself is rare.
source: Calcalist
If the MKs are so adept at finding ways to circumvent the Supreme Court, they should use their ingenuity more frequently, such as when the Supreme Court opposes the destruction of terrorists homes.
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Who's paying for this program?
ReplyDeleteEveryone else, of course. And Charedim wonder why everyone else on the planet is beginning to despise them.
to be fair, it is money agreed upon in coalition agreements. if it was not the haredim joining the government it would have been another party demanding the same or more money for their interests and constituents...
ReplyDeleteIs there another large body of constituents who claim a religious exemption from supporting themselves? People understand if a disabled person gets support. People are beginning to question why able-bodied men are given money for literally doing nothing.
ReplyDeleteRafi, I received grants when I was in college in Israel. But there was an expectation that I and other students would later bring our greater education into the workforce and "repay" the state by our work, taxes, and ability to make a greater overall contribution to Israeli society. So I don't feel bad about taking some of the taxpayer's money, as in investment in contribution. (That's without mentioning years of army service, which ought to be worth something, even though it is a mitzvah and general obligation.) Avi makes the point from the general taxpayer's perspective. What is the return on the investment?
ReplyDeleteI agree, but really this has always been a form and type of welfare rather than a grant for education
ReplyDeleteand if you go to the calcalist link with mroe details, you'll see it is being protested (likely to fail, but still) because even these terms are terms most students dont qualify under - very few students are married with even just one child, and most of those that are are haredi students... so it remains to be seen whether o tnot it will pass the Bagatz, but it is an attempt
ReplyDeleteThe totally unJewish supreme courts should be outlawed by the 'Knesset'. There is really nothing Jewish left in the laws of the land. When courts 'rule' instead of doing their obvious duty of just being 'judges', it means democracy.has disappeared. What's so hard to understand?
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy if Israel gave everybody a guaranteed income. It would do amazing things for our country if every person received 2K nis per month.
ReplyDeleteLast Anon comment, find it quite strange.
ReplyDelete