Not so bad • Most Haredi sector cuts - canceled or postponed

Up until a few weeks ago there was a feeling in the air that the haredi public is facing serious economic policies that will fundamentally change the relationship between religion and state in Israel. Some of the speakers and haredi public figures have already talked about death through starvation, and were quick to compare the situation in Israel in 2013 to Germany before World War II.

But as time passes it becomes clear that the measures taken are minor and specific. School budget and the changes in the draft of the arrangements law show that many cut plans which were disseminated in the air, did not enter at the end of the day the biennial budget, and that the validity of the existing arrangements has not yet expired.

While religious parties are weeping over sitting on the opposition benches and busy grumbling that Yair Lapid does not keep Shabbos, it was rather the 'Jewish Home' which acted to reduce the cuts and decrees in the Haredi sector. The nicknames attached to the party did not prevent it from setting up a secret mediation team, in order to reduce planned budget cuts in the Haredi sector. The team, headed by MK Ayelet Shaked, mediated between haredi parties and Yesh Atid, and managed to reach a series of significant achievements.

Jewish Home Party chairman, Economy Minister Naftali Bennett, rejected the 'daycare center cuts', which was supposed to eliminate subsidies for daycare centers. The cancellation - which was first reported in Behadrey Haredim - was achieved after quiet contacts between Bennett and MKs' of Degel HaTorah and MK Eliezer Moses. After the minister learned that the decree will not allow haredi women to continue working, he postponed its application by a year and a half, and then it will also start a gradual model.

Another relief, which received extensive media coverage, was the cancellation of cuts in Shas' educational network and the 'Chinuch Atzmai'. Despite the differences of versions between the minister Yair Lapid and Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, it is clear that the one involved in the cancellation is the Minister of Education Shay Piron, religious national MK of Yesh Atid.

This is because, according to the budget proposal, the state's support for the networks was supposed to be minimized by 25% and was also dependent on international achievement tests. Technically a problem was created to run these sections now, with all the process of establishing a national haredi education network was not yet come into practice.

It was also reported that the Ministry of Finance withdrew its plan to cut the budget of Haredi yeshivas. This relates to yeshiva ketanas, equivalent to high school age, and do not prepare their pupils for matriculation. Under the law of unique educational institutions, which was passed 5 years ago, yeshivas receive a budget of 60%, but the intention was to cut it to 30%. Now it turns out that budgets will remain the same.

Today (Sunday) 'Kalkalist' published another string of cancellations in the Haredi sector cuts, including eliminating the condition of earning power in order to receive property tax reductions. According to the previous version of the draft law arrangements, as from 2014 proof will be required of earning power, if not - the applicant was likely to lose half the reduction. But now those who do not comply with the terms will be entitled to two-thirds of the reduction in 2014, and a third of the reduction - in 2015.

More in Education: the previous draft included a requirement to determine the quotas for teacher training seminaries in the Haredi sector, but a joint decision of the Ministries of Education and Finance brought to excluding the clause from the draft law and it will be handled by the Ministry of Education.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!