Through concerted efforts by Degel HaTorah Secretary MK Rabbi
Moshe Gafni, funding for the months of January and February
will be transferred to the yeshivas within the next few days
although the national budget for 2005 has not yet been
approved in its second and third readings.
The Finance Ministry, however, says reduced funding will be
transferred according to 2004 rates; after the budget
receives approval, the balance for the first months of the
year will be paid as well.
The funding transfer was also made possible through the
appointment of R' Shimon Achster as the new accountant at the
Education Ministry's Department of Yeshivas and Torah
Institutions, following pressure Rabbi Gafni applied on the
Finance Ministry and Prime Minister's Office.
After a recent meeting between Rabbi Gafni and the Prime
Minister, the Finance Ministry received orders to sign the
appointment of R' Achster, who is closely acquainted with the
needs of the yeshivas and other Torah institutions.
Principals and yeshiva managers expressed hopes the new
appointment would allow the monthly funding transfers to
arrive on schedule and without glitches.
Another issue that often prevented the smooth transfer of
funding has also been solved. A few months ago the Finance
Ministry decided that Torah institutions would only be able
to receive funding after presenting "proper administration"
certificates for the previous five years. Rabbi Gafni
contacted Finance Ministry officials, claiming it was
unreasonable to deny funding to institutions where
administrative defects were found four or five years ago and
which, following an audit, remedied the problem. This could
render hundreds of institutions ineligible for funding, he
noted.
Following Rabbi Gafni's criticism the Finance Ministry
decided to forego the incendiary requirement. Now
institutions that present certification of proper
administration over the past year will be eligible for
funding.
