The Cabinet decided Sunday to allot 11 million shekels to nucleus groups ("garinim") that settle in towns and communities that require social and spiritual strengthening. The nucleus groups fall into various categories, including community-based and Torah-based.
Nucleus groups are typically made up of individuals and families who volunteer to settle communally in a disadvantaged location and assist it by becoming part of the local social fabric. In the case of Torah-based groups, the volunteers are usually several dozen young religious-Zionist couples, who settle in a community that is in danger of losing its Jewish character and make it their home for several years - or sometimes, for good.
The budget for the nucleus groups will be transferred from several government ministries, including the ministries of education and welfare. The Prime Minister's Office will contribute its share of the funding.
The government decision is largely the fruit of the labors of National Union Knesset Member Uri Ariel, who is deeply involved with accompanying nucleus groups throughout Israel. He has played a key role in bringing religious nucleus groups to Akko and Nazareth Illit in recent years. He is currently working on bringing another nucleus group - not necessarily religious - to Nazareth Illit, parts of which have been lost to an Arab 'invasion,' and enlarging the nucleus group in Arad, which is being overrun by African infiltrators.