MK Meshlam Nahari
MK Meshlam NahariFlash90

The Knesset Education Committee on Monday approved legislation that would cancel the “Nahari Law,” named for Shas MK Meshulam Nahari, that required local authorities to fund hareidi schools. The law specifically required funding for “unofficial recognized educational institutions,” a category populated nearly solely by hareidi institutions.

The law will allow local authorities to fund such schools if it wishes to, but funding will be optional. MK Amram Mitzna (Hatnu'a), chairman of the Committee, said that the law, which is set to be approved by the Knesset when it comes up for a vote there next week, “is the first of a series of steps we are taking to strengthen public education.”

The law, if passed, would go into effect in the 2014-15 school year. For the coming year, funding as already been allocated for most such institutions. The 2013-14 funding came as the result of an executive order by the Education Minister several months ago.

The institutions that fit the criteria of the law are almost strictly educational institutions belonging to Chinuch Atzma'i and Shas' Ma'ayan Hachinuch movements.

All members of the committee, including those from Likud, Yesh Atid, and Bayit Yehudi, voted to end the law. The only vote against canceling it was cast by Nahari himself.