Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli
Shuli Mualem-RafaeliHezki Baruch

The National Service grant for yeshiva students is expected to rise after the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs approved a bill submitted by Jewish Home faction leader Shuli Mualem-Rafaeli.

The grant is based on the total months of national service. The current grant is 194 shekels ($52.38) per month. Under MK Mualem-Rafaeli's bill, the grant would be raised to 277.5 shekels ($74.93) per month.

The new law applies to those who serve the interim amount of 30 hours per week, primarily yeshiva students. The bill aims to improve the amount granted them upon discharge in accordance with the changes expected under the reforms to National Service. The bill would also apply retroactively to those who have completed their service, allowing them to claim the difference.

MK Mualem-Rafaeli said that regarding "the various people who can give to society not through military service, but through national service, it is not fitting for them to be discriminated against in relation to others in the National Service framework. If the state wants to integrate the haredim into the National Service framework, it must adjust their conditions to be in line with those of other national servants. I thank Minister Uri Ariel for working to promote the rights of haredim in National Service."

Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel (Jewish Home), who is also the Minister in charge of National Service, said: "National service is a social service for the State of Israel, and we have taken upon ourselves the integration of all populations in Israel as part of the goal of national service."

"I have no doubt that in the coming years we will see a qualitative and quantitative [improvement and] growth in the number of National Service volunteers from all populations, including the haredi population," Ariel added.