Yeshiva students to get tertiary education transportation discounts

Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich is to advance a proposal granting subsidized public transportation to yeshiva students, following requests from United Torah Judaism (UTJ) MKs to the minister on the issue.

Smotrich informed UTJ MK Moshe Gafni that he was now advancing the proposal through the ministry and would grant yeshiva students the same public transport discounts as received by university and college students, which varies between 33% and 50%.

UTJ MK Yakov Asher was also involved in promoting the plan to the Transportation Ministry, including proposals that would allow the use of a “smart-bracelet” for buying and choosing a subsidized transportation plan at the end of every month for users who do not have smartphones.

Asher approached Smotrich about the idea, due to the minister’s proposal for a new way to pay for public transport through the use of a smartphone app, noting that the ultra-Orthodox community has a particularly high rate of public transportation usage.

The use of smartphones is taboo in the ultra-Orthodox community due to the pointed opposition of many rabbis to the devices.

Many ultra-Orthodox people therefore do not have one, although their use is nevertheless widespread in the ultra-Orthodox community.

The smart bracelet would replace a smartphone for those without such a device.

“An Israeli minister has to be responsible for all Israeli citizens, without distinguishing between one community and another,” said Smotrich on Monday about the plan. “There is no reason why yeshiva students should be discriminated against, and I am happy to fix this injustice.”

Gafni thanked Smotrich for “taking the issue seriously” saying it would be “very good news for tens of thousands of yeshiva students who [study] the Torah diligently and deserve the reduced price.”

The Hiddush religious pluralism organization criticized the notion of granting yeshiva students discounts on public transport, saying that equalizing benefits should be done in conjunction with equalizing national responsibilities.

“This should include paying tuition fees, IDF service, reserve duty and entering the work force,” said Hiddush director Rabbi Uri Regev. “In Jewish tradition, someone who says ‘what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine’ is described as an evil person. This is exactly what lies behind this partial amendment, which will benefit yeshiva students without equalizing their responsibilities to the rest of the general public. This is another example of the burglary of the public coffers at the expense of taxpayers to make it easier for yeshiva students not to find employment and not to contribute to the defense of the state.”