Israel Labor Ministry — End of state-subsidized daycare for yeshiva student families

Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-844318 · 2026

General Rules for Daycare Subsidies

Education in Israel is free from age three. For children under age three, some families are eligible for state-subsidized daycare under the law and Labor Ministry guidelines.

The criteria are designed to incentivize low-income parents — who otherwise may not be able to afford daycare — to continue working or to pursue higher education. The Labor Ministry is responsible for administering the subsidy.

Change Affecting Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox) Families

For approximately 20 years, ‘higher education’ under the subsidy criteria also included yeshiva study, making families with a working mother and a yeshiva-student father eligible for the subsidy.

However, in July 2023, the legal mechanism that allowed military-age yeshiva students to defer IDF enlistment expired. The Attorney-General’s Office ruled that yeshiva students who ignored IDF enlistment orders could no longer receive financial benefits tied to their student status.

As a result, state-subsidized daycare for children of military-age yeshiva students officially ended. Approximately 7,000 haredi families are affected. The average monthly discount per child was NIS 2,200, according to the Finance Ministry.

Key Takeaway for New Immigrants

If you are a new immigrant (oleh/olah) with children under age three, you may be eligible for state-subsidized daycare if you meet low-income and employment or study criteria set by the Labor Ministry. Eligibility is not affected by the yeshiva-student policy change unless your household includes a military-age yeshiva student who has not enlisted in the IDF.

Contact the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (Misrad HaAvoda) to check your eligibility and apply for the daycare subsidy program.