With the approval of the state budget for 2015-16 and in accordance with the coalition agreements between the Likud and ultra-Orthodox parties, budgetary funding allocated to yeshivas (seminaries for single men) and kollels (for married men) grew significantly this year. That funding had previously been cut by the last government due to pressure from Yesh Atid.
The budget for yeshivas and kollels includes a monthly subsistence stipend for students. This sum grew from 310 shekels ($78) per month (in January 2015) to 477 shekels ($120), while funding for kollel students increased from 558 shekels ($140) per month to 858 shekels ($215). The ultra-Orthodox parties also succeeded in establishing a new precedent by having these stipends paid retroactively, dating back to January 2015. As a result, yeshiva students received a one-time compensatory grant of 1,477 shekels ($317), while kollel students received a similar grant of 2,658 shekels ($668).
