High Court demands gov’t explain tax exemption for only yeshiva students

High Court Justices order state to explain why only the yeshiva students are exempt from municipal tax where as students living in dormitories or other educational institutions are not exempt.

The head of the Hebrew University Student Union says the new regulation is discriminatory.

Edna Adato

 

High Court justices Elyakim Rubinstein, Yoram Danziger and Uri Shoham issued a decree on Thursday ordering the state to explain within the next four months why yeshiva students are exempt from paying municipal tax while students living in dormitories at other educational institutions are not.

According to a regulation implemented last year, yeshiva students are exempt from paying municipal tax, while students living in dormitories at other educational institutions are not. – Photo: Lior Mizrahi

The order was issued after a hearing was held on a petition filed last year by the Student Union at Hebrew University.

The petition was filed after the Interior Ministry published new municipal tax regulations that mainly exempted yeshivas, but not other educational institutions with student dormitories.

“It’s time for the Israeli government and its ministers to cease making sectorial decisions under the guise of social justice,” said Yael Sinai, the head of the Student Union at Hebrew University and one of the initiators of the petition. “The regulation is discriminatory and unequal and turns its back on students and young people in Israel.”

View original Israel Hayom publication at: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=7331