Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., December 18, 2007 Tevet 9, 5768 | | Israel Time: 23:00 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah

Absorption Minister Yaakov Edri. (Tomer Appelbaum) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 17:12 18/12/2007 Education Min. to continue funding Hebrew-language classes for olim By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Jewish World Correspondent and Haaretz Service Tags: ulpan, olim, aliya  Absorption Minister Yaakov Edri apparently succeeded Tuesday in canceling the large budget cut the Education Ministry was planning for state-funded Hebrew instruction courses, known as ulpanim. On Tuesday, the Education Ministry asked to stop funding the ulpanim. In an emergency meeting of the Knesset's Committee for Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs, the ministry's director-general Shlomit Amichai said that the ministry "is committed first and foremost to the children studying in schools. The education reform demands an investment of billions, and the ministry's commitment to the framework of the reform will make it difficult for us to deal with other issues, including adult education." The expected budget cut would be for more than NIS 40 million, which is half of the adult education budget allocated by the ministry. The adult education wing in the ministry is responsible, among other issues, for Hebrew-language classes for new immigrants. Advertisement However in an urgent letter that Edri sent to Education Minister Yuli Tamir, he explained that the budget cut will cause more than 350 teacher lay-offs, and therefore a decrease in the number of classrooms. He maintained that "Hebrew language studies for new immigrants are an initial milestone in the immigrant's absorption process in Israel, and a necessity that the state must grant to them in the framework of their absorption. The budget cut will severely hurt the immigrant's chances of integrating into Israeli society, in employment and in every part of life." Edri also wrote that a unilateral decision such as this one sends a deterring message to potential olim, or immigrants. He told Tamir he would fight this decision with all his strength. As a result of the emergency committee meeting, Amichai announced that the budget would not be touched. The meeting concluded with the option that the ulpanim issue would be transferred in stages to the Absorption Ministry. Related articles: Ulpan study faces rethink as olim fail to grasp Hebrew Gov't okays funding private Aliyah agencies in addition Jewish Agency Bookmark to del.icio.us Organic memory Israeli research is among '50 most significant scientific breakthroughs in 2007.' Floating the PA International donors pledged $7.4 billion to help boost the PA economy .   1.   Foolish 17:26  |  P 18/12/07   2.   For once the govt has stopped punishing the non-Soviets 17:30  |  5th generation 18/12/07   3.   I am in shock 22:37  |  Julie 18/12/07

Today Online IDF strikes kill at least 13 Islamic Jihad, Hamas militants Responses: 405 Bradley Burston: Killing the Palestinian who wishes you dead Responses: 82 Rosner's guest: The PA's goal is the destruction of Israel Responses: 95 Yoel Marcus: Israel doesn't need a new Vietnam called Gaza Responses: 105 Officials: Israel to allow construction in W. Bank settlements Responses: 160 Rosner's Domain Rabin's long memory and the U.S. NIE report on Iran The more Jews complain about Huckabee...(What to Read) Guest: Leader of the Zionist Organization of America on post-Annapolis Mideast Without the Reform movement in Israel, there's no Reform movement More Headlines 22:47 Olmert: We will continue to seek out top militants 22:54 White House confirms Bush will visit the Middle East in January 22:24 U.S., Britain to host investors' conference for PA in Bethlehem 21:22 Falafel recipe painted on West Bank fence as part of protest 20:51 Doctor at Jewish NPO in Ethiopia nominated for CNN 'Hero' award 22:45 Islamic Jihad swears revenge as 11 killed in IDF raids in Gaza 19:55 Israel signs free-trade accord with South American bloc 12:33 Vice Premier suggests swapping land with PA to keep settlements 20:44 Knesset passes bill granting negative tax to low income workers 17:12 Education Min. to continue funding Hebrew-language classes for olim Previous Editions Select Day 17 dec 16 dec 14 dec 13 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 07 dec 06 dec 05 dec 04 dec

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