Israel’s High Court on Thursday cleared the way for the release of NIS 286 million in previously frozen funding designated for Chareidi education.

The funds had been held up amid a legal challenge to budget transfers approved by the Knesset Finance Committee, preventing the Education Ministry from distributing the money while the case remained before the court.

The funding includes money for salaries of Chareidi kindergarten teachers, transportation for students in the Chinuch Atzmai and Bnei Yosef school networks, subsidized after-school programs in exempt and unofficially recognized institutions, and teacher training programs.

The NIS 286 million consists of two Education Ministry budget transfers — NIS 270 million and an additional NIS 16 million — which were approved by the Finance Committee on August 4.

The freeze was lifted after the petition challenging the transfers was withdrawn following a recommendation from the High Court, removing the legal obstacle that had prevented the funds from being distributed.

The decision now allows the Education Ministry to move forward with transferring the funds to the Chareidi educational institutions and programs for which they were designated.