Moshe Feiglin Vows to Close Ministry of Education and Slash Government Offices

Moshe Feiglin, head of the Zehut party and number two on the joint electoral list with Bezalel Smotrich's "Religious Zionism", stated this week that he would close the Ministry of Education if given the opportunity. Speaking on the "Hakol Patuach" podcast hosted by Avi Shushan, Feiglin called the ministry an institution of ignorance and progressivism, adding that he would shut down two-thirds of government ministries altogether.

Radical Plan to Slim Down the Government

Feiglin, projected by recent polls to return to the Knesset after more than a decade, argued that Israel should drastically reduce its administrative apparatus. He noted that David Ben-Gurion's early government operated with only eight ministries, and he would limit the cabinet to just 11 portfolios. Beyond education, Feiglin listed the Ministry of Culture and Sport, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Economy among those he would shutter.

"The state should not intervene in culture or education, neither in Torah studies nor in the humanities at universities," Feiglin said.

Independent Culture and Torah

Elaborating on his vision for culture and religion, Feiglin argued that theaters like Habima and the Cameri should be self-funding or rely on philanthropy rather than state budgets. He similarly maintained that state funding should be cut for both ideological gender studies departments at universities and traditional yeshivas, arguing that financial independence would ultimately strengthen Torah study without government interference.

Following a technical agreement reached early last month, Feiglin secured the number two spot on the joint list with "Religious Zionism", alongside slots 8, 10, and 11. Recent polls indicate the alliance is polling steadily above the electoral threshold, projecting between five and eight mandates ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections.