Current sectionIsrael NewsIsrael Political NewsThe law includes only one clause: 'Torah study is a foundational value in the heritage of the Jewish people and in the State of Israel.' A clause equating yeshiva students with military personnel was removed for fear of harm to IDF soldiersShare to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeNoa Shpigel, Chen Maanitand A 11:24 PM • July 13 2026 IDTThe Knesset passed the contentious Basic Law on Torah Study with 63 in favor and 52 against on Monday, in a move set to grant special status to yeshiva students, albeit with vague wording.Loading...Click the alert icon to follow topics:Israel High CourtUltra-OrthodoxIDFKnessetHaredim Israeli politicsYair LapidUnited Torah JudaismCommentsLoading...In the NewsIn the News: Israel NewsIranMahmoud AhmadinejadLindsey GrahamHamasDavid ZiniRo KhannaIsrael ElectionsHaQuizHaaretz PodcastKnesset Ratifies Bill Giving Jewish Religious Studies Special StatusLikud Allows Netanyahu to Appoint Eight Seats on Party's Knesset SlateIDF Chief: Ultra-Orthodox Draft Freeze Will Deepen Inequality and Erode TrustRubio Vows to Dismantle the International Criminal Court 'Brick by Brick'Iran and Netanyahu Both Sow Conflict and Chaos Online Ahead of Israeli ElectionsRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIThe Original Tradwives of Ancient RomeInside the Mossad Plot to Install Ahmadinejad as Iran's LeaderThe 'Special Relationship' Is Gone, and Israel Isn't Ready for What's ComingMade in Kurdistan, Smuggled via Jordan: The Mysterious Firearms Flooding IsraelEgypt Lost the World Cup. But Was the Referee Really Jewish?Inside the German pro-Israel Lobby's Campaign to Defund UNRWA