In response to widespread confusion and numerous questions regarding payments for educational institutions and preschools during the ongoing war, the Beis Din of Beitar Illit, led by Rav Tzvi Braverman, issued a formal set of halachic guidelines this week.
The ruling marks the first major halachic response to the array of financial dilemmas caused by the war’s impact on school operations across the country.
In their letter, the dayanim differentiate between various types of institutions. For official, state-supervised kindergartens and daycare centers, they ruled that payment arrangements must follow the official directives issued by authorized government bodies.
When it comes to private kindergartens, the beis din made a distinction based on whether the facility has access to a mamad (reinforced protected room). If the kindergarten is equipped with a secure space, it is permitted to operate under the condition that no more than seven children are present at any given time. If more families wish to send their children, the school must institute a rotation system.
If a private kindergarten does not have access to a protected room and therefore cannot operate safely, the beis din ruled that parents are not obligated to pay tuition for those days the school remains closed.
The ruling also addressed concerns from parents reluctant to send their children, as well as from school operators hesitant to reopen despite official clearance. These situations, the letter stated, must be considered individually with sensitivity to safety and halachic nuance.
The beis din concluded by noting that additional guidance will be issued in the near future concerning other wartime-related financial obligations, such as payments for simchah halls and transportation to schools.
The complete ruling from the Beis Din of Beitar is included below.

{Matzav.com Israel}