National-Civic Service volunteers received good news on Sunday after the Knesset's Labor and Welfare Committee on Sunday approved Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman's 2021 decision to raise their monthly "subsistence" wage by 50%.
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The wage hike –from NIS 540 ($170) to NIS 810 ($255) per month – will go into effect as soon as the volunteers' next salary. Some 18,000 young men and women from all sectors of Israeli society currently volunteer within the framework of the country's National-Civic Service program, often instead of military service.
The cost of the raise amounts to around NIS 55 million ($16.9 million), which will be allocated from the budgets of the Finance Ministry and Prime Minister's Office.
"The volunteers of the National-Civic Service program have been doing god's work for many years, all across the country, and give their hearts and souls for Israel. We appreciate and recognize them – in actions, not words. Just as we raised the salaries of our soldiers who protect the security of Israel, it was only appropriate that we raise the salaries of our national service volunteers, which is what we are doing today. This is wonderful, joyous news."
Lieberman called the pay increase a "good decision for the 18,000 national service members who volunteer throughout Israel on a daily basis on the civilian front."
Labor and Welfare Committee Chairwoman MK Efrat Rayten Marom (Labor), added: "I'm happy to spearhead … the justified addition to the salaries of the wonderful national service volunteers. This is tremendous news for our dear youngsters who choose to fulfill their commitments on behalf of the country and all of society."
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