Thousands of young Chareidi couples who registered for the Dira B’Hanacha subsidized housing lotteries before the High Court barred bnei yeshivos from participating have received official notices from the Housing Ministry informing them that they have been removed from the lotteries.

The move marks a significant escalation, as these couples registered before the High Court issued its ruling but are now being removed retroactively.

Kol Chai reported that the next major question is what will happen to the thousands of applicants who have already won previous lotteries but have not yet reached the stage of selecting an apartment and signing a purchase agreement. In many cases, two, three, or even four years can pass between notification of winning a lottery and the signing of a contract.

According to the report, that question is now on the desk of the virulently anti-Chareidi Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon. Sources familiar with the matter say legal officials are currently examining whether they can revoke lottery wins even for applicants who have already been selected, provided they have not yet signed a purchase agreement.

At this stage, officials acknowledge that once a contract has been signed, there is no straightforward legal mechanism to revoke the award or alter rights that have already vested. However, those who have won a lottery but have not yet signed contracts are now at the center of the legal deliberations.

The Israel Land Authority held a committee meeting yesterday attended by Limon, and consultations are continuing ahead of a decision. If legal authorities determine that lottery wins can be revoked before contracts are signed, the move could affect thousands of Chareidi families who have already received notice that they won and have planned their financial future accordingly.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)