"They are afraid": The unusual warning of the chairman of the National Union of Israeli Students | Dudi Patimer
Sivan Koren, chairwoman of the National Union of Israeli Students, warns of the distress faced by students amid the high cost of living and reserve duty. According to her, a third of students are considering relocation and only half work in their field of study. She demands that the next government allocate a budget of 50 million shekels for students serving in reserve duty.
Sivan Koren, chairwoman of the National Union of Israeli Students, warns that approximately 400,000 students are beginning the academic year amid the high cost of living and the consequences of reserve duty. In an interview with Maariv, she reveals data from the new student survey: a third of students are considering relocation, only 50% work in their field of study, and 42% fear integrating into the job market after their degree. Two-thirds of students say they will vote in the elections based on the issue of the cost of living. Koren demands that the next government allocate at least 50 million shekels per year for students serving in reserve duty, and find a mechanism to transfer a budget also to non-budgeted institutions. She also addresses the Open University's withdrawal from the union, clarifying that the organization continues to represent its students. The article notes that in December 2025, the union joined the fight against the draft exemption law.