Rights10/25/2026

Parties Signed a Charter on the Rights of Children Who Have Lost a Parent

Itamar Ben-Gvir, Yair Golan, and representatives of several parties in Israel expressed support for a charter by the Hamaniot nonprofit organization concerning the rights of children who have lost a parent, as well as the rights of widows and widowers. The document includes political commitments, but is not itself a law and, at this stage, does not change existing rights or payments.

Key facts

•Publication date: October 25, 2026
•Initiator of the measure: the Hamaniot nonprofit organization
•Approximately 52,000 children and young people up to age 21 have lost a parent
•Approximately 17,000 families are headed by widows and widowers raising orphaned children
•The charter does not yet have the force of law

Who Supported the Initiative

The Hamaniot nonprofit organization is working to include the needs of these families in party platforms and on the agenda of the next Knesset and government. According to the organization’s data, the parties “The Democrats,” “Yashar,” “Amcha Yisrael,” “Beyachad,” “Yisrael Beiteinu,” “United Torah Judaism,” Shas, “Otzma Yehudit,” “Likud,” and “The Reservists — Economic” have already undertaken the commitments.

What Is Proposed to Be Changed

The charter calls for the appointment of a single coordinating government body and the enactment of a dedicated law concerning the rights of children who have lost a parent. The economic measures include equalizing the rights of widows and widowers, ending the discontinuation of survivors’ benefits following remarriage, and maintaining continuity of payments during the waiting period before military or national service.

Support in Education, Service, and Employment

The initiative includes employment protections, vocational rehabilitation, and support for bereaved parents. It also proposes a uniform procedure for identifying and supporting orphaned students, dedicated professionals in local authorities, and special conditions for soldiers and national service volunteers who have lost a parent. Children who were orphaned before immigrating to Israel are mentioned separately, as are the families of victims of murder, civilian disasters, and security incidents.

Still No Legal Decision

The advancement of several bills was halted following the dissolution of the outgoing Knesset, although according to the report, some of them were close to approval. Hamaniot is demanding that the initiatives be brought back for discussion in the next Knesset, that the legislation be completed, and that budgetary funding be allocated. The source does not report the enactment of any specific law or the approval of new budgets.

What this means for you

For families that have lost one parent, signing the charter still does not create new benefits, entitlements, or procedures. Practical changes will be possible only after laws are enacted, government policy is approved, and budgets are allocated. The proposals concern education, military and national service, employment, remarriage, and access to information about rights.

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