Since the ultra-Orthodox parties joined the government two years ago, the number of full-time married yeshiva students has soared while an earlier rise in the ultra-Orthodox employment rate has ground to a halt, government data shows. Education Ministry figures reveal that the number of married, full-time yeshiva students grew 15 percent over 2015-2016, eight percent the first year and seven percent in 2016. This number is double the growth rate of the ultra-Orthodox population for this period. On Sunday, the cabinet approved an increase of 50 million shekels ($13.5 million) to the yeshiva budget for 2017, bringing it to an all-time high of 1.224 billion shekels. This is the third time yeshiva funding has broken records since the last Knesset election in 2015.