Society

With the start of the school year this coming September, a unique and bilingual educational institution will be launched at Atidim Park, which is emerging as one of the most interesting developments for parents of young children in the central region.

The author calls for an educational reform where special needs funding is attached to the child rather than the institution, turning students into sought-after opportunities for schools.

16-year-old Shneur Barbi has received an official exemption from compulsory education after demonstrating financial independence. The young entrepreneur earns 20,000 shekels a month through his marketing business.

The "Adam Ve'Adama" network will open a new agricultural boarding school in the upcoming school year at Kibbutz Matzuva, near the Lebanese border. Students will combine studies for a matriculation certificate, preparation for the IDF, and work with local farmers.

A judoka with a bronze medal in Europe who left everything behind, a guy from South Africa who cannot return to his country, and a second-generation student whose father is "insanely jealous of him" — these are some of the new students at the Bnei David pre-military academy in Eli. The head of the academy, Rabbi Yair Glustein: "The subject is not pain and bereavement, the subject is building."

Ahead of the new school year, the chairman of the National Student and Youth Council, Rotem Getraida, discusses the challenges facing youth, the importance of teacher status, and his advocacy work in the Knesset.

About 600 educational aides from approximately 50 municipalities are expected to join the "Ofek BeTnuah" ("Horizon in Motion") program in the 2026/27 school year. The initiative will allow them to earn a bachelor's degree in early childhood education, receive a teaching certificate, and obtain an annual scholarship of 6,000 shekels to help address the national teacher shortage.

Arizona State University has launched a bachelor's degree in content creation, including studies in podcasting, studio production, and on-camera performance. Critics question the value of such a degree, while industry professionals argue that it may provide useful skills in the fields of communications and marketing.

Ilan Tashtash, who coached the women's sailing team for the Olympics, also taught at the School of Maritime Education. According to him, he was transferred because he exposed improper conduct. What did the Labor Court rule?

Only 3% of teachers believe children are properly prepared for school, while 48% estimate they arrive insufficiently or not at all prepared. And what is the price parents pay for private lessons? Back to school project.

Just before the school year begins, parents in Haifa and Givatayim have been informed of class mergers, resulting in groups of nearly 40 students. Educators warn of negative impacts on individual attention and emotional well-being. The Ministry of Education promises a major reform in the next term.

Following the publication in "HaYom", the head of the Teachers' Union clarifies the Director-General's circular: the phone number of teaching staff is private, and schools must establish official communication channels. The Parent Leadership opposes: "Clear boundaries are not built through unilateral guidelines."

The Tel Aviv municipality is launching a modern educational institution in the south of the city named after the late actress and director Ronit Elkabetz. The project aims to foster creativity and ensure equal educational opportunities for local students.

A program promoted by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education, offering improved salary conditions to new recruits, has sparked anger among veteran teachers. Educators are protesting the state's willingness to pay significantly more to outside hires while neglecting those who have been in the system for years.

Low attractiveness of the profession, disappointing personal level of applicants, high dropout rates, fear of the system and parents, insufficient salary, and lack of support — three college of education presidents outline the situation and offer solutions.

Ahead of the new school year, the "Good Box" project by the "Ruach Tova" association (Arison Group) operated across 13 local authorities, engaging residents, businesses, and volunteers in a sustainability-focused initiative. "It is a great pride to see this circle of giving expand from year to year."

600 kindergarten teaching assistants will participate this year in a program to earn academic degrees in education. Each participant will receive a scholarship of 6,000 shekels per academic year.

In a sharp letter to Minister Yoav Kisch, heads of local authorities claim that due to a shortage of paramedical therapists, parents are forced to choose personal educational aides, but the state fails to cover the full cost. Municipalities are demanding full state funding for these aides starting in the upcoming school year.

Choosing a high school track that combines mathematics, physics, and computer science is a springboard for a career in high-tech. Despite the clear benefits, not enough girls choose this path: it starts as early as kindergarten where they are sent to play with dolls rather than robots, but schools also fail to convey a message of capability. Education experts and students who have taken on the...

The Ministry of Education is offering a temporary employment track — up to 5 years — in an attempt to address the teacher shortage: about 8,000 teaching staff will be recruited on personal contracts, with salaries based on their experience and professional background, even outside the field of education. Teachers who complete one school year will also be able to receive a retention bonus of up to...

Following the report on Channel 14: The IDF Disabled Veterans Forum turned today (Sunday) to the retired Supreme Court President, Esther Hayut, who serves as chair of the Bezalel executive committee, demanding her personal intervention in the affair and the taking of measures against the lecturer.

Ahead of the upcoming academic year, Arizona State University (ASU) has launched a bachelor's degree in content creation. The unique track includes courses on audience building, branding, and multimedia production. "Dreaming of turning your video channel into a source of income or making social media your career? Learn to create content while building your brand," the program description states.

The Ministry of Education has begun enforcing the law prohibiting the employment of teaching staff with academic degrees from Palestinian Authority institutions. The directive, issued to district managers, follows legislation passed in January by Knesset members Amit Halevi and Avichai Boaron. Exceptions are provided for candidates who hold additional recognized Israeli credentials.

"It is unclear how it can be said that core hours are taught in a place where the teacher is not qualified to teach them." The Attorney General's response to the Supreme Court regarding the funding of Haredi institutions revealed severe deficiencies: in 87% of 7th-8th grade classes there is not a single teacher qualified to teach science, in 76% of institutions there is no teacher who can teach...

The "Manhigim" organization has announced a boycott of school year opening conferences and the suspension of data synchronization with the ministry. The move follows grievances over teacher shortages and administrative decisions that principals claim are harming the education system. "Patience has run out," they stated.

A new study published in the journal Teaching and Teacher Education revealed that teachers are concerned about the impact of AI and prefer to test students in class and orally. Despite the increasing use of technology, most participants reported that they are required to set the boundaries themselves and are coping without clear guidance.

Ministry of Education data for the 5784 school year reveals that nine out of 10 Bnei Akiva network institutions in Judea and Samaria significantly outperform similar schools in matriculation eligibility rates.

Parents and students, including two Jewish parents and three former Jewish students, filed a lawsuit against the school district and Palo Alto High School in California, following a tour of a mosque where they claim students were handed copies of the Quran and female students were encouraged to wear hijabs.

Two Israeli institutions have secured the 71st and 89th spots in the prestigious 2026 Shanghai Ranking. The Technion, which appeared on the list for the past two years, did not make the cut this year. Harvard, Stanford, and MIT lead the global rankings.

For the first time, the Independent Education network of Agudat Yisrael has agreed to participate in national and international assessment tests. This follows years of pressure from the Ministry of Finance and the Attorney General.

Hundreds of thousands of students are entitled to special education services, but the system struggles to provide them: a shortage of kindergarten teachers, teachers, and paramedical therapists is pushing parents toward separate frameworks. "We are in a state of emergency, the ones losing out are the children."

The school year is approaching, and it's time to gear up: from headphones that translate and summarize lessons to a tablet with 'armor' — here are eight gadgets to make a student's life more comfortable.

The prestigious international ranking establishes the Hebrew University's place at the top "thanks to research excellence, innovation, and global impact."

For the first time since 2020, there are no three Israeli universities in the top 100 of the prestigious Shanghai Ranking. The Technion has fallen out of the top 100, while the Weizmann Institute and the Hebrew University have maintained their positions.

The Attorney General responded to a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the funding of "first tier" studies in Haredi education networks: "Continued receipt of funding based on the 'all children of Israel' principle will be conditional on meeting basic obligations - including full core curriculum studies."

The "English for All" program, intended to integrate AI into English studies for 300,000 students, faces significant challenges including equipment shortages, lack of teacher training, and pending software selection. The Ministry of Education maintains that the program is designed to fit existing school infrastructure.

Twelve organizations caring for children with disabilities have appealed to the Ministry of Education to halt budget cuts for special education. They accuse the ministry of pushing the policy through in a "sneak attack" under the cover of Operation "Lion's Roar".

At the extreme sports boarding school of the "Elaor" organization, they believe that the rehabilitation of at-risk youth begins with building trust. Roman Har-Nof, a counselor at the boarding school and a reservist soldier: "Every such departure brings up old feelings for them again."

As part of the examination, conversations were held with recommenders and checks were conducted with bodies in the Ministry of Defense and the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. The Ministry of Defense thanked the university for its support of reservists.

According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 42% of teaching graduates from the state-religious sector in 2025 were absorbed into secular schools. This trend has become a primary method for addressing the teacher shortage.