Just as in America, “back to school” is a time of year that every Israeli child anticipates, fears, loves, and dreads all at the same time.
The arrival of the new school year occurs at the end of August and involves the same customs with which we are familiar, from shopping for new clothing and supplies to re-acclimating to an early morning schedule.
Israel is fiercely proud of its education system as it is highly valued by the society as a whole. Here is the basic framework of schools in Israel:
Misgeret:
The term misgeret literally means frame or framework, and in this case refers to a toddler’s first experience in early childhood education, which allows the child to develop a schedule or frame.
It is generally believed by Israeli parents that young children should nap from 2 to 4 in the afternoon and begin potty training at age 2. Israelis value routine and structure at a young age. A commonly heard statement spoken by Israeli mothers is, “He’s 20 months old and is getting bored at home; it’s time for him to be in a misgeret,” meaning that the child is ready to be enrolled in a childcare or preschool to help provide structure in his or her life.
Gan:
Gan is the term for preschool, which Israeli children typically begin when they are between 2 and 4 years of age. It is commonly believed that a young child should be enrolled in gan for at least half a day in order to help him or her develop social skills and language skills, as well as help him or her prepare for more academic rigor in the near future. For olim, gan may also be helpful for young children to begin learning Hebrew.
Primary School:
The primary school system in Israel has evolved from the traditional Jewish heder, in which boys from ages 3 to 13 would study Hebrew and learn religion from a single teacher. Today, the primary school system lasts either 8 years or 6 years, depending on the school system. Some observe 8 years of primary school and 4 of secondary, while some observe 6 of primary and 6 of secondary. The chief difference in these two approaches is the amount of time devoted to religious versus secular studies.
Today primary school studies include both academic and creative areas of study and enrichment. Students may attend a state, state-religious, Haredi, or Arab school, whereas most Israeli children attend state schools.
Secondary School:
Secondary school in Israel prepares students for what is known as the Israeli matriculation exams, or the bagrut. Students are tested in Hebrew language, English language, math, scripture, history, state studies, and literature. The official Israeli matriculation certificate is given to each student who receives a passing score of 56% or above on each exam.
The entire testing process is governed by the country’s Ministry of Education and is therefore considered to be the standard by which students’ academic achievements are measured throughout the entire country.
Higher Education:
After completing secondary school, 18-year-olds are generally conscripted into the Israel Defense Forces. However, they may request an extension on their enrollment date in the IDF to study at a pre-service mechina, college, or university.
Those who attend a university have the ability to apply for an atuda, which is a grant provided by the IDF wherein the IDF pays for the tuition for a student to earn a Bachelor’s Degree. This is typically in exchange for an additional 2-3 years of service. Most colleges and universities require passing grades on the bagrut, as well as a passing grade on the Psychometric Entrance Test, or PET, which is similar to the American SAT test.
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