A foreigner can enter an Israeli high school after the naturalization process - obtaining a residence permit or citizenship. Education in the country is offered secular and religious, paid and free, and for those wishing to make a study tour, a free tour is provided.

Israeli school - for whom are the doors open?

About 10% of GDP per year is spent on education in Israel, which is about three times more than Russian funding. One of the reasons for the strong financial support of schools is absorption - the process of infusing new children into a different domestic environment, language and culture. Israel is a state that offers all Jews of the Diaspora and, accordingly, their children to start life in their historical homeland. Therefore, the most important condition for admission to the schools of Israel will be the intention of repatriation. Education for the period of vacation, business trips of one of the parents is impossible. In the latter case, admission to the school at the Russian Embassy in Tel Aviv (Geula street, house 32) is provided.

For a long (without a visa, you can stay no more than three months a year) stay in Israel, you will need one of the following documents:

• temporary residence permit;
• permanent residence permit;
• darkona - passports of a citizen of this country.

Obtaining a residence permit category B1 (work visa), issued for one year, usually does not entitle the child to school. It will require either obtaining an A1 category, or an intention to comply with the Israeli “Repatriation Law” of 1950, which gives the right to gradually acquire citizenship. This possibility extends to any Jew, as well as to his child, grandson, spouse. Belonging to a nationality is documented and only through the female line: it is required to prove that there was (is) a Jewish woman in the family.

There is another way of naturalization - conversion. This is a procedure for the spiritual transformation of any person on our planet into a Jew, where such a transformation is based on the sincere desire of the future ger (passed conversion) to fully join the Jews. It will take at least a year of studies in your home country to successfully pass the exams. After accepting the conversion, the ger has all the rights to repatriation.

The school system in Israel

There are three types of schools in the country: public, with a religious bias (haredim) and state-religious. The maximum period of study is 12 years, and it is divided into three cycles:

• primary (6-12 years old, from 1st to 6th grades);
• middle (12-15 years old, from 7 to 9 grades);
• senior (15-18 years old, from 10 to 12 classes).

Regardless of the type of education chosen by the parents, school education in Israel is conducted in Hebrew. The exceptions are two categories: Arabic and Russian. The former are intended primarily for Arabs who have emigrated to the country, while Russian schools in Israel are private and are part of the system of supplementary education, not compulsory education. Some Russian-language elementary schools, such as Gordon in Petah Tikva, are trying to change the curriculum for former repatriates by introducing Russian as a compulsory language, in addition to Hebrew and English.

Training begins, as in Russia, on September 1, however, it is not necessary to give flowers to teachers. The difference from our schools is the lack of homework in the younger group: the entire educational process takes place directly in the classroom. Education is free, but you will need to purchase uniforms, notebooks, textbooks and writing materials. The teaching load for a first-grader is 31 lessons per week (Saturday is the only day off, Friday is a short school day). Summer holidays are July and August, and in spring and autumn, students rest for 18 days.

The performance is assessed on a 100-point scale, where the domestic top three correspond to about 50 points. If parents wish, after the second year of study, their children can pass exams for transfer to a special school for the gifted. Its completion is considered a more prestigious result.

Public School Alternatives

The fundamental difference between religious and state-religious secondary schools is a more in-depth study of the Tanakh (Torah). Many of the Israelis belong to the category of Orthodox Jews, therefore they initially prefer such education for children.

There are private boarding schools, there are about two hundred of them, and education in them is paid: the average price is 1200 shekels per month (about $ 300). In addition to the high cost, the lack of mandatory transport - the bus - will also be a disadvantage. Parents will have to meet and pick up the child on their own. Private schools include institutions with traditional education, with an ecological bias, anthroposophic. The last, so-called Waldorf schools in Israel, build the educational process on the principles described in the writings of the philosopher Rudolf Steiner. Today there are 22 such institutions where, in addition to general knowledge, the search for oneself, one's spirituality, its predominance over the material principle is promoted.

Democratic schools also work in the country. They got their name for the right of students to participate on the basis of the majority principle in the formation of the educational process. Democratic schools are more affordable (about $160 a month), and children are often transferred here who have not been able to get along with their peers in public schools.

Separately from all there are schools of the Shuvu system. There are about seventy of them, together with kindergartens, and the main purpose is to help repatriates adapt. Here there is a gradual elimination of the usual way of life, holidays, for example, the New Year tree, and their replacement with similar Israeli ones. Education is cheap, there are "extensions", summer camps.

Learning Difficulties

You can enroll in a public school in Israel only at the place of residence. Private, democratic, Shuvu systems are accepted without reference to registration. From the documents you will need (if available) a passport of an Israeli citizen or a teudat zeut - an identity card. Difficulties may arise psychological and linguistic nature. To solve personal problems, at the request of parents, it is proposed to use the services of a child psychologist. It is easier for children to comprehend unusual Hebrew than for parents, especially from elementary school. Additional linguistic studies in Israel will also help: attending courses or ulpans.

A separate program for teaching children is the NAALE system. It offers high school students whose parents are eligible for repatriation to complete their studies in Israel and receive a bagrut - a matriculation certificate. It is recognized all over the world and is a good chance to enter a prestigious university.

A student of the NAALE school in Israel retains his citizenship, but receives a special status, as a student, from the country's Ministry of Internal Affairs. High school students who have completed 8th or 9th grade in Russia, but who have passed preliminary exams in their homeland, are accepted. Education, accommodation, meals, medical insurance for the student are free. Telephone communication with parents is also partially compensated - high school students are alone in Israel. After a year of study, airfare home for the holidays is paid.

Study tour before repatriation

Israel has a Taglit program that invites young people of Jewish origin to visit the country for a 10-day visit. The place of residence does not matter, only confirmation of Jewishness and age from 18 to 26 years inclusive is important. The program is free and has been supported by the government since 1999. During the trip, guests are introduced to the history, culture of the country, they are given excursions to famous places throughout its territory. A deposit ($100) is required, which is returned after the tour is completed.

If you have Jewish roots or just a sincere desire to become part of the Israeli people, there will be no problems with the child entering school. Parents are guaranteed high quality education, a variety of programs and the financial availability of their children's education.

Elementary school in Israel A few years ago, we changed a spacious apartment with a sea view to a small-sized "three-room apartment". We chose the new housing so that the children could go to the school that friends recommended to us.

A few years ago, we changed a spacious apartment overlooking the sea to a small-sized "three-room apartment". We chose the new housing so that the children could go to the school that friends recommended to us. We know exactly when we will be able to live where we want again. This will happen in 2017, when our youngest daughter graduates from elementary school, which can only be enrolled at the place of residence. In it, children study for six years, then another three years in the middle and three years in the senior. Graduation at the school is held every year. And really, why wait for the 12th grade, the children still do not study twelve years together.

How much does free education cost

Secondary education in Israel is free. True, parents have to buy part of the textbooks, and they also have to pay for annual excursions and additional programs. This year, each student cost our family 1,105 shekels (approximately 8,760-8,920 rubles), and this is not counting uniforms, backpacks and stationery. Moreover, stationery is a serious expense item, because pencils and felt-tip pens are lost or broken all the time.

In our school textbooks are purchased centrally. In some schools, parents buy textbooks themselves - according to the list. On the one hand, an extra headache. On the other hand, it is an opportunity to save money: find a cheaper store or buy used ones.

A marker is a first grader's best friend

When my son went to school, I could not understand what they were doing there. Each homework assignment began with the word "color", to the question: "What did you do at school?" - the son answered: "Painted."
Acquaintances - colleagues from Soviet childhood - told horror stories about an Israeli elementary school in which "they don't teach anything." Miraculously, however, by the end of the year the children could read and write. How they did it, I have no idea. I got the impression that they were just painting!

True, now in the schedule of my first-grader daughter, I found that they study Hebrew 10 and a half hours a week. Probably, during this time, like it or not, you will learn the language. Even if you just paint.

Timetable

In total, first-graders in our school have 31 lessons per week: Hebrew, math, English, natural history, music, "art" (a mixture of drawing and work), physical education, traffic rules and "young veterinarian".

Tanakh, geography, history, rhythm, juggling and computers are added in the upper grades of elementary school.

My first teacher

In elementary school, the class teacher changes every two years. True, there are exceptions. So, for example, our class teacher, having spent the third and fourth grades with the children, left in the middle of the lesson with the words: “You no longer have a class teacher!” And then she wanted to stay with these children for another two years.

On the first of September, children come to classes without flowers. If you put on a white T-shirt - and thanks for that. Giving flowers to teachers is generally not very accepted. Gifts are sometimes given at the end of the year.
In the Israeli school, everything changes very quickly. When my eldest son was in the first grade, almost all the lessons were taught by the class teacher, and the children were not sitting in twos, but in groups (the desks were moved in threes, and the students sat around). Three years later, when my daughter went to school, the children began to sit in pairs, and half of her lessons were taught by subject teachers.

"A cola - at home"!

The saying “there are no free lunches” probably came up in Israel. In most schools, children are not fed at all. It is recommended to take sandwiches, fruits and vegetables with you (no chips!), And drink only water (no juices!). One teacher, desperate to convey the idea of ​​healthy eating to children who do not understand Hebrew, even learned the phrase “A cola at home!” in Russian.

The problem with chips is that they crumble and the juices spill. Therefore, not only for children, but also for school desks with textbooks, school breakfasts in the form of an apple and a bottle of water are much more useful.
If the school cares about environmental protection, children are required to bring sandwiches not in bags, but in plastic boxes.

Smarties and smarties

For gifted students, additional classes are arranged in small groups. If the student does not keep up with the class, he also attends additional lessons. If a child has problems with Hebrew or mathematics, he will be “pulled up” in these subjects.

English in Israel is taught from elementary school (in our country - from the first grade). They start with songs, move on to words and letters. That is, the learning process is similar to the process of mastering the native language. Somewhere in the fourth grade, it turned out that the son knows a lot of words in English and famously uses the English version of Windows. To the question: “When did you manage to learn?” - I got the answer: "I don't know."

Those who speak English at home learn the language at a deeper level. It is a pity that such an opportunity is not provided for children who speak Russian at home. True, in our city half the class would have packed into a “small group”. Russian can be taught as a second foreign language, but only in secondary school.

Fashionistas and fashionistas

There is no school uniform in Israel. The top should be a T-shirt with the school emblem, and bottom - jeans, sweatpants, a flowered skirt - everything will fit. Emblems are applied to clothes using a large press like an ironing machine. In the stores where these presses are located, queues form every year at the end of August. After spending several hours in such a queue once, I learned to plan the purchase of a uniform in advance.

Ever since a woman became the headmaster of our school, we have allowed T-shirts of any color. "And pink ones?" - the mothers of the girls asked in deep excitement at the parent meeting. "And pink!" the director replied. There was a general sigh of relief, and I wouldn't be surprised to hear applause.
In rare private schools, which you can’t find all over Israel during the day with fire, children wear uniforms (I can’t vouch for all private schools). Girls in religious schools wear skirts.

Hamsters are trusted only by first-graders

In addition to the main set of lessons, each school may have its own subjects, and each year is different. This year, our first-graders were pleased with the lessons of the “young veterinarian”: once a week, an animal was brought to the lesson, they talked about it, and they let them pet it. Children studied guinea pigs and snails, parrots and rabbits, chinchillas and turtles.

When the teacher brought the iguana, only my daughter dared to stroke it from the whole class. It’s good that in my childhood I didn’t have the “young veterinarian” subject, and for a few seconds I managed to be proud of my daughter - until she explained to me that an iguana can cut off a person’s hand with its tail. “But this is an adult iguana! And they brought us a small one.

A fifth-grader son is jealous of his sister: in his time there was no such subject. And fifth graders don't trust hamsters anymore. At the trial lesson, the children squeezed the poor animals so much (probably the iguana would not have survived!) that they decided not to add this subject to the fifth grade schedule.

Our fifth-graders are engaged in rhythm and juggling. Somehow we got to the performance of the Chinese circus, where everyone could learn walking on stilts, spinning plates on sticks and other circus tricks. I was surprised how clever my son is with three sticks. Two short ones had to hold one long one, roll it back and forth and perform various manipulations in the air. Attempts to remember if we had circus performers in our family were interrupted by the son’s question: “Do you know why I’m doing so well? We are taught this in juggling school.”

In the first grade, the son's favorite subject was drama, in the third grade, magic tricks. The children were given blue folders, the contents of which were kept secret from their parents. Once a week, the child demonstrated a new trick - sleight of hand and no cheating!

All to the polls!

In the fall, school elections are held for student councils. Two from each class get into the council. Election campaigning is conducted in all seriousness - each candidate is obliged to present a program and try to interest voters. Someone distributes sweets in the classroom, someone brings balloons, someone prints stickers with an election slogan.

This year my son ran in the elections, won, and I finally managed to find out what the kids on the school board are doing. Twice a month they gather in the library (missing a lesson - now I understand why everyone is so eager for this council). What they are talking about, the son could not explain, but happily said that they drink juice and eat chips there. In general, what is not allowed within the walls of the school to ordinary students is allowed to members of the student council.

Once a year they put on a concert (again instead of lessons) at a nursing home nearby. And for this they are treated with juice ... and fed with chips.

And I also want to sing

An additional way to diversify school life is to sing in the school choir. They are accepted there from the third grade, and classes take place during the lessons. Who would refuse to learn a song for a school event instead of a math test?
In some schools, children are taught to play the recorder. The tool is inexpensive and easy to use. The whole class cannot be taught according to this program, but a group of capable children is selected and classes are held with them once a week.

There is also the "Playing School" project - when teachers from the city music school come to work with children, and the training takes place at a more serious level.

Parents - to school!

Even if your child is a diligent student, you will be called to school twice a year. This is called a parent meeting, but in fact the class teacher is talking behind closed doors with the parent and student. No matter how sloppy and hooligan the child is, at first he will definitely be praised. “There are no problems with grades, but with behavior ...” Or vice versa.

One day, when I came to a meeting with my daughter, I was waiting in the school corridor for the previous mother-child pair to come out, and paid attention to the list hanging on the classroom door. In front of each name was a time. Most of the children were recorded for a five-minute conversation. Opposite the names of the hooligans, there was a time of ten minutes, and for one boy they allocated as many as fifteen!

Alternative

I have very few acquaintances who did not send their children to a local school, but found some alternative. However, there is an alternative - a democratic school, a few private schools, the SVU school system, home schooling.

In the second or third grade, children write an exam to get into the gifted program. Everyone enters the first round, few get into the second round. Those who successfully pass the second round exam (1-1.5% of students) can go to a school for gifted students. True, these schools are not in all cities of Israel. And if there is no such school, gifted children are brought together once a week, and on this day they study according to a separate program.
Schoolchildren who fall into the top 3% of the most gifted can attend paid circles in mathematics, computers, physics, chemistry, etc.

heavy burden

An Israeli schoolboy can be recognized by his backpack ... It is the size of a child and weighs the same. Here's what's in there:
. Several textbooks in A4 paperback format (little text, many pictures, tasks are performed directly in the textbook)
Folder for sheets with assignments (every day, children are given photocopies with exercises in various subjects)
Folder with notebooks and assignments in Hebrew
Folder with notebooks and math assignments
Notebooks for other subjects
Diary
A weighty pencil case (a set of felt-tip pens, a set of colored pencils, simple pencils, a sharpener, a glue stick, an eraser, scissors)
Box with breakfast
Half liter bottle (or two) of water
Hand sanitizer (this school year, for some reason, they remembered that it would be good to wash their hands before eating, and began to actively promote disinfectants in small bottles - manufacturers of bottles (and products), apparently, have already become millionaires).

It’s good that you don’t have to wear changeable shoes and physical education uniform! On the day when there is a physical education lesson, the children come in sneakers, sweatpants and t-shirts with the emblem. Our school requires orange T-shirts for physical education. Probably so that truants could be seen from afar.

There are no twins in Israel!

Grades in Israel are based on a 100-point system. Therefore, no one here gets deuces. Two corresponds to about 50 points. Very roughly, Israeli estimates can be translated as follows: 60 - three, 70 - four with a minus, 80 - four with a plus, 90 - five with a minus, 100 - five with a plus!

Estimates can be not only round numbers. Who got 95 for the control, who got 84, and who got 56 ... The most distinguished students who completed additional tasks can get a mark of more than a hundred.
Report cards with marks are issued once every six months, and this has nothing to do with the holidays. Just one day in January, some Friday, the child brings the report card. And on Sunday he goes to school again - and the new semester begins.

By the way, about the holidays. In summer, children rest only for two months - July and August. But in spring and autumn vacations are longer than those of Russian schoolchildren. On Pesach, for example, children do not study for 18 days.
Grades in elementary school are made up of knowledge of the subject, behavior in the classroom, active work in the classroom, and diligent homework. If a child brilliantly writes all the tests, but does not regularly do homework and constantly comes either without a notebook or a pencil, he will not see the maximum mark.

When childhood is gone

According to the stories of parents whose children are already in middle and high schools, childhood in Israel ends with the transition to the seventh grade. After studying for six years without much stress, coloring and singing songs, children go to middle school, and then to high school, where it is much more difficult to study.

To facilitate the transition to serious study, some parents from the first grade take their children to the Mofet evening school - school branches operate in many cities of Israel, classes are held twice a week, children receive homework and get used to not relaxing.

You can also buy additional textbooks - or rather, colorful brochures with tasks in Hebrew, mathematics and other subjects. For example, if your child has outgrown the school curriculum in mathematics, you can study with him through brochures for older grades. And gently remind you that not until the 12th grade, homework will begin with the word “color”.

Compulsory Education Act

The public school system in Israel includes 6 years of elementary school, 3 years of intermediate school and 3 years of tertiary school. In Hebrew, the third grade school is called Tihon. In some schools, the last two levels are combined and you can talk about 6 years of education in elementary school and 6 years in high school.

Israel has a law on compulsory free education for all children between the ages of 5 and 16. For those over the age of 16, schooling remains free, but not compulsory. Obligatory and free of charge is not only studying at school, but also visiting the senior group of kindergarten.

Academic year, holidays

The school year starts on September 1 and ends on June 30 in elementary school and June 20 in grades 7-12. All vacations, except for summer holidays, are timed to coincide with religious holidays and are set according to the Jewish calendar. Schoolchildren do not study for about 3 weeks during the Easter holidays (April), a week during the Sukkot holiday (September-October) and a week during the days of Hanukkah (December).

Start of classes
Children of new immigrants start attending school immediately after arrival. At school, additional classes are organized for them, in which they study Hebrew and those subjects, the assimilation of which depends on knowledge of the language (for example, literature, Tanakh, etc.). In schools where many repatriates study, special adaptation classes are often organized. Subjects such as mathematics, physics, English, repatriates take regular lessons. In some cities, children from the age of 12 are assigned to a special ulpan for schoolchildren.

School types

• Public Schools

More than 70% of all children in the country study in them, they are taught according to programs developed by the Ministry of Education.

• State religious schools

Approximately 25% of children study there and they are also subordinate to the Ministry of Education and conduct classes according to its programs, however, religious subjects are studied here on a larger scale.

• Orthodox-religious schools of the independent education system

Less than 5% of children study there. The curriculum of these schools differs significantly from that recommended by the Ministry - religious subjects are studied in large quantities at the expense of general education. Girls and boys study separately from the first grade.

• Schools of Arts, Science, Technology

In the Israeli education system there are schools (usually from 7th to 12th grade) with various biases - schools of arts, sciences, technologies - the program of which is wider than that provided by the Ministry of Education. In these schools, parents pay part of the cost of education.

• Private schools

In addition to these types of schools, there are also private schools recognized by the Ministry of Education. These schools mostly follow the programs of the Ministry, but usually have their own teaching methods and study some subjects in an expanded volume. There are few such schools, education in them is paid.

Enrollment in schools

• School enrollment is administered by the education departments of the municipalities or local councils. There you can also get complete information about the schools of the city or region.
• Children who turn 6 years old before a certain date at the end of December (the exact date is set each year according to the Jewish calendar) are accepted into the first class.
• Enrolling a child in primary and intermediate schools is possible only at the place of residence. The exception is the so-called. "inter-district" schools - as a rule, these are schools with different biases or schools in which children study according to special methods.
• To enroll in tihon (grades 10-12), all students at the end of the 8th grade pass a psychotest, the purpose of which is to determine the level of mental abilities and the level of knowledge in English and mathematics. The assessment sheet of the test also formulated the psychologist's recommendations for further education. The admission decision is made by the schools based on the student's performance and psychotest results. Children of repatriates from the CIS countries can take a psychotest in Russian.
• Repatriated schoolchildren are usually assigned to classes appropriate for their age upon arrival. However, high school students may be offered to start studying for a class lower in order to have time to prepare for the final exams for the matriculation certificate.

Primary School

• In grades 1-6 of state schools, classes last from 8 am to 1 pm, in state religious schools - until 2 pm. In recent years, some elementary schools have introduced an extended school day (up to 2-3 p.m.).
• In elementary school, children learn: Hebrew (reading, writing, grammar, speech development), mathematics, Tanakh, history, geography, natural history, English. There are also music lessons, labor, drawing, rhythm and physical education lessons.
• The program in the lower grades is structured in such a way that the educational material is almost completely covered in the classroom, children are almost never given homework lessons. The emphasis is not on ensuring that children remember as much information as possible, but on teaching them to think, analyze, and compare facts on their own already in the lower grades.

Intermediate School

• Grades 7-9 are an intermediate link between primary and secondary school. The intermediate school prepares students for new forms of study and the much higher demands of secondary school.
• Due to the fact that children with different academic performance and unequal abilities study in the same class, in a number of subjects, for example, in mathematics, training is carried out at different levels. For this purpose, classes are divided into two or three groups.

School of the third stage - TIKHON

• The Israeli third-level school provides an opportunity to choose the direction and level of study. The program includes subjects that are mandatory for all students, as well as additional ones that are studied by choice.
• There are several types of quiets:
• Academic- comprehensive general education schools. The training ends with the passing of state examinations for the matriculation certificate.
• Professional- schools in which students, along with the study of general subjects, acquire a specialty. Graduates can take matriculation exams or receive a certificate of completion of 12 classes. In addition, they receive a professional certificate that gives them the right to work in their specialty. A number of these schools have grades 13 and 14 for technicians and junior engineers, and in some you can continue your studies up to the first academic degree.
• Universal– schools that have both academic and professional classes.

Certificate of maturity

• To obtain an Israeli matriculation certificate, you must pass state exams in - 7 compulsory subjects and several elective subjects. Exams are taken in writing and are evaluated on a 100-point system. In the matriculation certificate, a grade is set, the average between the one obtained in the exam and the school year.
• New repatriates within 4 years after their arrival enjoy benefits when passing examinations for a matriculation certificate: they pass humanitarian subjects according to a lightweight program, and all the rest either in writing in their native language or orally in Hebrew. In those schools where two foreign languages ​​are studied, a repatriate student has the right to take an exam in his native language instead of a second foreign language.

Financing and expenses of parents

The educational process in Israeli schools is financed from the state budget. The Ministry of Education is in charge of allocating funds to schools. Maintenance of school buildings is paid for by the city administration or local councils.

Textbooks, notebooks, sports uniforms, supplies for labor, drawing, and music lessons are purchased by parents themselves. In addition, the school obliges parents to pay for excursions, theater and cinema visits, cultural events, various extracurricular activities, personal insurance for the child, etc.

The Ministry of Education publishes every year the maximum allowable amount that can be charged to parents. It is against the rules to suspend a child from a class or field trip because of a payment problem. The parent committee, which is in every Israeli school, controls the correctness of the amounts charged by the school and ensures that the funds are used for their intended purpose.

Families of new repatriates, as well as families with many children and low-income families are provided with material assistance in paying school expenses.

Consulting psychological service
Psychological counseling services operate in municipalities and local councils. The consultants of this service help parents in choosing the right educational institution depending on the inclinations or problems of the child. Each school has a teacher-psychologist who consults with students and parents.

Student School Councils
In Israeli schools, starting from the 4th grade, each class elects representatives to the school's student council, which, together with a team of teachers, participates in decision-making on many school issues.

The program is fully funded by the State of Israel and the Jewish Agency "Sohnut".

Since the founding of Israel, its authorities have paid special attention to the educational system. Today, the country ranks second in the world in terms of the number of people who graduated from higher educational institutions, and the first - in the number of scientific publications per inhabitant, and its diplomas are recognized in all states. Israeli specialists in the field of IT technologies are especially valued. It is not surprising that many students from all over the world come here to study, among which Russians are not the last. The citizens of our country are attracted not only by the high quality of Israeli education, but also by a large number of compatriots, thanks to whom it is impossible to feel like a stranger in this state.

Features of the Israeli educational system

Israeli laws oblige all children from 5 to 17 years old to attend educational institutions.

As in many other countries, three levels of education are accepted in Israel:

• preschool;
• average;
• higher.

Preschool education

In Israel, maternity leave is very short, so children enter kindergartens as early as six months of age. Such little pupils are accepted by two types of institutions:

• manger (maon);
• family kindergartens (moshpachton).

Nurseries can be either public or private. Usually they are located in separate buildings with their own area equipped for children to play and walk. The nursery is open from 7:00 to 16:00. During this time, children are fed three times and put to bed once.

Any woman can organize a family kindergarten at home, for this it is enough to undergo special training. They differ from nurseries in a small number of children. More than 5 people are not allowed in the family garden.

The cost of visiting a kindergarten for a child under the age of three does not depend on the type of kindergarten itself and is about 1,500 shekels (≈27,200 rubles). Returnees and low-income parents receive significant discounts on preschool fees.

In preschool institutions in Israel, it is not customary to force children to do anything. Educators do not seek to accustom the child to the potty as early as possible or force them to give up the pacifier.

At the age of three, children go to municipal kindergartens (gan trom-hova). They work until one in the afternoon and cost no more than 600 shekels, and the returnees pay only 10% of its price. In municipal kindergartens, children are not fed or put to bed. For an additional fee, a child can be left in an extended day group.

For children of single mothers, there is a network of kindergartens organized by charitable communities. They take care of the kids all day and are much cheaper.

Classes in the kindergarten preparatory group (gang-howa) are free and compulsory for everyone. During them, children are introduced to the basics of reading, writing and counting.

Secondary education

All schools in Israel are divided into three types:

• state (training in them is conducted in accordance with the plan approved by the Ministry of Education);
• state-religious (with in-depth study of Judaic and religious studies);
• private (they conduct training according to the program established by the school council);
• Arabic (they teach Palestinian children in their native language).

Most of the children attend public schools.

There are many private Russian schools in Israel. They accept children from the age of four. Education in such schools costs money, but their payment is available to all categories of Israeli residents.

Secondary education is provided free of charge to all citizens of the country. Money is charged only for textbooks and attendance of additional classes. In addition, once a year, students travel to different cities of the country lasting from several hours to 2-3 days, which are also paid by their parents. The cost per student is approximately NIS 1,000 per year. Incomplete and large families are paid a special allowance, which compensates for these expenses.

The academic year in Israeli schools begins on September 1 and ends at the end of June. All vacations (except summer holidays) are timed to coincide with state religious holidays.

Particular attention is paid to the education of children with disabilities. Depending on the severity of the disease, they may be educated in special or regular schools. Children with special needs receive all the necessary assistance both during their studies and in employment.

School education in Israel consists of three stages:

• primary (from first to sixth grade);
• incomplete secondary or intermediate (from the seventh to the ninth grade);
• secondary (from the tenth to the twelfth grade).

Each stage is a separate school, with its own teaching staff and building.

Primary School (Beit Sefer Yesodi)

Children begin elementary school at age 6 and finish at 12. First graders attend 31 lessons per week, where they study the following compulsory subjects:

• Hebrew (reading, writing and speech development);
• English language;
• mathematics;
• natural history;
• music;
• art (a mixture of drawing and labor);
• Traffic Laws.

In the fourth grade, children begin to be taught all the basic school subjects, including the Tanakh (Holy Scripture of the Jews) and computer literacy.

In an Israeli elementary school, children are not given homework or grades.

In the third grade, students take an exam, which takes place in two stages. A child who has successfully passed all the tests is transferred to an educational institution for gifted children. If there is no such school nearby, then groups are formed from talented students who once a week are engaged in a special program. In addition, they can attend additional classes in selected disciplines for free.

Intermediate School (Hativat Beynaim)

In these schools, Israeli teenagers study from the age of 12 to 15. At the intermediate level, the following are added to the compulsory disciplines:

• story;
• geography;
• natural science;
• civil law;
• second foreign language.

The school board, which includes parents, teachers and the principal, may include additional subjects in the curriculum. When choosing them, the opinion of the students is also taken into account.

In intermediate schools, students' knowledge is assessed on a hundred-point system.

For some lessons, children are divided into several groups with different levels of performance. This allows the teacher to teach subjects at different levels of difficulty.

Complete secondary schools (Xativa elyon)

Even in the eighth grade of the previous stage, students choose secondary schools in which they will continue their education. Enrollment in them occurs on the basis of a competition of school certificates. The most prestigious educational institutions conduct entrance examinations.

Complete secondary schools are divided into several types:

1. General education. They teach basic school disciplines. Depending on the desired profession, high school students can choose a humanitarian or natural science bias.
2. Professional. In such schools, teenagers not only study general education subjects, but also receive working specialties. Some educational institutions have additional classes that train junior engineers.
3. Agricultural boarding schools. They combine school subjects with disciplines that introduce students to the basics of agronomists.
4. Military boarding schools. They train career officers and technical workers for the Israel Defense Forces.
5. Religious (yeshivas). Schools with separate education for boys and girls, in which the main attention is paid to the study of the Torah and other disciplines of Judaism. Their graduates can work as kosher nutrition specialists in cafes and restaurants or as Torah scribes. These professions are in high demand in Jewish society and are very well paid.

In the eleventh and twelfth grades, students of all types of schools can take state examinations, based on the results of which a matriculation certificate is issued. To obtain it, you must pass tests in various disciplines, which must include the following subjects:

• Hebrew;
• Tanakh;
• mathematics;
• civil law;
• English language;
• literature.

The exact number of exams depends on the complexity of the disciplines chosen by the student.

Children who choose not to take the test or fail to achieve the desired score can take them later.

For teenagers who do not attend secondary schools for any reason, there are evening schools. Training in them lasts 4 years, and over the past two years, classes are held only 3 days a week, and the rest of the time is devoted to work in the chosen specialty. Evening schools that train hairdressers, cooks and computer graphics specialists are very popular.

Video: Russian-speaking teacher talks about the structure of Israeli school education

Higher education

The Israeli system of academic degrees almost completely copies the American one and includes 3 levels:

• undergraduate - 3 years of study at the university or 4 years - at the college;
• magistracy - additional 2-3 years at the university;
• doctoral studies - postgraduate studies at the university lasting from 2 to 4 years and the obligatory defense of a dissertation.

In order to enter universities in Israel, it is not enough to have a matriculation certificate. All applicants take a psychometric test, which is organized by specialists from the Israel Center for Examinations and Statistics. It consists of 165 tasks aimed at checking:

• logical thinking in their native language (40% of questions);
• English language proficiency (20%);
• mathematical abilities (40%).

This exam is conducted not only in Hebrew, but also in English, Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish.

As a result of passing the test, a future student can score from 200 to 800 points. A positive score is above 400 points.

The test results are valid for 7 years. The psychometric exam can be retaken every 6 months. When entering a university, the highest grade is taken into account, regardless of the time it was received.

Video: psychometric test in Israel

For higher education in some specialties, Israeli applicants have to pass additional tests. So, you can become a student of engineering and technical faculties only after successfully passing the exam in physics and mathematics.

Tuition fees are charged for all universities in Israel. For citizens of the country, its average size is approximately 10,000 shekels per year (≈180,000 rubles). Low-income students can get a loan at a low interest rate. There is a special support program for repatriates, thanks to which they receive higher education for free.

Many young Israelis enter into contracts with the army. Under their terms, students receive a bachelor's degree for free, and in return they work for several years in military positions.

Features and training programs for repatriates

The Israeli authorities are making a lot of efforts to attract Jews from other countries. Particular attention is paid to the education of repatriates. So, during the first 3 years after arriving in the country, students receive financial assistance, which is transferred to the account of the educational institution and distributed by its administration. Its size depends on the host country, the time spent in the country and the curriculum.

Repatriation (from lat. repatriate) - return to one's homeland.

For repatriates studying in complete secondary schools, special educational institutions with round-the-clock stay (Naale) are organized. All expenses for repatriates' accommodation, food and provision with everything necessary for study are borne by the state. In addition, children are entitled to free air tickets to travel home during the summer holidays.

Video: Training of repatriates from the countries of the former Soviet Union at the Kaduri Agricultural School

In boarding schools, repatriates are intensively prepared to receive a matriculation certificate and are introduced to Jewish national values. During the training, students take an intensive Hebrew course, thanks to which they can continue their education in any university in the country.

Repatriates also receive higher education on preferential terms. The state not only pays for the first 3 years of study at a university, but also provides cash loans that can be spent on the purchase of necessary educational materials and additional classes. To participate in this program, you must enroll in a university or college within 36 months from the date of arrival in the country.

The order of admission of foreigners to universities in Israel

Israeli universities and colleges are open to citizens of other countries. Almost every university has programs for their education in English and Hebrew. In addition, many educational institutions are taught by immigrants from Russia, who read part of the lectures in Russian.

All applicants to Israeli universities need to know Hebrew at least at an intermediate level. You can learn it in a special educational center - ulpan. And for this it is not necessary to go to Israel, there are ulpans in Russia. Usually they are opened at Jewish cultural centers. The intensive Hebrew course will take about 7-8 weeks.

Israeli secondary education is significantly different from Russian, so graduates of our schools need to complete additional courses lasting from 7 to 12 months. In them, future applicants study specialized subjects, English, Hebrew and the history of Israel. Particular attention is paid to the preparation for the psychometric test. After the end of classes, exams are taken, the results of which are taken into account when entering the university.

After receiving a certificate of completion of the preparatory courses and passing the psychometric test, foreign applicants can apply to the chosen university. Each university has its own registration procedure. As a rule, the selection committees, in response to a request sent by mail, send all the necessary forms. The applicant only needs to fill them out and send them back along with the document of education. Applying to an Israeli university costs 250 shekels. A receipt for its payment must also be attached to the package of documents.

Young people who are already students of Russian universities can transfer to an Israeli university. To do this, you will need to submit documents to the Department of Assessments and Confirmation of Degrees and Diplomas of the Israeli Ministry of Education. After receiving his permission, you must pass exams confirming knowledge of English and Hebrew.

Most foreign students start their studies from the first year. Some universities count those subjects that were passed with excellent marks.

Video: about studying and employment in Israel

Applying for a student visa

After receiving confirmation of enrollment in any educational institution, you must contact the Israeli consulate to obtain a student visa, which gives you the right to stay in the country for more than 90 days. There is an agreement between Russia and Israel on a simplified entry procedure, so its applicants will need a minimum of documents. They include:

• a completed application form, which can be downloaded from the website of the Israeli Embassy (http://urlid.ru/ad9p);
• two photographs measuring 5 by 5 cm;
• certificate of enrollment in an Israeli university;
• a document confirming the availability of funds to pay for studies and living in the country;
• receipt of payment of the consular fee.

All documents must be translated into Hebrew and certified by a notary.

The cost of education in Israeli universities for Russians

Foreign students pay for higher education 25% more than the citizens of the country. The average cost of one year of Bachelor's degree is from 11,000 to 35,000 NIS, while a Master's degree is from 13,000 to 50,000 NIS. The price depends on the prestige of the university and its location. Universities located in large cities are more expensive than provincial ones.

Foreign students pay for the next academic year in January-February of the previous one. In the event of financial difficulties, they have the right to take academic leave for one year.

A student of an Israeli university is waiting for a number of mandatory payments, in addition to making money for tuition. These include:

• the registration fee of the Students' Union - 250-300 shekels;
• payment for the security service of the university - 400 shekels per month;
• purchase of compulsory health insurance - 1500 shekels per year.

In addition, students at their own expense purchase all the necessary textbooks and manuals.

Foreign students studying at universities can apply to the student union with a request for a place in a hostel. Usually they are a three-four-room apartment in which several people live. The cost of a room in such a hostel is from 600 to 1700 shekels per month. Self-renting a separate apartment will cost 2-2.5 thousand shekels per month.

Not cheap in Israel and food. Most residents of the country spend about 1,700 shekels per month on their purchase.

Many students combine study with work. Most often they work as night guards, cleaners, waiters and sellers. It is very popular to work in numerous call centers. In some universities, senior students conduct additional classes with lagging behind, which are paid by the university administration.

Israeli students can attend additional courses along with their studies at the university, the completion of which increases the chances of successful employment. Classes related to IT-technologies are especially popular.

Scholarships and grants

Foreign students are not eligible for scholarships. The only exception is PhD applicants. For special scientific achievements, they are sometimes given grants, but, as a rule, their size does not cover the cost of education.

Foreigners can qualify for an education loan with a low interest rate. It is given only to low-income students receiving a bachelor's degree.

The most popular educational institutions in the country

There are 10 universities in Israel. The most prestigious and famous of them is the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. It ranks 53rd in the ranking of the best universities in the world.

The Hebrew University consists of seven faculties and a large number of research institutes. Here you can study almost all possible specialties. To date, approximately 22,000 students are educated at the Hebrew University, of which more than 2,000 are foreigners.

The Open University is very popular among Russian-speaking applicants. Anyone can enter it, for this you do not need to pass exams or present any documents on previous education. Education at the Open University is conducted remotely. During one semester there are 6-7 meetings with the teacher.

At the Open University, you can get a bachelor's and master's degree in various fields of science. Since 2010, teaching at some undergraduate departments was conducted in Russian, but in 2016 the university administration decided to terminate this program.

Higher education in Israel through the eyes of Russian-speaking students (reviews)

In an Israeli school, no one will force a child to study. If he himself needs it and draws on knowledge, he will take items of the highest level of complexity (there are only 5 of them). In schools that cooperate with universities, there is a program according to which 13 years of study (instead of the usual 12), upon graduation, the student receives not only a matriculation certificate, but also 1 degree. But the people there are plowed Nepadetski. There is another test, naz. "psychometry", quite large and complex. His results when entering the university are taken into account, along with bagrut's grades.

shtusha_kurusha

https://pora-valit.livejournal.com/754387.html

She studied and practiced in Israel at the Mahon Gold Pedagogical College as a teacher of preschool education and a primary school teacher.
I liked it very much!
Teachers in pedagogy are very strong. Theoretical foundations of course, but I was completely delighted with practical exercises.

Orlandina

http://ru-forum.com/career/education-za-granicej.html

There is one exam left - and I am a graduate of the Beershevo University. Studied at Information Systems Engineering. I am very pleased with the level of teaching. Class visits are free. Those. You can study on your own, but it's hard.

http://www.sxnarod.com/obychenie-v-izraile-i-za-rybejom-t.html

The approach to students in Israeli universities differs from that to which we are accustomed in the CIS: here no one will “run after you”, students are treated as completely adults, capable of making their own decisions and being responsible for them. Your opinion is truly taken into account here, in pairs there is always the opportunity to discuss and openly express your point of view. All students have the opportunity to independently choose, in addition, courses that are interesting and important for your professional development.

Julia Grebneva

http://loveisrael.ru/articles/be_student

Pros and cons of getting higher education in Israel (final table)

Obtaining a diploma from an Israeli university is not an easy task, but the opportunities that open up for its holders are worth it. Graduates of Israeli universities will not be left without work in any country of the world, and the experience gained during their stay in a foreign state will definitely come in handy in adulthood.

School! To be honest, I was dreading this moment in my children's lives. As soon as I found out about Demid's pregnancy, I began to imagine scary pictures of nighttime sitting at lessons with memorization of verses, paragraphs and everything that needs to be learned. And now the moment of truth has come. Demid has grown to school, though to a school in Israel.

In Israel, children go to school at the age of 6, and if in Russia they go to the first grade, then here they go to the “alef” class. In Israel, classes are not divided into numbers, but into letters of the alphabet. Here is the first and far from the last difference that caught my eye when I began to understand that my son, my little baby, my little one has grown to school! Wow. Already!

Before school, all Israeli children are required to go to the senior group of kindergarten - "gan hova" (5-6 years). While children go to kindergarten, they learn the basics of socialization and adaptation in new conditions, far from the warm mother's wing. The teacher observes the adaptation of children and, ideally, helps them in every possible way. If it seems to her that a child who has reached the age of six is ​​not yet ready for school (poorly diligent, inattentive, easily excited, etc.), then with the consent of the parents, she sends the child to an appointment with a state child psychologist who gives send recommendations to parents to school or it is better to wait a year. The reason why it may be proposed to leave the child for another year in kindergarten may also be a poor knowledge of Hebrew. However, if the child has only recently arrived in the country and has not yet had time to master the language, but at the same time the teacher sees the child’s tendency to quickly assimilate new material, she can safely send him to the “alef” class. At school, a first-grader who does not speak Hebrew should be given more attention and even extra hours to study Hebrew with a teacher, perhaps in a small group of the same non-Hebrew-speaking children from all parallel classes.

What are the schools in Israel: from secular and religious to private and international

Schools in Israel are divided into several types: state (it is also secular) - here there is an emphasis on general education subjects according to the program issued by the Ministry of Education, in such schools there are Tanakh (Holy Scripture) lessons, but in a very dosed order; a state-religious school, where more attention is still paid to general education subjects, but religion is taught more than in a secular school, more observance of the rules and traditions within the school; and religious schools are schools where children study the Holy Scriptures most of the time, strictly observing all religious rules, and to a lesser extent general education subjects. Girls and boys in religious schools study separately.

There are also international, private and other schools that do not belong to the above three types, which teach according to their own systems. In particular, there are American schools where education takes place entirely according to the American system in English and with an American certificate.

For reference: the most expensive school in Israel is the American International School (WBAIS) in Even Yehuda, near Netanya. Education at the school takes place entirely in English with the study of Hebrew, but not as the main language. The education system is completely American: children go to school from the age of 5 and at the end they remain with an American diploma, which allows them to enter higher institutions in the USA and Europe. The school has a kindergarten. The cost of education depends on the class, in the lower grades - 95,400 NIS / year (at the exchange rate for September 2016, about 1,625,400 rubles), in the middle classes - 103,100 NIS / year, excluding additional fees). Kindergarten - 48 500 NIS / year + additional costs for the deposit and other fees.