The annual education conference of IsraelHayom took place on Wednesday at the Atid Raziel Youth Village in Herzliya. The focus was on the preparation of the educational system for the new school year and the profound impact of the war on Israeli youth. Live broadcast on IsraelHayomOn ‘s digital platforms, the event brings together a variety of diverse voices from the field, including educators, administrators, Department of Education officials and students, all of whom will share first-hand accounts of the challenging past year.
The conference serves as an important platform to hear the opinions of those on the front lines of education: professionals, teachers and school principals from across Israel, as well as representatives of the Ministry of Education and students who will provide their unfiltered perspectives on the turbulent past year.
In an interview with IsraelHayomEducation Minister Yoav Kisch hinted that there could be complications regarding the smooth start of the school year, noting that his staff “just completed three weeks of intense negotiations with the Israeli teachers’ union. We are now facing a crucial meeting. The differences go beyond personal contracts… There are other unresolved issues that need to be addressed.”
Kissh stressed the urgency of an agreement: “We cannot allow the system to come to a standstill at this critical moment. We will make a fair proposal to the teachers and I call on Ran Erez (head of the high school and middle school teachers’ union) to compromise. He will not get everything, but we will offer parents an excellent package that will allow us to start the school year in an emergency mode in wartime. A strike would be absolutely irresponsible.”
Regarding the security situation, the minister said: “Israel should have sought a decisive outcome against Hezbollah last year. I see no way to bring the residents back safely without an intensive confrontation with Hezbollah. We are determined to bring the residents back safely to the north, and this will only be possible through military action.”
“In the midst of a leadership vacuum, individuals come to the fore”
At the opening of the conference IsraelHayomOmer Lachmanovitch, editor-in-chief of , said: “October 7 revealed the spirit of Israeli education in life and death. We witnessed extraordinary Jewish solidarity in the communities under attack in the south and later during the ongoing campaigns in Gaza and the north. We saw – and continue to see – unwavering devotion to the mission, massive waves of volunteerism, and a deep sense of mutual responsibility throughout civil society. In the face of a leadership crisis, we saw individuals courageously step into the breach and take the lead.”
Lachmanovitch continued: “IsraelHayomas a media company deeply committed to national responsibility, sees education as a cornerstone in Israel’s path to building and maintaining an exemplary society. However, we must broaden our perspective on education beyond the confines of school walls. It is our duty to continuously improve and learn, all of us, to strengthen our communities, our society, our nation and our people. As Janusz Korczak wisely observed, “He who cares for days sows wheat, he who cares for years plants trees, he who cares for generations educates people.” We must think in generational terms and develop a vision for Israelis, especially in these difficult times.”
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all our partners who helped make this important conference possible. Special thanks go to Yossi Mamo, CEO of the Atid Network, for our shared vision; Avi Lugasi, Director of the Atid Raziel Youth Village, our generous host; Ifat Ovadia-Luski, Chair of the KKL-JNF; Prof. Eliezer Shalev, President of the Tel-Hai Academic College; and Dr. Shira Hirsh, Director of the Escola at the Future Scientists Center.
“Personally, I would like to thank Amir Finkelstein, CEO of IsraelHayom Group and our exceptional conference and events team led by Or Dayan for orchestrating this important event that will benefit our youth and Israeli society as a whole,” added Lachmanovitch.
