ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on early education in Israel for children between the ages of three and six. The early education system in Israel emerged from the Jewish education that was founded in the nineteenth century, during which time Jewish settlement in Israel grew rapidly. Modern Israel was created when Jews from around the world arrived, and conversation in Hebrew in the educational system served as an essential factor in the revival of the Hebrew language. Early education in Israel was strongly influenced by the Kibbutz movement that existed prior to the founding of the State of Israel in 1948. Basic studies for kindergarten educators largely take place in teachers’ colleges, which are recognized as academic institutions by the Israeli Council for Higher Education. The Ministry of Education guided all educators to include in the curriculum a common annual topic through which children learned multiple skills and additionally were exposed to issues that were considered central in Israeli society.
