The first day of school, for both me and my children, will always be marked by a blessing from my father. He holds his hands over the grandchildren's heads and blesses them using words from the Book of Numbers: "May the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance and give you peace."
It's a lovely blessing at any time, certainly in a challenging year like this one. We need to encourage parents and children, and especially teachers, who shoulder the mission of teaching the next generation. The challenge is especially complex – and even more so this year – in the social periphery. It's hard to imagine a gap that has more influence and is harder to bridge than the discrepancy between education in Israel's geographic and economic center and education in the periphery. They are two different countries, the first and second Israel. This is the main challenge facing education here, possibly the biggest challenge for society as a whole.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Two years ago, the school system tracked the numbers of students who pass high school matriculation exams with distinction in various local authorities. This is an important data point for our children's future chances, both in higher education and employment. What did we find? In wealthy Ramat Hasharon, about one-quarter of high school graduates secured the highest grades on their matriculation exams, scoring 5 point in English, math, and physics. In Ofakim, Sderot, and Rahat, only one-half of 1% of high schoolers earned the same marks. In other words, high school graduates from Ramat Hasharon are 50 times as likely to matriculate with distinction as our graduates in the western Negev.
Forgive my naivete, but I was certain that the government would call a meeting the day after this data was published and sit down until it had a working plan that would help the children of the periphery. It didn't happen the day after, or at all. It must happen, but the issue isn't on elected officials' radar. The coronavirus epidemic in Israel has exposed the flaws in the system and made weaker groups even weaker. Over 200,000 children in some of the "reddest" communities live without computers, and can't participate in distance learning.
One might think that I'm a lobbyist for the interests of my children in Sderot and my friends' children in Ofakim, Rahat, Kiryat Shmon, and Maalot. I am committed to all of them, but the government mosaic doesn't affect only the children the periphery. It is a mosaic that reflects all parts of Israeli society. If we aren't blinded by racism, we realize that there are just as many talented children who can become leaders of society in Kiryat Malachi, Lod, Karmiel, and Dimona as there are in Ra'anana, Modi'in, and Tel Aviv. We are all being hurt by the creation of a lost generation in the periphery.
These shocking discrepancies didn't spring up out of a vacuum. They are the result of neglect and intentional unfairness. Five times as much money is invested in children in the center of the country than is invested in children of the periphery. It starts with investment by local authorities. Tel Aviv invests 8,650 shekels ($2,571) in each child. Laqiyya, only 450 ($134). It continues with investment by individuals and families. According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, families in the economic top fifth of the population spend an average of 1,245 shekels ($370) on each child per month. Families in the economic bottom fifth, only 434 shekels ($129) per month.
It turns out that our elected officials see these discrepancies as the "way the world works," and help widen them daily. Apparently, in order for the poor to succeed, there needs to be a revolution.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
