Knesset introduces Integrated Education Act

A bill inducting a new form of educational doctrine passed its final Knesset readings Tuesday and was dubbed the Integrated Education Act. The new paltform will combine the State education and the Religious education's doctrines. 

Integrated-State education is expected to join the four other platforms making up the Israeli school system, which is made up of State schools, State-Religious schools, Shas' Orthodox school system and the Agudath Israel (the "Jewish union") ultra-Orthodox independent school system.

Integrated-State education will be made up of State schools which will offer advanced Jewish studies in their curriculum. According to the newly formed Integrated Education Act, any school wishing to become an Integrated-State school would have to have the consent of two-thirds of the parents in order to do so.

Schools which so make the transition, would have a Judaism director assigned to them, in order to make sure the religious content is integrated in the curriculum properly; as well as have the benefit of using the services of the soon-to-be-formed integrated education committee.

MK Michael Melchior (Labor-Meimad), who heads the Knesset's Education, Culture and Sports Committee, said Tuesday that the new act will help bridge the growing gap and polarization in Israeli society: "I believe that in a few short years integrated education would become the dominant educational platform in Israel.

"The educational revolution we have embarked on today would allow the generations growing up in Israel to find a common Jewish denominator. Integrated education would offer a combination of traditional Jewish values with universal ones," he said.

MK Esterina Tartman (Yisrael Beiteinu), who brought the bill before the House, welcomed its approval, saying "this is an important law which will affect all of us, as individuals, a people and a nation. This law will enable us to offer the secular sector a new connection to its Jewish heritage."