WIZO Education Division: Maintaining Stability, Care, and Continuity in Times of War

As the impact of Operation Roaring Lion disrupted daily life across Israel, WIZO’s Education Division continued to provide stability and continuity, for children and youth in highly complex and uncertain conditions.

Since the outbreak of the operation, approximately 200 students remained in WIZO youth villages, including Youth Aliyah participants, Na’ale students (youth who immigrate to Israel before their parents), and residents of emergency frameworks — many of whom do not have immediate family support in Israel.

For these students, the youth village is not only an educational setting, but their home.

While most boarding school students returned to their families in accordance with Home Front Command guidelines, those without a home to return to remained on campus. WIZO teams provided them with a full daily framework from morning to night, including educational, social, and recreational activities adapted to the security situation, aimed at reducing stress and strengthening both personal and group resilience.

In some locations, students were required to sleep in protected spaces due to repeated alarms. Despite these conditions, they demonstrated strong resilience while maintaining full adherence to safety guidelines. At the same time, staff carried a dual responsibility — supporting the students on-site while also maintaining communication with parents abroad.

Maintaining Connection and Preventing Risk

For students who returned home, maintaining connection became critical.

Extended periods without structured educational frameworks can increase emotional distress and exposure to risk, particularly among vulnerable youth. In response, WIZO teams operated continuously to stay in close contact through phone calls, Zoom meetings, home visits, and ongoing communication with families.

In cases of significant difficulty at home or lack of adequate protection, students were brought back to the boarding schools with approval from the Ministry of Education. This ensured that the boarding school continued to function as both an educational and physical safe space when needed.

Full Capacity in Welfare and Therapeutic Frameworks

At the same time, WIZO’s welfare frameworks operated at full capacity, including emergency centers, Neve WIZO, and WIZO Hadassah Children’s Village, a post-hospitalization residential setting.

These frameworks serve children and youth with complex emotional and mental health needs, for whom returning home is not an option. Since the beginning of the war, they have remained fully operational, providing continuous professional and human support under intensified conditions.

Staff faced the combined challenge of a national emergency alongside the personal realities of the children, requiring constant adaptability to maintain routine, stability, and therapeutic care.

Education and Connection from a Distance

WIZO’s schools transitioned to remote learning, with a focus extending beyond academic continuity.

Educational teams worked to maintain personal connections with students, monitor their well-being, and provide a sense of structure, belonging, and stability. The goal was not only to continue learning, but to strengthen resilience, hope, and optimism during an ongoing period of disruption.

A Milestone of Belonging: Na’ale Students Become Citizens

Amid the challenges, meaningful milestones continued.

Na’ale students in 12th grade at WIZO youth villages, including Nachlat Yehuda and Nahalal, received Israeli citizenship. These are young people who chose to come to Israel independently at an early age and build their future in the country.

For them, receiving an Israeli ID was not only a formal step, but a powerful expression of belonging and identity, particularly significant in a time of national crisis, as they prepare for the next stage of integration into Israeli society.

International Women’s Day in Educational Frameworks

On March 8, WIZO marked International Women’s Day across all educational frameworks, including in remote formats.

The program, built around the theme “Initiate. Act. Influence.”, emphasized the role of girls and women in shaping society, particularly in times of crisis.

Activities focused on leadership, gender equality, and social involvement, while encouraging open and meaningful discussion adapted to the current reality. The program highlighted women’s contributions to Israeli society and reinforced the importance of equality as part of building a resilient future.

Education as an Anchor of Stability

Across all frameworks, one principle guided WIZO’s work: education is not only about learning, but about providing stability, protection, and a sense of belonging.

Whether through youth villages, welfare institutions, or remote learning, WIZO ensured that children and youth remained connected, supported, and seen.

In a month shaped by ongoing conflict and uncertainty, the Education Division demonstrated the essential role of educational frameworks as anchors of resilience — maintaining continuity, strengthening connection, and supporting the next generation through a complex and evolving reality.