WIZO Opens a New School Year: 16,000 Children and Youth Begin Their Studies

As the new academic year begins, nearly 16,000 children and youth are starting their educational journey in WIZO’s institutions across Israel: approximately 10,000 infants and toddlers in WIZO’s daycare centers and around 6,000 students in WIZO’s schools and youth villages, spread across 74 municipalities and regional councils.

WIZO remains committed to providing quality education grounded in its core values—equality, partnership, innovation, excellence, and humanity—to nurture Israel’s future generation into thoughtful, independent, and creative adults who contribute to society.

Anita Friedman, Chairperson of World WIZO, shared:

“WIZO, with its hundreds of institutions and thousands of staff members, is excited to open another school year, with the hope for an uninterrupted year of activity. I want to recognize our educational teams—in the daycare centers and youth villages—whose work inspires us and drives WIZO’s success. I believe in them, and I know that with them, the children are in the very best hands. I wish everyone a wonderful school year, full of experiences, opportunities, and achievements.”

Mira Minas, Director General of WIZO, added:

“We begin the 2025–2026 school year with great excitement and anticipation. Once again, we have invested significant efforts in fortifying and upgrading our educational institutions to ensure safety, stability, and a high-quality learning experience. These investments were made possible thanks to the support of our global federations, who continue to stand by us in challenging times. Alongside ensuring security, we are advancing innovative pedagogy and excellence in education, so that every child in our care can grow in a safe, supportive, and inspiring environment. I thank our teams for their daily dedication and wish us all a fruitful and meaningful school year.”

WIZO Daycare Network

On September 1st, around 10,000 infants and toddlers (ages 0–3) entered WIZO’s daycare centers—half of them beginning their very first year in the education system.

WIZO’s daycare network, first established before the founding of the State of Israel, was created to enable mothers to join the workforce, knowing their children were being cared for in a safe and nurturing environment. The first daycare opened in 1927 in Tel Aviv’s Nordia neighborhood. Today, WIZO operates 161 daycare centers nationwide, some of them within workplaces such as hospitals, academic institutions, and defense industries—offering parents a flexible, high-quality educational solution.

More than 2,800 dedicated staff members—directors, caregivers, cooks, supervisors, and social workers—accompany the children through their first educational steps. WIZO has also pioneered innovations in early childhood education, from pedagogical methods to quality control systems, ensuring a safe and enriching environment.

This year, a new WIZO daycare center opens in Atlit, already at full capacity, and staffed with a newly recruited professional team. WIZO also continues its academic program with the Levinsky-Wingate Academic Center, offering professional training and accreditation for daycare caregivers.

In addition, following the Iron Swords War, WIZO invested heavily in fortifying daycare centers, installing safe rooms, and creating sensory-motor rooms inside shelters to provide a calming, supportive space for children. Several daycare centers damaged during Operation “Am K’Lavi” have already been fully repaired and are ready to welcome children.

WIZO also operates a free *Early Childhood Advice Hotline (6968)**, offering parents professional guidance on child development and resilience—especially crucial during times of crisis.

WIZO Education Network

Alongside the daycare centers, about 6,000 students are returning to WIZO’s schools and youth villages this year, supported by more than 1,500 educators, counselors, and staff. Many of WIZO’s schools were founded before Israel’s independence, driven by WIZO’s vision to provide quality education rooted in Zionist values.

Among the students are 400 Na’aleh youth (immigrant teens who come to Israel before their parents) from countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Russia, Ukraine, India, the United States, the Netherlands, Serbia, and Germany.

WIZO’s schools and youth villages offer diverse programs of excellence, including:

• Technology and science (e.g., “Nahalal-Tech” in partnership with the Technion, computer science, software and electronics engineering, precision agriculture)
• Languages and diplomacy
• Theater and communication
• Elite sports academies (basketball, judo, cycling, archery, horseback riding, and more)
• Unique vocational programs such as dog training, firefighting, and police studies in partnership with Israeli government ministries

Today, WIZO’s educational network includes 5 youth villages, 8 schools, and 4 welfare boarding schools, among them Nir HaEmek, Nahalal, Hadassim, Gan Vanof, Nachlat Yehuda, Beit HaKerem (Jerusalem), WIZO Technological High School Rehovot, and WIZO Ahuzat Yeladim (Haifa).