State of Israel
Ministry of Education
English Inspectorate
October 2011
Teaching English in the Israeli School System
English is without question a global language, used in international trade and tourism, in
academia and research, and in the electronic media. Therefore, professionally trained English
teachers are in demand in Israel and the Ministry of Education is interested in encouraging new
immigrants to teach English. The purpose of this document is to provide you with information
regarding how to become an English teacher in Israel. For additional information, please contact
the Chief Inspector for English Language Education, Dr. Judy Steiner, at the following numbers:
02-5603587, 0506-282-273, or by email at steiner.judy@gmail.com.
Introduction to the Israeli Educational System
Elementary and junior high schools are run by the Ministry of Education. However, almost all
Israeli high schools have the status of independent, recognized schools and are run by public
bodies such as municipalities, national networks and local committees. Some high schools
provide a general academic education while others may be vocationally oriented. Yeshiva High
Schools combine general studies with Torah study.
The school year for elementary schools starts the last week of August and ends on June 30th.
Secondary schools also start the last week of August but ends on June 20th. In some schools
students study six days a week and other schools have a five-day work week. In elementary
schools (grades 1 to 6) a full-time position is 26 hours of frontal teaching per week and an
additional five weekly hours of individual teaching and five weekly hours presence in school for
meetings and work. The junior and senior high schools (grades 7 to 12) are currently undergoing
educational reform that will affect the number of hours teachers are expected to teach.
Salaries
A teacher's salary consists of a base salary plus various additives. The base salary depends on
academic degree and seniority. Experience abroad is recognized; if you taught in schools prior to
making Aliyah, (immigration to Israel) bring documentation (a letter from the principal or from
the department head) to prove your experience. Attending in-service courses or additional
academic studies gives you increments towards your salary.
Vacation
Teachers receive approximately two months paid vacation in the summer, one week before and
during Passover, a week during Sukkot, plus additional Jewish holidays and Israeli national days.
English Teaching in Israel
Learning English is compulsory from the fourth grade; however, most elementary schools start
teaching English in the third grade. In addition, there are schools that begin English instruction in
the first and second grades.
Requirements for Teaching English in Israel
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Knowledge of Hebrew: English teachers must be able to speak, read and write in Hebrew.
Participating in an ulpan (intensive Hebrew course for new immigrants) prior to teaching is
strongly recommended. New immigrants are frequently required to continue their Hebrew
studies in training courses organized by the Ministry of Education. Courses take place
throughout the country and studies generally last for 6-9 months.
An Academic Degree: Teachers must have a degree from a recognized academic institution,
which needs to be approved by the Israeli Ministry of Education. For immigrants coming
from non-English speaking countries, the degree must be in English.
A Teacher's License:
1. Retraining Course: For new immigrants who are already certified teachers, the
Ministry of Education often offers a one-year subsidized retraining course that lasts
for the entire school year. Requirements for entry into such a program include:
a. possession of an Israeli Identification Card (teudat zehut) and/or an
Israeli Immigrant Card (teudat oleh);
b. an academic degree (a degree in English if the degree is from a non-English
speaking country);
c. teaching credentials from abroad;
d. Hebrew proficiency at a post-ulpan level.
2. If you do not have a teacher's license, there are retraining courses for academics in the
Teacher Training Colleges. (See Appendix Two for contact information for the
Teacher Training Colleges.)
The Acceptance Procedure
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
Contact the English district inspector. (See Appendix One for contact information for the
English inspectors.)
Bring the following documents with you when you meet the inspectors:
1. all degrees and teaching certificates (originals and photocopies);
2. a translation of degrees and certificates (for languages other than English);
3. transcripts from the academic institution;
4. proof of experience in teaching from previous places of employment abroad
(including place of work, dates of commencement and conclusion of employment
as well as position);
5. Israeli Identification Card (teudat zehut) and/or an Israeli Immigrant Card
(teudat oleh);
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During the interview, the inspector will review your documents, background and
experience. Your employment options will be explained, and the particular steps you must
take in order to gain recognition will be outlined. You will then be invited to an interview
with the acceptance committee. The committee reviews your documents and determines
the grades you are eligible to teach, and any further requirements you must fulfill in order
to receive certification (training courses, etc.)
Note: Original documents should be used for presentation purposes only. Make sure to
have plenty of photocopies of any document you need to submit. Do NOT give original
documents to anyone.
Finding Employment
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
To find a job as an English teacher, contact the English inspector of the Ministry of
Education, in the geographical area where you plan to live.
When a school wishes to hire a new immigrant who has received Israeli qualification, the
Ministry of Education Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers may be able to provide
financial assistance toward teaching hours. The principal must submit a written request
for assistance. If the school provides a minimum number of hours, it can receive a limited
number of matching hours from the Unit for Absorption of Immigrant Teachers. It is
necessary for the teacher to apply within the time period of eligibility for assistance, and
to meet all other criteria.
On-going Professional Development
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Pedagogical counseling is available to new teachers from the English Inspectorate.
The English Inspectorate offers a wide variety of in-service courses for English teachers.
Useful web sites for English teachers in Israel include:
1. The site of the English Inspectorate: www.education.gov.il/english;
2. The site of the new literature program for the English Bagrut exams: www.tlc.cet.ac.il
3. ETNI (Israeli English Teachers Network): www.etni.org.il;
4. The English Teacher's Association of Israel holds professional conferences
throughout the school year: www.etni.org.il/etai
Sabbaticals
Teachers can apply for a sabbatical every six or seven years. If you take a sabbatical after six
years you are eligible to receive 66% of the previous year's salary; you receive a higher salary if
you take your sabbatical after seven years. You are expected to be enrolled in an approved
professional development program during the sabbatical year and you are refunded for the cost of
tuition. You may teach on a part-time basis throughout your sabbatical year.
Conclusion
Because of the importance of English in today's global society, it is imperative that our students
meet the standards that have been set in the national English Curriculum. The English
Inspectorate invites you to join the approximately 14,000 English teachers who are enabling their
students to reach the level of English necessary to succeed in their education and future careers.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Lev Ram Building Jerusalem 91911 Tel. 02-5603587/8 Fax 02-5603596 http://www.education.gov.il/english
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State of Israel
Ministry of Education
English Inspectorate
State of Israel
Ministry of Education
English Inspectorate
Appendix One
Contact Information: District English Inspectors
District
North
Haifa
Name of
Inspector
Areas
Email
Fran Sokel
Afula / Akko / Beit Shean /
Carmiel / Gilboa Emek Hayarden /
Galil Elion / Golan Heights /
Hazor / Hof HaGalil / Jezreel
Valley / Jordan Valley / Kfar
Tavor / Kfar Kama / Kiryat
Shmona / Lower Galil / Ma'alot /
Ma'aleYosef / Mate Asher Megido
/ Merom Hagalil/ Meron / Metula /
Migdal Ha’Emek / Misgav /
Nahariya / Nazeret Ilit / Ramat
Yishai / Rosh Pina / Safed /
Shlomi / Tefen / Tiberias /
Yokneam
fsokel@gmail.com
Yousef Daghash
Druze / Maghar / Majdal Shams /
Pequi’in / Yarka / Zarzeer / Haifa
District / Beduin North
yousefda@education.gov.il
Omaima
Kaldawi
Arab Sector
omaimaka@education.gov.il
Yaakova Weiss
Binyamina / Caesaria / Givat Olga
/ Hadera / Haifa / Krayot / Or
Akiva / Pardes Hannah / Tivon /
Zichron Ya’acov
yaacovawe@education.gov.il
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District
Central
Name of
Inspector
Areas
Email
Miram Kluska
Be'er Ya'acov / Bet Dagan / Gan
Yavne / Gedera / Hafez Haim /
Kidron / Mazkerit Batiya / Nes
Tziona / Rehovot / Ramle / Rishon
LeZion / Yavne
miriam_k@achva.ac.il
Anne Saggi
Alfei Menashe / Avichail / Bat
Hefer / Beit Yehushua / Bet
Yitzchak / Bnei Zion / Eliachin /
Even Yehuda / Gaash / Givat
Chaim / Herut / Hod HaSharon /
Kadima / Kfar Haroeh / Kfar Saba/
Kfar Sirkin/ Kfar Vitkin / Kfar
Yavetz Kfar Yona /Kibbutz Einat/
Kochav Yair / Matan / Natanya /
Pardesiya / Ra’anana / Ramat
Hakovesh / Tel Mond / Tnuvot /
Tzofit / Tzur Yigal / Tzur Moshe /
Tzoran
annesa16@hotmail.com
Shoshana Plavin
Ariel / Avnei Hefetz / Ben Shemen shoshana.plavin@gmail.com
/ Bet Hashmonai / Bnei Atarot /
Elad / Elkana / Elon Moreh /
Emmanuel / Ganei Tikva / Givat
Shmuel / Karnei Shomron /
Kedumim / Kfar Habad / Lapid /
Lod / Neve Monoson-Yahud /
Nechalim / Neve Ephraim / Nir
Zvi / Oranit / Peduel / Petach
Tikva / Revava / Rosh Ha’Ayin /
Savion / Sha’alabim /Shaked /
Shavei Shomron / Shoham / Sitriya
/ Yakir / Yahud
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District
Name of
Inspector
Tel-Aviv
Beverley Topaz
Tel-Aviv / Jaffa
Tali Zahavi
Herzlia / Kfar Shmaryahu / Kiryat
talize@education.gov.il
Ono / Or Yehuda / Ramat Hasharon
Marsha
Hachmon
Bnei Brak / Givatayim / Ramat Efal
/ Ramat Gan/ Holon/ Azur / Bat
Yam
marshaha@education.gov.il
Pat Talshir
Jerusalem
ptalshir@yahoo.co.uk
Jerusalem Shai Aran
Bet Shemesh / Dead Sea / Efrat/
Jerusalem Corridor/ Kiryat Arba /
Ma’aleh Adumim / Mateh
Binyamin / Mevasseret / Modi’in
shai.aran@gmail.com
South
Shirley Burg
Arad / Ashdod / Ashkelon Beer
sburg9@gmail.com
Sheva / Dimona / Eilat/ Kiryat Gat /
Kiryat Malachi / Meitar / Mizpe
Ramon / Omer / Netivot / Ofakim /
Sderot / Yeruham
Ibrahim Elsayed
Bedouin Sector
ibmsays@gmail.com
Avi Tsur
Whole country
tsuravi@hotmail.com
Manchi
Rural
Sector
Areas
Email
beverlyto@education.gov.il
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State of Israel
Ministry of Education
English Inspectorate
Appendix Two
Contact Information: Teacher Training Colleges
District
Name of College
Email
North
Oranim
www.oranim.ac.il
Haifa
Gordon
www.gordon.ac.il
Shaanan
shaanan@shaanan.macam.ac.il
Seminar HaKibbutzim
www.smkb.ac.il
Levinsky
www.levinsky.ac.il
Talpiot
www.talpiot.macam98.ac.il/english.htm
Achva
www.achva.ac.il
Beit Berl
www.beitberl.ac.il
Jerusalem
David Yellin
www.dyellin.ac.il
South
Kaye
www.kaye.ac.il
Tel Aviv
Center
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