"We Identified Gifted Children in the Haredi Community and Developed a Suitable Program for Them"

Is your child gifted and among the top three percent of the population, or perhaps they have high abilities and you always wanted to enrich them? Let's leave aside the question of whether it is good or not to have such exceptional knowledge, but one thing is clear: children with high academic abilities need a structured response tailored to them, with a study program that allows them to utilize their skills without experiencing repeated frustrations in the classroom after becoming bored and essentially learning material that does not match their level.

Gifted, also in the Haredi Community

Menachem Nadler, head of the department for gifted and talented students in the pedagogical administration at the Ministry of Education, is familiar with this phenomenon closely, as he is responsible for identifying and nurturing the top percentage of children in Israel, including gifted and talented students. "We aim to give them, through the department's programs, a wide range of programs and opportunities to learn and enrich," he explains.

According to him, the department's activities have always been directed at all sectors in Israel, but the Haredi sector did not receive any representation because there was no special program intended for it. "There were a few parents who sent their children to our general programs, but most of the Haredi public did not participate," he says.

In the past year, he says, a very significant step was taken when the department decided to create a special program for gifted children in the Haredi community, adapted in every possible way. "It started with ensuring suitable identification tests for them, as it is not possible to expect a Haredi child to answer the tests given to children from state schools, as their world concepts are different. Additionally, we trained teachers, male and female, and counselors for the Haredi community, and even established a special center for gifted children where they can receive enrichment materials tailored to them."

And what is currently offered to a gifted child?

"The program for gifted children in the general sector gives kids a special day in the week where they leave school and go to the gifted center, where they learn a wide variety of enrichment and deepening subjects, taught by special teachers trained to work with gifted children. The subjects chosen are meant to develop curiosity and critical thinking, with openness to diverse areas of knowledge. In the Haredi sector, such a 'gifted center' does not yet exist because we do not have enough children to establish such a center in every region of the country. However, within the program we managed in the past year, the children would come to the regular school, and one day a week they did not join their peers but instead sat in a special room designated at the school, where they studied remotely with other gifted children. Haredi schools really connected to this approach, also because from an educational perspective they saw it as advantageous for the child to remain in the same framework with their friends."

Not Only for Gifted

Nadler emphasizes that all the content studied in the gifted program of the year 5783 was entirely suitable for the Haredi community and was specially designed for them. "The boys who participated in the program, for example, studied the 'Turn it and Turn it' course dealing with Talmudic and Mishnaic issues combined with astronomy. They also studied "Wonders of Creation" focusing on scientific fields, and the 'Like Clay in the Potter's Hands' course on theater and creative writing. The girls participated in courses like 'Zoom In and Out' dealing with thinking tactics and mental flexibility, as well as an algorithm course for mathematical thinking and coding, and other courses."

"Overall, dozens of children from Haredi schools and Torah Talmuds around the country studied in the program this year, but next year we expect many more children to join, and even trained an additional team of teachers and advisors from the Haredi sector for them."

Shai Calderon, the head of the Haredi district at the Ministry of Education, noted that he supports and appreciates the students who took part in the program. "It is our duty to provide every student with the tools to realize their potential," he noted. "I thank all the partners in the education system who lent a hand to the success of the initiative."

In addition to the Haredi gifted center opened last year, Menachem Nadler mentions that 'Excellence Programs' are also available within schools. "Students participating in these programs are not selected by tests but the school staff chooses 20% of the students considered top relative to their age group, usually from third grade to sixth grade, and provides them with a group program on a variety of subjects."

"The Amirim program is the largest excellence program in Israel, covering almost 800 schools and is currently in dozens of Haredi schools and Torah Talmuds. Within the program, the children receive additional study hours beyond the regular school hours, focusing on various in-depth and knowledge topics taught by the school's teaching staff. Additionally, there is the 'Education for Peaks' program, aimed at children with excellence potential in the social and geographical periphery. As of now, the program does not exist in the Haredi public, but moves are being made to also advance it in Haredi education, naturally with the necessary adaptations for the Haredi community."

Are there more or fewer gifted children in the Haredi society compared to the general society?

"Of course, in terms of percentages, Haredi children are not represented in programs as are the percentages in the general population, since we are only in the second year of activity. But if in the first year we had about 40 gifted children in the program from all over the country, next year the number is set to double. This shows us how great our potential is and how far we can reach."