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Glossary
Aliya - Immigration to Israel
Ashkenazic - Jewish ethnic group originating from the western and eastern European countries.
Bagrut (bagruyot) - Official country wide examinations given at high school level that can be completed afterward.
Ben adam l’chavero - Values shared between people
Bnei Akiva - Name of one leadership training program and religious youth movement
Brachot - Blessings
Charedi Leumi (Chardal) - Part chareidi and part dati leumi
Chidonim - Oral evaluation on material
Hadrachot (Hadracha) - Leadership training
Chonech -Teachers chosen by students to be their advocates
Derech Eretz - Secular studies
Eidot (Eidah) -Ethnic sector
Eretz Yisrael -The Land of Israel
Hakalot - Leniencies that a student may be eligible for Bagrut exams
Hamorah -Formal way students address their female teachers
Hashkafa -Religious/philosophical worldview
Hesder-Type of high school that joins learning Torah and army service.
Kippah Zrukah -Phenominum used to describe adolescents who become not religious and hang out in the center of town
Kitah or Horaah Mekademet -Resource room class
Kitah Shiluv -mainstreamed special education class
Maarechet -schedule
Maavar - A special class for students with academic weaknesses
Mamlachti Dati Iyuni - Academic religious school
Mamlachti Dati Nisyui -Experimental or experiential religious school
Mamlachti Dati-Government sponsored religious school system
Mamlachti Dati Torani - Religious school with an increased number of hours dedicated to religious studies
Maslul -Academic track
Mechanechet -Home room teacher
Mechina - Learning program that proceeds and prepares young adults for army service
Midinat Yisrael -The national/religious aspect of the Land of Israel.
Midreshet Harova -Name of a post high school program in Israel
Migama -Subject a student chooses to major in their grade 11 for the Bagrut exams
Miktzoa -Subject of studies
Nusach - Traditional language style used for prayer.
Rosh Chodesh -Holiday celebrating the new month according to the Jewish calendar.
Sephardic -Jewish ethnic group originating from North African and Middle Eastern countries.
She’at Chinuch -Time a class spends homeroom teacher (1 or 2 hour per week)
Talmid min haminyan -Phrase used to describe the act of belonging to a group
Talmidot Chachamot -Highest academic and moral level a girl can reach.
Tipat Chalav -Government sponsored healthcare for newborns during the first couple of years.
To”shba -Short for Torah Sh’beal Peh-Oral law
Tzofim Datyim-Religious scouts
Ulpan -Hebrew language learning program
Ulpana -Girls high school program
Yerucham -Name of development town in Israel.
Yeshiva -An educational institution dedicated to torah study.
How does one sign up for ganim (Trom and Chova)?
You need to go to the moetza in your area and register in the machleket chinuch. If you have done this before you will receive a post card in the mail with details of the dates for registration and the name and location of your child's gan. You will receive this post card in February and registartion usually follows 2-4 weeks after that. If you are an oleh chadash you will need to bring the appropriate paperwork to the moetza to find out where your child has been placed. You do hve the option to choose the gan so come prepared to ask for it. It is adviseable to do it earlier rather than later since there is a limit on how many children each gan can register and you might be stuck with one that is either far or not the gan that you would want your child to attend.
How are the hours in the Elementary School day divided?
Israeli students learn in school Sunday through Friday. Students get out early on Tuesdays in many schools with long school days. They start school around 8:10. They learn until 10:00 and they break for a snack called aruchat esser. This break lasts for about 20 minutes and kids eat their pre-packed snacks from home. Students learn for another two periods and then break again for 15 minutes. If your children have a short school day they will finish around 12:55 and return home for lunch. If your children study for long school days then they will break around 1:30 for lunch ams end thier day at 3:30. Some schools offer hot lunches called aruchot chamot either with half or full time options. Lunches are mainly meat meals but children who bring lunch from home mostly bring dairy pre-packed lunches.
How much homework will my children have on average per night?
Different teachrs have different policies regarding how much homework thier students are required . In general in the lower grades students are required to complete class work not finished during class time at home. Many students do their homework during breaks, free periods, and on the bus. All students are asked to buy and use a homework pad or notebook called a yoman. Some teachers will tell their students thier homework assignments in the beginning of the week and expect their students to complete these assignments on specific dates. other teachers give omework on a daily basis.Teachers expext students to complete their work but do not always check to see if students wrote teir assignments down in thier yoman.
In the older grades, students are given about half an hour to three hours of homework 3 or 4 days a week.
When should I expect my child to be speaking Hebrew fluently?
Many parents assume that their children will speak Hebrew fluently by a certain point in the year such as by Hanukkah, Tu b'Shvat, or by Purim. It is surprising to them when their children continue to show difficulty even after these expected dates pass. While it is true that for younger children learning Hebrew is much easier than for older teens it is difficult to state exactly when it will happen. At first parents can expect their children to understand more than they can express either by writing or by speaking Hebrew.Other factors such as not wanting to be in Israel, not finding friends, learning differences, ADD or ADHD may slow down the process. Parents should afford their children the same amount of time to integrate into Israeli society and learn Hebrew as they give themselves.
While many parents are beginning to look into options such as ulpanot, chugim and private tutoring some schools are beginning programs for their olim students to help them learn the Hebrew necessary for them to succeed in school and keep them on their campuses.
When should I begin applying to Middle/High School?
Many parents begin to talk about finding schools for their children at the beginning of grade 6 and some parents begin their search in the beginning of grade 8. Middle school or Junior High School can begin in some towns and cities in the beginning of grade 7 and end either after grade 8 or grade 9. This means that high school may begin in grades 9 or 10. It is particularly important for olim parents to know when the application process begins in order to search and find the right high school for their children. Many schools begin to receive phone calls and applications as soon as Succot ends and continues to accept them through Hanukkah. Some schools send entrance exams home and then call students for interviews if they pass this first step of acceptance. Other schools interview and give students entrance exams on the same day. These dates are pre-decided and some schools offer second and third interview dates to accommodate the number of students interested in their school. Parents need to pay attention to their community newspapers, computer lists, and general Hebrew newspapers for advertisements of these dates. they do not need to wait and may call schools after succot to find out information about the school. MaLaCH organizes a high school fair to aid parents and teens in their search for the right Junior/High School for girls and boys during this period.
When should I send my child to be evaluated for hakalot (accommodations) for the Bagruyot (matriculated exams?
The best time for pre-teens to be evaluated for accommodations for Bagrut exams is at the end of grade 7 or during grade 8.The evaluations need to be given by educational psychologists that are accredited by Misrad Hachinuch. Olim that have been evaluated in their native countries need to inquire about the evaluations they have in order to determine if they can be used. Parents should approach school guidance counselors and principals at the beginning of grade 9 with this question to give themselves enough time to deal with this issue before Bagrut exams begin in grade 10. | 
