Teaching in Elementary and High School

Misrad Haklita Reimbursement for Documents

The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration is offering a retroactive reimbursement of up to 4000 NIS to Olim who were required to translate and/or notarize documents for the purpose of transferring their professional license in Israel. Please contact your local Misrad Haklita office for more information.

Please note the following conditions:

  • This can be done ONLY AFTER completing your Aliyah.
  • The reimbursement is only retroactive for 2 years prior to your date of Aliyah.
  • Only Olim who have not yet reached retirement age are eligible.
  • Reimbursement can be made only for Israeli notary/consulate verification with original receipts (or verified copy) . Apostille is not reimbursable!

In addition, Misrad Haklita offers a reimbursement (up to 500 NIS) for Olim who took the governmental licensing exam. Your eligibility lasts for 10 years from your date of Aliyah. The reimbursement is ONLY given retroactively and will be paid back ONLY after submitting the receipt for your exam to your local Misrad Haklita office. Please contact your local Misrad Haklita office for more information.

Please note:  If you didn’t participate in a Misrad Haklitah preparation course for the governmental licensing exam, you may be entitled to reimbursement for two exams (if needed).

The Israeli educational system is categorized into Jewish, Arab, and Christian sectors. Within the Jewish sector, there are divisions such as Secular (“Mamlachti”), Religious (“Mamlachti Dati”), Independent (“Atzmai” – Beit Yaakov and Haredi), and semi-private schools.

Hebrew serves as the language of instruction across all schools, making proficiency in Hebrew essential. English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers also need to speak Hebrew, though not necessarily at the same proficiency level required for teachers of other subjects. The Ministry of Education periodically provides specialized Ulpan courses for teachers.

The number of hours required for a full time position depends on the age group of the students:

  • Grades 1 to 6: 30 hours per week is considered a full time position.
  • Grades 7 to 12: 24 hours per week is considered full time.
  • College Level: 16 hours per week is considered full time.

Anything beyond this number of hours is considered overtime. It is also possible to work part time. Note that mothers of children under age 14 need to work fewer hours for the same pay: For grade school, after 24 hours add another 10%. For grades 7-12, after 19 hours add another 10%. For example, if a mother works 19 hours in 8th grade, she will get paid as if she worked 21 hours.

Some schools supplement the elementary school hours to be comparable to high school.

A teacher’s pay check consists of a base salary plus various additives. The base salary depends on academic degree and experience. Experience abroad is recognized; if you taught in schools prior to making Aliyah, bring documentation (letter from principal or department head) to prove your experience.

If you do army service in Israel each year, your service is counted as additional experience. In addition, certain bonuses are available for teaching and/or living in certain areas, and this should be verified through individual schools.

Additional studies such as outside degree work can give you points towards your salary.

Perhaps it goes without saying that if you work overtime, you receive a higher salary. Note that overtime is determined according to base salary only (not according to bonuses).

Tutoring
To supplement a teacher’s salary, many people tutor privately in their homes. English tutors are in demand. A 45 minute English lesson can cost anywhere between 80-150 NIS. Some teachers even tutor at school.

Vacation
Teachers receive between 2 and 2 1/2 months paid vacation in the summer, 3 weeks before and during Pesach, a week during Sukkot, plus additional Jewish holidays including Purim and Independence Day.

Generally speaking, the school year begins on September 1st and ends on June 30th.

Benefits
The benefits of working for the Ministry of Education include paid sabbaticals and additional training.

  • Sabbaticals: Teachers are entitled to a sabbatical every 6 or 7 years (your choice). If you take a sabbatical after 6 years you are eligible to receive 66% of the previous year’s salary; you receive a higher salary if you take your sabbatical after 7 years. You are expected to be enrolled in a program during the sabbatical year and you are refunded for the cost of tuition. You may retain up to 1/3 of a teaching position throughout your sabbatical year.
  • Additional Training: Misrad Hachinuch encourages teachers to study. Most teachers are enrolled in some kind of training program. In many cases, Misrad Hachinuch will pay part or all of the tuition for academic study. Decisions regarding funding are made by a special committee, on an individual basis.

Morim Olim: Licensing and Job Placement for Teachers

The Ministry of Education has a special “Morim Olim” program to help immigrant teachers become qualified to teach in Israel and integrate as smoothly as possible into the Israeli educational system.

Click here for a 2-minute video explaining the process.

Required Degrees

Required degrees depend on which grade level you want to teach. In elementary or high school, a minimum of a BA (or B.Ed) and a Teudat Hora’ah (teaching certificate) are required. In order to teach on the high school level (grades 10-12) and the Bagrut, it is also recommended to get a subject-specific Teudat Hora’ah. To teach in an Israeli college, a PhD is a must.

You might be able to start a teaching position without an official license but will be required to become licensed over the course of your first year of teaching. Teachers who were trained abroad might be required to undergo further training before entering the school system or while they are in their first two years of teaching.

It is strongly recommended to begin the licensing process prior to looking for a position. The licensing process takes approximately two months (not including courses you may be required to take).

Olim Teachers should contact one of the following supervisors at the Ministry of Education to review their academic and professional credentials, and to help them find a teaching position:

Regional Counselors- Education, Morim Olim
District Name Email Phone Address
North Marina Kupershlak [email protected] 052-322-9232 מרכז פסג”ה נוף הגליל, רח’ השקמה 3א’, נוף הגליל
Haifa Sigal Sasson [email protected] 04-870-0691 קריית הממשלה, בניין הטיל, רח’ פלים 15, חיפה, קומה 5
Center Ofra Yehudah  [email protected] 073-393-7421 רחוב השלושה 4, בניין משרד החינוך, קומה 14, תל אביב
Tel Aviv Yifat Biton Lotan [email protected] 050-432-4196 השלושה 2, קומה 9, בניין מוסקוביץ, תל אביב
Jerusalem Dina Assor

Dayveed Jesselson

 [email protected]

[email protected]

 ​050-960-5580

052-246-8519

 דבורה הנביאה 2, בניין לב רם, ירושלים
South Galia Yunin ​[email protected] 073-393-5537 התקווה 4, קומה 2, באר שבע
Yishuvim Yoel Grombeck ​[email protected] 054-261-0003 השלושה 2 – בניין מוסקוביץ’, תל אביב

Native English speakers have an advantage over their Israeli counterparts in this field, and there is currently a demand for English teachers throughout the country.

Even if you taught English in the U.S., Canada or U.K., you will be required to take some additional coursework before you can teach English in Israel. You will learn the skills associated with teaching English as a Foreign Language, and become accredited through Misrad Hachinuch.

Please read this handbook for more information. While “Morim Olim” occasionally run subsidized courses to become accredited via one of these teaching colleges, you can independently take this coursework at any of the Teaching Colleges below, in order to get a teaching degree and become a certified English teacher in Israel.
Tip: Ask the college if they have a “ma’arach mesaye’a” – a subsidized program via “Mifal Hapa’is”- Israel’s National Lottery. You may also be able to get this paid for via Misrad Haklita’s voucher program, which may cover a significant part of the tuition.

Contact Information: Teacher Training Colleges

District Name of College Website
North Oranim www.oranim.ac.il
Haifa Gordon www.gordon.ac.il/English
Shaanan shaanan.ac.il
Tel Aviv Seminar HaKibbutzim www.smkb.ac.il
Levinsky www.levinsky.ac.il
Talpiot www.talpiot.ac.il
Center Achva www.achva.ac.il
Beit Berl www.beitberl.ac.il
Jerusalem David Yellin www.dyellin.ac.il
Herzog www.herzog.ac.il
South Kaye www.kaye.ac.il

Events
The English Teacher’s Association of Israel runs a seminar each summer.

Finding Employment:

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 of 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.

The English Teacher’s Association of Israel holds professional conferences throughout the school year: http://www.etai.org.il/

Contact Information for Regional Supervisors of English Instructors at the Ministry of Education

On-going Professional Development:

  • 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

For the Ministry of Education’s page on Teaching English in Israel, click here.

For licensing information, please click here.

Israel Teachers’ Union Job Site (Histadrut Hamorim) (Hebrew)

Drushim B’Chinuch (Hebrew)

My Face (Hebrew)

 Global Online English Teaching Opportunities (English)

There is a new teaching incentive for teachers who are interested in teaching in Eilat. Please click here for more information.

* Last updated on January 25, 2024 *

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