While the headlines bicker over duty and dissent, a quiet transformation is happening quietly but deliberately—where it matters most: in the classrooms.
In a recent eJewish Philanthropy opinion piece, Dar Nadler, Executive Director of Friends of Israel Sci‑Tech Schools (FISTS), highlights how the Israel Sci‑Tech School Network (ISTS) is forging a respectful middle ground. ISTS blends Torah study with hands-on vocational training in areas like programming, cybersecurity, electronics, and mechanical engineering—all without compromising on religious identity.
Here’s what makes the model work:
- Respect meets relevance: ISTS offers educational tracks that honor tradition while equipping Haredi youth with real-world skills.
- Proven results:
- 600 Haredi students have completed the full cycle—from Torah study through college training to IDF service, often in tech roles within the military.
- 1,000 Haredi students are enrolled across ISTS colleges, with 55% in engineering technician programs.
- Scaling ambition: Plans are underway for a first-ever Technological Hesder Yeshiva in Netanya and a new Haredi campus in Beit Shemesh—integrating Torah, military service, and career training under one roof.
The big idea? Integration doesn’t require assimilation. The ISTS approach shows that you can strengthen Israel’s social fabric—and its high-tech future—without erasing identity.
Read the full piece: How a network of sci‑tech schools in Israel offers a model for Haredi integration by Dar Nadler.
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