This week, as we mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday, December 3, we are asked to look honestly in the mirror that Israeli society holds up to us. The vision of embracing every individual, as promoted through inclusion policies in education, confronts an extremely complex reality.

In recent years, young people in Israel have been forced to learn difficult lessons. After the disconnection of the COVID-19 years came the deep upheaval of the war, exposing the fragility of our social resilience. Children and teens in Israel, with and without disabilities, now face emotional and social challenges that have torn apart the foundations of their stability and routine. For this generation, which experiences uncertainty in its most extreme form, a social-emotional rehabilitation is urgently required.

Inclusion: When an Ideal Meets Systemic Inability

The data emerging from the field is troubling: local authorities report a dramatic increase in the number of children being diagnosed with disabilities; Education Ministry data from as early as 2023 already showed a decline in teachers’ willingness to support inclusion, with only 50 percent of teachers believing inclusion is........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)