Tel-Hai Magazine 2023-2024

High/very high satisfaction from current educational system

often fails to capture the nuances and reflect the unique, diverse socio-demo graphics of the Eastern Galilee and its populations. Our index provides a com prehensive baseline that reflects the re al-life experiences of our residents.” This customized index allows for re peated examination over time and across varying situations (such as wars or pan demics). By consistently measuring these indicators, the center can evaluate the effectiveness of policies and identify the region’s evolving needs and any areas re quiring attention. Promoting data-driven decision making and policy formulation within local authorities in the Eastern Galilee Yifat Koren-Zimran, General Manager of the center explains, “In a world where knowledge is power, in order to advance the quality of life in the Galilee region, decision makers need reliable, accessible, and up-to-date knowledge about the state of the region in order to promote smart and effective policies. The role of the Knowledge Center is to collect, re search, and make this knowledge acces sible.” To accomplish this, a digital dashboard was created to serve all municipalities in the region. This platform allows local authorities to upload data about their residents and present it in an accessible manner. Maintaining the data collection and its presentation within the dash board is a collaborative effort of the mu nicipalities and the center. It is this coop eration that made it possible to create such an indispensable resource for pro moting shared agendas. A cornerstone of the center’s philoso phy is transparency and the accessibility of knowledge. All surveys and research findings are available for public viewing on the Eastern Galilee Regional Cluster website and Facebook page, ensuring that residents, researchers, and policy makers alike have access to crucial infor mation about the region. Invaluable insights informing wartime response When the Iron Swords War began in Oc

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Early childhood Elementary school Middle school

High school

Fig. 1 - Parent satisfaction from children's current educational systems grouped by grade levels

While the early childhood facilities received moderate or higher ratings, the frameworks for older students are rated lower, with only 12% high/very high satisfaction levels in the middle schools and only 21% in the high schools .

we can accurately measure the impact of the conflict on education and develop targeted interventions.” The survey also uncovered alarming rates of PTSD indicators among resi dents, which were significantly higher than the national average, especially among evacuees. “Our findings under score the critical need for targeted men tal health interventions and support sys tems as we work towards recovery and rebuilding,” Dr. Cohen adds. The economic impacts of the conflict have also been severe, particularly for self-employed individuals and in the tourism sector. The center’s data shows that 88% of self-employed and business owners reported detrimental effects to their income due to the war, with 47% experiencing a severe decrease of over 50% in their income. Despite these challenges, the center’s work has also highlighted the resilience of communities in the Galilee, with find ings that underscore the strong social fabric and bonds contributing to the re gion’s ability to face adversity. The cen ter’s community resilience index has pro vided valuable insights into the factors that help communities withstand and recover from crises. Recent survey data

tober 2023, the center swiftly shifted fo cus to collect and analyze data on the population’s status in the fields of educa tion, community resilience, health ser vices, mental health, welfare, economy, and employment during the war. The pre-existing baseline data allowed the center to identify and measure the changes and challenges arising from the war, and during the prolonged period of evacuation and security threats. Contrib uting to the center’s crucial wartime ac tivity was the generous support of the UJA Federation New York. A recent survey conducted by the cen ter among residents of the Eastern Gal ilee revealed alarming trends in three main areas: education, welfare and em ployment. Findings in the field of education raised concerns particularly regarding middle and high schools. Only 12% of parents expressed a high degree of satis faction with middle school arrangements during the conflict, with nearly half of middle school students studying 12 hours or less per week. Dr. Ayala Cohen notes, “These chal lenges compound existing educational disparities in our region. By comparing current data with our pre-war baseline,

The middle schools were rated the lowest among evacuees living in hotels and residents who were not evacuated; only 10% of the former and 7% of the latter expressed high or very high satisfaction from their children's arrangements.

Tel-Hai Magazaine | 2023-2024 9