1. Introduction

Since 2000, Israeli society has experienced frequent and protracted rounds of security-related conflict, mostly terror attacks, that deeply affect daily life in general, and the education system in particular (Pesach, 2017). During this period, the education system in Israel has been required to operate under complex circumstances characterized by significant tensions, uncertainty, fear of personal harm, and ongoing encounters with national and ethical narratives. The “Swords of Iron” War (October 2023) focused public attention—and especially that of the education system and educators—on the core of social resilience, as educational institutions found themselves intensely engaged in mental support, instilling value-based solidarity, and strengthening students’ sense of cohesion (Weissblai, 2023). 

In such situations, the role of the education system extends beyond the traditional function of imparting knowledge: it becomes an environment with therapeutic characteristics, a place to reinforce a sense of safety, and an active arena for building personal and social resilience (Shah, 2019), while engaging sensitively and appropriately with national values that are an integral part of a socially contested narrative in Israel’s multicultural reality (Reichman, 2021). In addition, the system is required to identify and account for the diverse needs of students from varied backgrounds—including those with direct…