The State of Israel recognizes all religious schools, at every level, whether they are publicly funded or privatized. The state has taken on a "melting pot" mentality to education, meaning they back all religious schools and teachings of religions as long as they follow the mandated structure set by the Ministry of education. Religion plays a large role in the education of all students in Israel.
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Religious studies in schools
Israeli state schools all share a ministry of education, however Arab and Jewish schools are largely segregated with most Arab students going to Arab schools and most Jewish students going to Jewish schools. Similarly, Arab schools have primarily Arab teachers who teach Hebrew only as a second language. The divide in Israeli schools based on ethnic identification leads to a divide on religious studies taught in schools, with the state backing both methods of teaching. In Israeli Jewish schools, Judaism is seen as a part of the heritage and culture of Israel and so the teaching of Jewish holidays and religious practices is seen as crucial to the understanding of the state. The Torah and other Jewish practices are studied in a critical manner to understand the identity of a majority of the Israeli population. In 2007 the "Public Committee for Bible Education" was established to further encourage the teachings of the bible in order to close the growing gap between the secular and religious members of society.
Educational disadvantages for Arabs in Israel
Another way that religion plays a large role in education in Israel is the way it impacts the Arab population in the state. In 2001, 82% of the Arab population was made up of Muslim, a number that is only growing. As of now the majority of this Israeli population lives on the outskirt of the main cites, mostly in the northern villages that only hold 10% of the Jewish population. Lack of financial means, through less industrial development in these villages and declines in agriculture, have decreased the opportunities for Muslim Arabs to move to more populated areas in Israel. Lack of migration has impaired the ability for young Arabs to attend better ranked schools and limited financial means has put more pressure on students to be employed at a younger age. The circumstances placed on lately Muslim students has created a lower level of success for members of the religion in Israel.
Controversy in Israeli schools
The uneven distribution of advantages and disadvantages for students in Israel has been a source of controversy in the recent years. While Israeli schools back all religious programs, and the Ministry of Education has a set of guidelines, the vast differences in schools has created major differences in schools across the state. Schools vary in size, funding, teacher qualities, and class structures, so that educations between schools are hard to compare and even harder to evaluate. This becomes more complicated when trying to compare students from schools that teach different religious historical backgrounds (i.e. Arab schools and Jewish schools.) Furthermore, a recent study found that the rising budget cuts to state secular and state religious schools drove up the number of students who attended private institutions for religious or academic studies, and critics argue that this creates a bigger divide among the wealthier and lower classes, primarily the Muslim and Jewish populations. Critics argue that a bigger wedge between varying religions cause further divide among the different ethnicities within the state, causing long term tension.