New Kindergartens Open in Northern West Bank Settlements

New kindergartens were inaugurated in the northern West Bank settlements of Sa-Nur, Eival, and Emek Dotan, coinciding with the start of the new school year. The ceremonies, which included the affixing of mezuzahs, were attended by children, educators, residents, and the head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan.

The opening of these kindergartens is viewed by the Samaria Regional Council as a significant step in expanding settlement activity in the northern West Bank, particularly in areas evacuated during the 2005 disengagement. Sa-Nur, evacuated in 2005, holds special symbolic meaning with families and children returning to begin a new school year, marking the settlement's renewed establishment.

In Eival, a settlement established in recent years, the kindergarten opening ceremony highlighted the area's historical significance, being near a site identified with the biblical period and the Israelites' entry into the land. Dagan stated this is the first kindergarten in Eival, connecting the region's history with its current renewed settlement.

Another kindergarten opened in Emek Dotan, near the historical Valley of Dotan, led by educator Tova Traveya Dassa. These new educational facilities are part of a broader initiative by the Samaria Regional Council to expand settlement in the region, following public and political efforts. This initiative includes returning to areas where the settlements of Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim once stood, and promoting new settlements.

The effort is integrated into the "Connection Plan," a joint project of the Samaria Regional Council and the "Amana" movement, aiming to establish 19 new settlements in northern Samaria as part of the "Million in Samaria" plan to significantly increase the population in the coming years. The council noted that eight new settlements have been established in northern Samaria in less than a year, intended to deepen settlement, improve access to historical sites, and strengthen presence and security.

Council head Yossi Dagan described the kindergarten openings as a dream becoming reality, representing not just a correction of historical injustice but also building the future. He thanked the pioneering families, educators, and council staff for their efforts. Educators like Ya'el Navo from Sa-Nur and Tehila Dvir from Eival expressed the special significance of opening kindergartens in these locations, symbolizing renewed life and the future generation.

The Samaria Regional Council's education system is experiencing significant growth, with over 25,000 students in the current school year. The council operates 28 elementary schools, 11 post-elementary institutions, and 168 kindergartens. This year, the council opened four new post-elementary institutions and eight additional kindergartens, six of which are in new or renewing settlements in northern Samaria. This expansion is part of a new five-year plan involving an investment of approximately 50 million shekels to upgrade and develop educational facilities, necessitated by population growth and the establishment of new settlements.