Kindergartens Open in Northern Samaria Settlements, Marking Return to Area

Kindergartens were inaugurated this past weekend in the northern Samaria settlements of Sa-Nur, Eival, and Emek Dotan, coinciding with the start of the academic year. The opening of the Sa-Nur kindergarten is particularly symbolic, occurring over 21 years after the settlement was evacuated as part of the 2005 disengagement plan, signifying a return of Jewish presence to the region. The Eival kindergarten is located near the biblical site of Joshua's Altar on Mount Eival, where Joshua son of Nun established a covenant ceremony upon the Israelites' entry into the land. The Emek Dotan kindergarten is led by educator Tova Trovia Dassa.

These openings are part of a broader initiative to re-establish and expand Jewish settlement in northern Samaria, following years of advocacy. The plan aims to repopulate the four evacuated settlements, Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim, while also establishing new communities. This effort, dubbed the "Connection Plan," is led by the Samaria Regional Council and the "Amana" organization, with support from government ministers Israel Katz and Bezalel Smotrich. The plan includes the establishment of 19 new settlements in the area, replacing the four that were evacuated, and is integrated into the Samaria Council's "Million in Samaria" initiative.

In less than a year, eight new settlements have been established in northern Samaria, a record achievement by the Samaria Regional Council. This push aims to strengthen settlement, bolster Israeli presence, ensure access to historical sites, and enhance regional security. The head of the Samaria Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, stated at the ceremonies that the return to northern Samaria has transformed from a dream into reality, representing not just a rectification of historical injustice but also the construction of a future with unprecedented settlement momentum.

The new academic year in the Samaria Regional Council began with over 25,000 students across 28 elementary schools, 11 secondary institutions, and 168 kindergartens. The council opened four new secondary institutions and eight new kindergartens this year, with six of the new kindergartens located in the newly established or revitalized settlements of Eival, Sa-Nur, Ganim, Kadim, Noa, and Emek Dotan. This expansion is part of a five-year, 50 million shekel educational plan to upgrade and develop facilities in response to rapid population growth and ongoing settlement expansion.