Kindergartens Open in Northern Samaria Settlements, Marking Return

Kindergartens opened this past weekend in the northern Samaria settlements of Sa-Nur, Eival, and Emek Dotan as the new school year began. The opening in Sa-Nur, a community destroyed during the 2005 disengagement, signifies a return to the region over 21 years after its residents were evacuated. In Eival, established on Mount Eival near the biblical site of Joshua's Altar, the kindergarten's opening holds historical significance, marking a return to a place associated with ancient Israelite ceremonies.

The new kindergarten in Emek Dotan, located near the biblical valley of the same name, is led by educator Tava Trovia Dassa. These openings are part of a broader initiative to re-establish Jewish settlement in northern Samaria, following years of advocacy. The return to the four evacuated communities of Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim is becoming a reality, alongside the establishment of new communities in the area.

This effort is driven by the "Hitachlut" program, led by the Samaria Regional Council and the Amona organization, and supported by government decisions and key ministers. The program aims to establish 19 new settlements in northern Samaria, replacing the four evacuated ones, as part of the Samaria Council's "Million in Samaria" plan. Eight new settlements have been established in northern Samaria in under a year, a record achievement intended to strengthen Israeli presence and security in the region.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan stated at the ceremonies that the return to northern Samaria has transformed from a dream into reality, representing not just a historical correction but the building of a future with unprecedented settlement momentum. Kindergarten teacher Yael Navo expressed her excitement at reopening a kindergarten closed for many years, wishing for continued settlement and love for the land. Tehila Dvir, a kindergarten teacher and resident of Eival, shared her joy at seeing the children, representing the future, in a new kindergarten on the mountain, symbolizing Jewish return and revitalization.

The Samaria Regional Council's school year began with over 25,000 students across 28 elementary schools, 11 secondary institutions, and 168 kindergartens. This year, the council opened four new secondary institutions and eight new kindergartens, six of which are in the new and revitalized northern Samaria settlements. These educational developments are part of a five-year plan to invest 50 million shekels in upgrading educational facilities, responding to rapid population growth and ongoing settlement expansion.