Think Tank Proposes Major Overhaul of Israeli Law and Education

The Yachin National Strategic Research Center is advocating for significant changes in the next Israeli government concerning security, law, education, and Jewish identity. The center has prepared a 60-page document outlining proposals intended to serve as a basis for coalition negotiations and to be enshrined in the government's foundational principles and inter-party agreements.

Key objectives of the proposed plan include amending the "Spirit of the IDF" document, limiting the Supreme Court's (Bagatz) intervention in security matters, altering the Law of Return, and expanding Jewish identity studies in schools. The recommendations encompass legislative amendments, government decisions, and procedural changes, along with implementation timelines.

In education, the center suggests establishing a new committee for humanities subjects to redefine the concept of a "graduate profile" in the education system, replacing frameworks set by previous committees. It also proposes a four-to-five-year freeze on the "flexible matriculation" program, an evaluation of past reforms, and modifications to the oversight mechanisms for curricula and textbooks.

This initiative follows the center's involvement in current administration actions, such as the "Roots" reform by Education Minister Yoav Kisch, aimed at strengthening Jewish and Zionist identity in schools. The reform included increased Bible studies, making homeland studies a mandatory subject, and enhanced funding for identity-related content and teacher training. Researchers at the Yachin Center stated that these steps align with their recommendations derived from studies on declining Bible and homeland studies.

The center has also been active in promoting legislation related to religious courts, providing professional support for the arbitration law in religious courts, approved in March 2026, and submitting a position paper for the amendment concerning child support in rabbinical courts, approved in November 2025. Additionally, researchers assisted MK Galit Distel-Atbaryan in drafting a bill to protect expressions of Judaism in public spaces, which received support from the Ministerial Committee for Legislation.

Further areas covered in the document include the powers of the Knesset and its legal counsel, oversight of National Insurance funds, and the influence of the judicial system on security policy. The Yachin Center now seeks to translate its work in these fields into concrete commitments for the incoming government.