Significant Teacher Migration from Religious to Secular Education Eases Israeli Teacher Shortage

In 2025, 42% of graduates from teacher training programs in Israel's state religious education sector were employed in the state secular Hebrew education system, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics. Additionally, 75% of those completing academic retraining programs in the state religious sector found jobs in the secular system, while 29% of bachelor's degree graduates in teaching from the religious sector also joined secular education. Among graduates from ultra-Orthodox seminaries, 9% entered the secular state education system and 23% remained in the state religious sector. Furthermore, 24% of Arab education graduates secured positions in the Hebrew education system. This data highlights that one key method to address the teacher shortage in the state secular Hebrew education system is absorbing teachers from other educational streams, despite differing foundational values.

The number of new students enrolling in teacher training programs rose by 9%, from 6,500 in 2025 to 7,000 in 2026, marking a new record surpassing the previous high of approximately 6,700 in 2016. This increase follows a low point of 5,200 new students in 2023. However, most of this growth occurred outside the state secular Hebrew education sector, where the teacher shortage is most acute. Specifically, new student numbers in the secular Hebrew sector increased by about 3%, from 2,400 in 2025 to 2,500 in 2026. The state religious sector saw a 12.3% rise, from 2,700 to 2,900 new students, indicating a larger influx despite the secular sector being significantly bigger. The Arab education sector also experienced a 12.5% increase, from 1,500 to 1,700 new students, despite having a substantial surplus of teachers.