A healthy democracy is made up of enlightened citizens who are active participants in the public sphere. Like many of the developed nations in the post-modern age, the State of Israel faces a crisis of civic participation. But the deep divisions within Israeli society, and the external context of permanent existential threat, render the problem particularly acute for Israel's future.
“Anti-political” sentiments are on the rise in Israel. Young Israelis regard the political arena with a combination of distrust and disinterest. Many associate political involvement with corruption, inefficiency, and mediocrity. The disenchantment with politics is producing widespread apathy and a growing disinclination to participate in the public sphere. In recent years, there has been a steady decline in voter turnout. Fewer young Israelis than ever are prepared to consider a career in public affairs. And distrust in the government, the Knesset, and even the Supreme Court, is at an all-time high. If present trends continue, Israel’s future citizens will be ill-equipped to function in a democratic society, and the ranks of Israel's future civil servants, statesmen, and legislators will be depleted of idealistic men and women of excellence. There is no single remedy for these alarming trends. But any long-term solution must begin with education.
IDI's Educational Programs seek to foster the emergence of a new generation of responsible men and women who are fully prepared for life as involved citizens of a modern democracy. True to our dual mission as a “think-tank” and “do-tank,” IDI combines cutting-edge research with hands-on initiatives, leading a pioneering effort to introduce civics and political awareness into the school system through the development of methods and content that form an integral part of the school curriculum. Our vision is an integrated curriculum for the inculcation of political knowledge, democratic values, and all the habits and norms essential for civic participation, implemented nationwide K-12.
Political Awareness through Education
This project, led by IDI Senior Fellow Eyal Naveh, aims to re-introduce political activism into the school system by developing means of political participation that form an integral part of the school curriculum. The immediate objective of the program is to develop innovative curricula, textbooks, and other classroom materials to assist principles and teachers in advancing political awareness among students. The project's long-term objective is to implement a comprehensive program of education for political awareness throughout the Israeli school system in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
Educational Program in the Schools
IDI's acclaimed Educational Program in the Schools bridges the gap between theory and practice. It is the hands-on, grassroots extension of IDI's research efforts, designed to test and apply the concepts developed at the Institute. The program empowers principles and teachers to take the lead in inculcating democratic norms and values in society, under the assumption that early engagement of young people in political thought and practice will catalyze democratic socialization and cultivate involved and responsible citizens. The objective of the program is to expand the narrow scope of current civics programs in order to reach more students at a younger age with a rich pallet of content developed by IDI and select partners. Working hand-in-hand with the Ministry of Education, project leader, Dafna Gruber, and her staff conduct teaching seminars, pilot lectures, and classroom activities in schools throughout Israel – from the Arab town of Tamra in the Galilee to the development town of Netivot in the Negev. Over the last seven years, the project has spawned dozens of highly successful educational projects in Israeli high-schools previously lacking courses in citizenship.
Today, IDI staff runs courses in democratic education at more than 200 high schools. Tens of thousands of young citizens – Jews, Arabs, Druze, and Circassians – are graduates of IDI’s Educational Program, forming a diverse cadre of citizens reared on democratic values such as tolerance, freedom of speech, and volunteerism.