Riki Rahamim arrived at Rambam Elementary School in Kiryat Shmona on Monday morning, not as a teacher but as a retiree. After 46 years of service, she came to show support as the school year began.
“Although I will not be teaching this year, I am excited by the moment of opening the school year,” she said.
Rahamim, who came to assist younger teachers, noted the significance of the day. “This year, the day is not a normal day. Last year, for the first time, the first day of school was not celebrated here. Now we have returned home.”
President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Michal, joined pupils at the state religious school to mark the occasion.
Population drop highlights postwar challenges
While the atmosphere was festive, the data reflected a different picture. At the beginning of the 2023-4 academic year, five weeks before October 7, Kiryat Shmona was home to approximately 5,700 children and teenagers aged 0 to 18.
Two years later, that number has dropped to around 4,650, a decline of roughly 1,000.
The most significant decrease occurred in preschools. The number of children aged 3 to 6 fell from 903 in 2023/24 to 695 this year. The 0 to 3 age group also declined by around 350.
At Rambam Elementary School, where Herzog visited, 124 pupils are now enrolled in grades 1 through 6, 28 fewer than two years ago. At its peak, the school had more than 300 pupils.
“Now we have become a boutique school,” said a staff member.
Rahamim reflected on the broader exodus. “Many families have not yet returned to the city, and it pains me,” she said. “Young people leaving was always a problem. Over the years, we lost a significant part of our future generation. Many young, well-off families left for surrounding communities, moshavim and kibbutz expansions.
“After the war, there was another wave. Some discovered the Center and stayed for reasons such as employment or proximity to family. Some retirees also remained in the Center, near their children and grandchildren. My three daughters, for example, no longer live here,” she added.
New pupils bring hope
Still, there were signs of renewal. Noam, a new sixth grader who moved with his family from Mevo Horon, said he was excited to begin at a new school and make new friends.
President Herzog and Kiryat Shmona Mayor Avihai Stern met with first graders, who shared where they had lived during the evacuation. Families were dispersed across the country, from Eilat in the south to Beit Hashita and Tiberias in the north.
“Kiryat Shmona is a symbol, a deep symbol in the national consciousness of the people of Israel,” Herzog told the children. “It was a symbol even before you were born, and in the past two years, it became an even greater symbol because Kiryat Shmona stood on the front line, on the border, facing a terrible and relentless assault.
“People changed their entire lives. You left your homes. Some of you stayed to defend the community. And now we are here, a symbol of courage, a symbol of victory. Kiryat Shmona won thanks to its residents, its children, its parents, and its alumni. Everyone stood strong together, and everyone is returning to live here to continue developing the city. We want it to grow, develop, and expand, together with all the communities of the North.”
First anthroposophic kindergarten opens in Upper Galilee
Despite the overall decline in enrollment, the new school year brought renewal to the region. The Kiryat Shmona Municipality, together with the Upper Galilee and Mevo’ot HaHermon regional councils, opened the area’s first anthroposophic kindergarten.
Located in Kiryat Shmona, the kindergarten will serve children aged 3 to 6 from the city and nearby communities. It will be led by Avigail Ben-Simon, an educator who integrates forest pedagogy with Waldorf teaching methods.
The kindergarten will emphasize a nurturing, creative environment, enabling each child to develop at their own pace and in close connection with nature.
The initiative was described by local authorities as a milestone in regional cooperation.
New excellence center launched
The municipality also established a new excellence center in partnership with the YASA Excellence School in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Sheba Medical Center, and the planned Kiryat Shmona and Galilee University.
The center will provide morning enrichment activities across city schools and afternoon programs aimed at cultivating various fields of excellence.
The initiative is led by Dr. Aliza Bloch, president of YASA and former mayor of Beit Shemesh. Bloch, who moved to Kiryat Shmona two years ago, has been closely involved in the city’s educational recovery.