Teenagers have a rough time with moves. Even the uncertainty of moving to a new school district can be fraught with trepidation, so moving to Israel, no matter the motivation, can be preceded by anxiety. Who will be my friends? What will people think of me? Try to visit Israel prior to your aliyah, particularly to the area where you are considering settling. Take lots of walk in your future neighborhood. Search out English-speakers and ask lots of questions.

The whole family will be going through changes and encountering difficulties, as with any move. Parents, must keep a stiff upper lip, and lead the troops with positive thinking. Involve your teenagers as much as possible in the decisions about where, when and how the move will take place.

Special Interests

If your child has a hobby or a favorite sport, there may very well be Israeli counterparts who would be happy to meet fellow enthusiasts. You can try to make inquiries through the internet or through a specific organization or association in Israel before coming. Similar interests can often be the most important common language.

Hebrew

Language skills are often a determining factor in academic and social adjustment. Schools may allocate an hour or two to extracurricular Hebrew study for a new immigrant, but be sure that the Hebrew is taught by a teacher specializing in teaching Hebrew as a second language, or what is known as an ulpan teacher. The parents should make every effort to find a tutor if no service is available at the school. The most important skill such a teacher can impart is writing.

Social Life

Once your teenager makes friends, don’t be too shocked when your baby strolls in surprisingly late after a night out with the gang. This is generally acceptable behavior, and the other kids may well be staying out even later. Either youth movement chums or just neighborhood kids, groups of teenagers roam the city and suburban streets at ungodly hours of weekend nights. This is a reality that many parents of teenagers have to deal with. A first step to finding a group of friends may be in one of the local youth movements, which are very popular in Israel. What starts out as one fun afternoon a week, may well develop into the center of your teenager’s life.

High Schools

In 1948, the government did not have the money to establish high schools. Private philanthropies and municipalities stepped in to fill the gap. In 1977, the tuition fees paid to high schools by the parents were abolished and the bill for tuition as it were, now goes to the government. But the schools are still private in that they can accept and reject applicants and decide on the nature of their program, although there are certain fixed parameters set by the Ministry of Education for different types of schools. There are iyuni high schools which prepare students for matriculation in the sciences and the humanities and vocational high schools which offer both academically oriented and vocational subjects. Students successfully completing high school receive a diploma, but anyone with an eye to higher education must take the matriculation exams.

Matriculation

The bagrut, or matriculation, is a series of final examinations given by the Ministry of Education on completion of high school. Some schools space them at the end of 10th, 11th and 12th grades.
The bagrut certificate is a sine qua non for college admission, although most university faculties also demand their own admissions examination. A student who has not completed the bagrut can study outside of the framework of the regular secondary schools and prepare himself for an “external bagrut .”
The bagrut works on a point system - a minimum of 2, a maximum of 5 for any one subject. The required subjects and points (changes according to Ministry of Education dictate): Bible-3, Composition-1, Hebrew Literature-3, Jewish History and Grammar-1, Civics-2, Mathematics-3, English-4. Talmud is usually required in the religious boys schools. Electives offered, according to school, can be: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Computers, Geography, French, Arabic, Sociology, Jewish studies, Dance, Theatre, Music etc,. For areas where there are groups of olim, there is a special curriculum and special matriculation exams in grades 11 and 12 for Hebrew language subjects (Bible, Jewish history, Civics, Hebrew language - grammar and composition, Hebrew literature). If your child’s high school has even a small group of English speaking olim, the curriculum should be offered.
The pre-bagrut period is a time of high pressure and intense study for teenagers. Locked up in their rooms with books and calculators, leave them alone and thank heaven for small favors. We are only teenagers once.