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Israeli bilingual children's literature provides evidence of a multicultural process. Despite the small number of these books, it is important to examine the phenomenon, as such books provide a representation of the numerous cultures and minority groups that comprise the population of Israel. The role and contribution of Israeli children's bilingual books have not been sufficiently explored. The focus of the current study is on the roles of bilingual children's literature, as reported from the perspective of 90 preservice teachers. The data collected were analyzed and thus three interrelated roles emerged: (a) the linguistic role, that is, fostering literacy; (b) the social role-promoting multiculturalism; and (c) the educational role-imparting values. The model constructed on the basis of these findings highlights the unique contribution of each role and the synergic effect of the three roles combined.

This qualitative study examines academic procrastination among Israeli Master of Education students writing their theses. The majority of the the participants (80% of the 145) reported behaving differently on this task than on other assignments. One of the primary factors influencing procrastination derives from the complexity of the assignment. Considering the research literature describes tight relationships between academic procrastination and academic achievement, one surprising finding concerns the fact that respondents saw no relationship between their procrastination and their final grade. A gap was found between students' self-perception and their actual performance. Approximately 75% of the students perceive themselves as academic procrastinators, but in actuality nearly half of them completed the assignment on time. The starting date was found to be significant. Students who immediately began work upon receiving the assignment strongly tended to submit it on time. Students who did not begin early completed the project later than the scheduled date, if at all.

This study highlights the importance of educational leaders' responsibilities in virtual spaces, as they are perceived by school faculties and provides a validated tool to measure teachers' perception of a "principal's leadership presence in social media networks". 235 Israeli teachers participated in the study--180 (77%) females and 55 (23%) males, using a questionnaire consisting of 14 items scaled in a 6-point Likert format. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) reveal four modalities of the principal's on-going leadership presence in social media networks: branding and communicative, transformational, supportive-protective and enforcement presence. The questionnaire may provide principals and educational policy designers with a plan to regulate the socio-professional relationship among a school's stakeholders.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed schools' reality and posed a wide range of challenges for school leaders, such as a re-examination of principals' and teachers' authority and leadership in the schools' virtual spaces. Teaching methods and social-emotional aspects of learning were challenged as well. The school faculty had to redesign their pedagogical environments to provide an extensive and complete response to these new challenges. The main difficulty lay in the need to create an immediate distance-learning environment that would provide solutions for the pedagogical, emotional, and social challenges in the new and virtual space that had been created. We investigated teachers' perceptions of their and their principals' roles as digital educational leaders (e-leaders) in the schools' virtual spaces. The research was conducted using a qualitative method with a population of 16 female teachers in elementary schools in Israel. Data analysis yielded four major themes: new virtual space in the school's organization, principals' and teachers' roles in managing virtual spaces, opportunities in virtual space management, and challenges and difficulties. These themes were closely interrelated in the context of schoolwork. Findings highlight the importance of more fully understanding the role of extensive digital leadership, i.e., the management of virtual school spaces. It is proposed that management of schools' virtual spaces can enhance overall school effectiveness, which in turn can help achieve better cooperation between school faculty and the surrounding community.

While procrastination is a widely recognised phenomenon, current research sometimes contends that it is not by definition negative or that absence of procrastination is necessarily positive. Accordingly, a characterological distinction has been made between passive procrastinators and active procrastinators; the latter resembling non-procrastinators. The basis of this study derives from quantitative research, using three questionnaires in the survey method. A theoretical model whereby students' perception of self-efficacy impacts procrastination was used to study 145 Master of Education (M.Ed) students in the process of writing their thesis in two Israeli Orthodox educational institutions. The findings revealed that the score for meeting deadlines was higher among non-procrastinators when compared to both types of procrastinators. No differences were found between students who actively procrastinate and those passively procrastinating, either with reference to self-efficacy or by measuring achievement. Procrastination strategies were identified as correlating with perceptions of self-efficacy (both general and academic) and final grades. Additionally, active procrastinators were found to be more academically procrastinators than passive procrastinators, while less studious. The declined hypotheses may be explained by reference to terms popular in Israeli culture, the inference being that active Israeli procrastinators do not plan their procrastination as carefully as do other westerners. Positive correlation was found between the theoretical model and the empirical data obtained from the questionnaires. However, self-efficacy, whose relationship to academic achievement is frequently emphasised, was not found to be a direct influence; rather it represents a factor mediated through procrastination.

Sex education presents a major dilemma for state-minority relations, reflecting a conflict between basic rights to education and religious freedom. In this comparative ethnography of informal sex education among ultra-Orthodox Jews (Haredim) in Israel and England, we frame the critical difference between "age-appropriate" and "life-stage" (marriage and childbirth) models of sex education. Conceptualizing these competing approaches as disputes over "knowledge responsibility," we call for more context-specific understandings of how educational responsibilities are envisioned in increasingly diverse populations. "I see the Haredi community as a victim to a shady deal that was made on its back since the establishment of the [Israeli] state. Education is under state responsibility. Ilan Gilon, Israeli Member of Knesset, 2018. State interference in religious education is "possibly the most serious" issue facing Jews in the UK since the expulsion ordered by Edward I over 700 years ago. Rabbi Zimmerman, Chief Rabbi of Haredi Jews in Gateshead, England, 2018." These two statements reflect a current controversy in Israel and the UK regarding the right to autonomy over education among Haredi Jews, who constitute self-protective religious minorities otherwise known as "ultra-Orthodox."3 Education is a contested domain between religious minorities and the state in Israel and England, but current controversies have been amplified surrounding relationships and sex education (henceforth RSE). In our comparative ethnography among Haredim in both Israel and the UK, we found competing conceptualizations of "knowledge responsibility" regarding RSE between state policy makers and religious activists. Although state policy aims to deliver RSE in age appropriate ways, Haredim instead approach sex education as appropriate solely according to life stages. Although Israel and the UK have distinct political approaches and histories to education, our comparative approach traces the similarities between competing conceptualizations of "knowledge responsibility" between Haredim and state policies across these two settings. We draw on ethnographic research of Haredi relationships curricula and educators in both Israel and England to ask: What forms of informal education are advanced by Haredi educators in the absence and evasion of educational infrastructures? How do these efforts to bridge knowledge gaps create new forms of knowledge gatekeeping and power? How can ethnographic accounts of bodily and sexual education in religious minority communities contribute to anthropological and education policy debates about state intervention in religious-based curricula?

The current study addresses the disparity between the awareness of teachers in special education frameworks regarding the important role of books as a mediating tool and their reticence to use this tool. Twenty three interviews were conducted in two stages: before and after using the book "Shelley the Hyperactive Turtle" in the classroom. Interviews attempted to examine teachers' perceptions regarding the use of the book with a student population that has the disorder featured in the book. Even while teachers expressed awareness of the importance of books as a mediating tool, they explained their reasons for refraining from integrating books that are not part of the official curriculum in the course of their work. The findings indicate the need for a novel approach regarding the inclusion in the curriculum of books that feature learning disorders, while simultaneously addressing teachers' emotional needs and expanding their knowledge of the bibliotherapeutic process. In this manner, books, which have a recognized and distinct mediating role, can become a significant and useful tool for teachers.

The Arab-Israeli education system is a separate but not autonomous system serving Israel's inhabitants whose first language is Arabic. These include the Muslim and Bedouin majority communities and smaller Christian, Druze and others, whose children attend schools in which the curriculum is determined by a Zionist perspective, taught in Arabic. Thus, in the context of a system established according to the Israeli cultural/national narrative, this study brings to light the voice of ten principals who, through open, in-depth interviews -- 'small stories' -- reveal their prospective and management of issues-in-conflict to formulate and present their professional identity according to their own sense of self. It presents the conflicts their position confronts vis-à-vis both the formal education authorities and the unique situation their society and culture pose in executing their educational/administrative and moral responsibilities. The findings reveal situations ranging from active acceptance of the institutional dictates of a conformist nature, through passive acceptance, ('conformity') to attempts at promoting autonomous activities within the defined limitations ('moral courage').

A recent wave of studies has diversified science communication by emphasizing gender, race, and disability. In this article, we focus on the understudied lens of religion. Based on an analysis of ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) science journalism and its readership, we identify four main strategies for tailoring science, which we call the four "R"s—removing, reclaiming, remodeling, and rubricating science. By analyzing how science communication is produced by and for a particular religious group, we reveal the diverse ways a religious-sensitive science communication is shaped by community gatekeepers, while also exploring the ethical and epistemological tensions this tailoring entails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research has been to evaluate the contribution of the genre of bilingual literature, Arabic and Hebrew, to citizenship education. Since the Israeli society is a multicultural society comprised of both nations, Arabs and Jews who live in conflicted environment, one must regard those textbooks as civic agents. Literature is a socialization agent and as such it is an active influential factor in children's mental environment. Choosing literary pieces adapted to children's life is important, since literature, by its essence, is about values, and its function is to mold the child's character as an adult citizen. According the typology of Westheimer and Kahne (2003), the notion of being a good citizen is comprised of three types: the responsible citizen, the participatory citizen and the justice citizen. The content analysis procedure, based on Krippendorff (2004), revealed that most the stories, hence, ten out the thirteen deal with the two elevated types of citizenship, namely, the participatory citizen and the justice citizen. Inspire of the fact that we are dealing with children's literature, the authors of bilingual children literature do not belittle the capacity of children to grasp their role as citizens in multicultural society.

This paper examines the content fields of the concept of "teachers' moral courage" in order to conceptualize its boundaries. The study's purpose was to assess the dimensions of morally courageous activity within school life by qualitatively analyzing of 17 Israeli Secular Public School Teachers and 14 Israeli Religious Public School teachers' interviewee defined self-narrative. The findings reveal that the interviewees' answers express a profound understanding about the concept of moral courage, and a content domains definition of morally courageous educational behavior in three realms: the institution, the curriculum and the personal. Moreover, it reveals that the interviewee's claim that the Israeli educational system is characterized by instructional price tags for teachers' morally courageous behavior.

The literature on Teacher's Guides combines knowledge of discipline-related content and pedagogy-related content in reference to the objectives and contents of the Ministry of Education curriculum. It serves as a self-study tool that provides guidelines of how to teach in light of the various changing goals and needs of the teacher. The corpus on which this research focused was the Teacher's Guide for Hebrew literature and the question we focused on was: Do student-teachers of Hebrew literature at a teacher education college who use this tool find that it meets their expectations? The qualitative and quantitative findings of the research, which involved 21 student-teachers for Hebrew literature at a teacher education college, led to the conclusion that the students' expectations of the Teacher's Guide differ from the disciplinary qualities and especially the didactic qualities it actually contains. The Teacher's Guide is not organized in a manner suited to student-teachers even though they are a primary target audience for it.

Children's literature is operated and distributed on the basis of faith, whereby if there is a place for effective links between literature and society, then it will naturally be found first in children's literature. For the most part children's literature is goal directed and amongst its targets is the assimilation of socio-cultural values. The number of study hours for children's literature in the colleges for education is very limited, and only infrequently is the educator of the future awarded broad knowledge of children's literature during her studies at the college. Currently no study program has been designated for the connection between children's literature and sustainability and its derivatives and a method of integrating this subject into the field of literature. Due to the importance of children's literature in the assimilation of values and instilling of an ideological infrastructure which will become a way of life, it is appropriate to examine the findings of literary works in literature textbooks and before this the outline of the subject in the syllabus. One should introduce environmental studies into existing subjects and introduce environmental studies as a new subject in the syllabus.

The current paper analyzes a unique educational text that may be used to follow the educational policy of the State of Israel towards the community of Jewish immigrants from Ethiopia. The text which was analyzed was a bi-lingual newspaper called "Nugget News" which is published under the sponsorship of the Israeli Ministry of Education, since 1999. The analysis of the articles in the 59 issues of this newspaper was aimed to help us to reveal if there is a beginning of implementation of multicultural educational policy in Israel, or does the journalistic text express an explicit or implicit assimilation policy towards the immigrant community? We discovered that the "Nugget News" newspaper acts according to the ideology of implicit assimilation of Ethiopian immigrant community by the State of Israel. Thus the newspaper is being used as an educational tool for promoting a fake multicultural policy.

Academic plagiarism becomes very easy due to new opportunities provided by the Internet era (Scrinber, 2003; Underwood & Sazabo, 2003; Ross, 2005). We believe that academic dishonesty is a major issue, because it strikes at the heart of the academic and social values: honesty, trust and integrity. When dealing with education students, the future educators of children, academic dishonesty takes on added significance with much graver consequences for our society. This paper is aimed to reveal the opinions of 200 Israeli teacher education students towards different aspects of plagiarism. These responses, which were collected using likert scale questionnaire, led us to define some principles for a plan to reduce academic dishonesty, especially internet based plagiarism (Mc Murtry, 2001; Foster, 2002; Landau, Druen, & Arcuri, 2002; Murray, 2002). We suggest focusing on a plan for an institutional ethic code to reduce plagiarism and unconscious academic dishonesty. (Contains 1 table.)

The current criterion for acceptance to universities in Israel is based on psychometric testing that presents a strong barrier for acceptance of students of Ethiopian origin (SEO) to the universities. Based on the sociocultural theories of Vygotsky and Feuerstein, we suggest an intervention aimed at integrating SEO, considered to be "culturally different," in universities.The intervention includes a novel screening process (based on dynamic assessment [DA] and an interview), academic oriented metacognitive course, and supportive counseling. A group of SEO (n = 665) with low psychometric scores, applied for assistance in admission to university, in seven cohorts (2010-2016). A group of 174 (26%) candidates were selected for the project and enrolled for studies in university; 49.4% enrolled in prestigious departments (e.g., medicine). The findings showed that despite the significant lower psychometric scores of the SEO as compared with the national average, only 4.6% have withdrawn at the end of first year as compared with 10.8% of the national Jewish sample and 12.4% among SEO population. A higher percentage of SEO in the current sample enrolled in high prestige departments than SEO in the population. No significant differences were found between dropped out and continuing students in the psychometric test. Prediction of three-years' grade point average (GPA) by psychometric scores were not significant (R[superscript 2]= 0.03, p > 0.05) as compared to the prediction in SEO population (R[superscript 2] = 0.10, p < 0.001). The findings support Vygotsky's and Feuerstein's approach that standardized tests of students with deprived cultural backgrounds do not reflect their learning potential and that the use short term intervention may be an effective mechanism of preparing students for academic success.

This study examines the complex process of change among teacher educators who have chosen to improve their practice in a professional development community. Storyline methodology was used to reveal the dynamic process which teacher educators undergo when they consider adopting innovative pedagogy. Findings reveal critical moments in professional development which are characterised by evaluation of feedback from colleagues and students. Professional growth results not only from interaction and negotiation of meaning within the community but also from the effects of messages received from outside the communal context. A two factor model taking into account implementation and feedback is used to show the dynamic process of evaluation and negotiation in teacher educators' professional development trajectory. This study deepens understanding of transition towards change within learning communities, while providing insight into the development of teacher educators as a distinct professional group.

This study investigates the manner in which new and veteran Ethiopian immigrant students in Israel perceive their identity by investigating their attitudes towards children's books written in both Hebrew and Amharic. Two major types of identity were revealed: (1) a non-reconciled identity that seeks to minimise the visibility of one's ethnic group. (2) A reconciled identity that incorporates the original ethnic identity and tries to reconcile it with the majority culture by experiencing both the Israeli and the Ethiopian identities.

Elucidating the heterogeneous etiologies of autism will require investment in comprehensive longitudinal data acquisition from large community based cohorts. With this in mind, we have established a hospital-university-based (HUB) database of autism which incorporates prospective and retrospective data from a large and ethnically diverse population. The collected data includes social-demographic characteristics, standardized behavioral testing, detailed clinical history from electronic patient records, genetic samples, and various neurological measures. We describe the initial cohort characteristics following the first 18 months of data collection (188 children with autism). We believe that the Negev HUB autism database offers a unique and valuable resource for studying the heterogeneity of autism etiologies across different ethnic populations.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the linkage of identity of new and veteran immigrant students of the Ethiopian community in Israel, by examining their attitudes to children's literature books written simultaneously in Hebrew and Amharic. The data were collected using focus groups of Ethiopian students attending a teacher training college. The main findings revealed that they referred to two major types of identity: one type is an unreconciled identity, characterized by defiance, which seeks to minimize the visibility of one's ethnic group within the main culture and tries to adopt the hegemonic identity, whereas the other type of identity contains the original ethnic identity and--in contrast to the first type--tries to reconcile it with the hegemonic culture. Design/methodology/approach: This is a qualitative study, which emphasis was on participants' attitudes, beliefs and perceptions (Kalka, 2003). The goals of the research were to examine identity perceptions of students of the Beta Israel community, as they are exposed to bilingual literary works in Hebrew and Amharic. Findings: The main findings revealed that they referred to two major types of identity: one type is an unreconciled identity, characterized by defiance, which seeks to minimize the visibility of one's ethnic group within the main culture and tries to adopt the hegemonic identity, whereas the other type of identity contains the original ethnic identity and--in contrast to the first type--tries to reconcile it with the hegemonic culture. Research limitations/implications: This paper has shed light on an important subject and it would be worthwhile to continue the study using other methodologies. Practical implications: This paper contributes to the structuring of a cultural code that serves to organize social meaning and establish individuals' identity. Social implications: This awareness enriches the basis of their own values and allows them to enrich their attitude to their future pupils, for example, to recognize the value of local culture versus that of the immigrants' place of origin, and to develop an understanding and acceptance of the diversity in the classroom. As they take part in building a multicultural Israeli education framework, dealing with identity patterns is also the key to their own integration in society. Originality/value: The originality of the study lies in the usage of two new concepts--unreconciled and reconciled--as referring to the immigrants' identities.

Introduction: Following the significant decrease in SARS-CoV-2 cases worldwide, Israel, as well as other countries, have again been faced with a rise in seasonal influenza. This study compared circulating influenza A and B in hospitalized patients in Israel with the influenza strains in the vaccine following the 2021-2022 winter season which was dominated by the omicron variant. Methods: Nasopharyngeal samples of 16,325 patients were examined for the detection of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 and influenza B. Phylogenetic trees of hemagglutinin were then prepared using sanger sequencing. Vaccine immunogenicity was also performed using the hemagglutination inhibition test. Results: Of the 16,325 nasopharyngeal samples collected from hospitalized patients between September 2021 (Week 40) and April 2023 (Week 15), 7.5% were found to be positive for influenza. Phylogenetic analyses show that in the 2021-2022 winter season, the leading virus subtype was influenza A(H3N2), belonging to clade 3C.2a1b.2a.2. However, the following winter season was dominated by influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, which belongs to clade 6B.aA.5a.2. The circulating influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 strain showed a shift from the vaccine strain, while the co-circulating influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B strains were similar to those of the vaccine. Antigenic analysis coincided with the sequence analysis. Discussion: Influenza prevalence during 2022-2023 returned to typical levels as seen prior to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, which may suggest a gradual viral adaptation to SARS-CoV-2 variants. Domination of influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 was observed uniquely in Israel compared to Europe and USA and phylogenetic and antigenic analysis showed lower recognition of the vaccine with the circulating influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Israel compared to the vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research investigated the way in which school administrations implement resources provided by Israel's "Courage to Change" reform. The uniqueness of this reform stems from the fact that the allocated resources come in the form of "weekly instruction time" rather than finance, and the school management needs to decide how to apply this resource. The research investigated programs created in the first year of the reform, identifying nine organizational patterns employed by school management to utilize the said resource. Identification of these patterns could inform other schools, contributing to construction of knowledge concerning resource exploitation.

The current study aims to call attention to the phenomenon of female Muslim Arab teachers teaching in Israeli Jewish schools. The study examined the manner in which these female Muslim Arab teachers perceived their integration into the milieu of the Jewish schools, based on their descriptions of the various processes they experience when dealing with the numerous factors at the school. Furthermore, the study explored the teachers' awareness of the concept of "moral courage", as it is related to the teaching process. To this end, interviews were conducted with 10 female Muslim Arab teachers teaching in Jewish schools. Findings indicated a gap between the teachers' acceptance of their professional identity and their sense that they were feigning their personal identity. The majority of teachers were not found to exhibit moral courage; however, their decision to teach in Jewish schools must be considered a demonstration of courage. They perceived their work as constituting both a mission and a challenge.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to present an approach for creating an educational process that can affect teacher trainees' moral resilience, while investigating the manner in which they -- as teachers -- perceive the concept of moral resilience. Design/methodology/approach: A study questionnaire, designed especially for the current study, was distributed online among trainees in a teacher-training college in Israel and was completed by 123 participants. Findings: Two major themes emerged in trainees' conceptualizations of the notion of moral resilience: the role of the organisation in which the teaching takes place, and mechanisms that contribute to the development of moral fibre, which creates resilience. Research limitations/implications: The following points should be addressed early on in the teacher-training process: The teaching and acquisition of tools that are fundamental to the development of moral resilience, through cognitive and experiential processes, not only through theoretical study. The construction of a supportive environment will enable students to use their internal resources for coping with events that require mental resilience and which thus serve to develop moral resilience. Originality/value: This paper helps to establish a discourse and develop terminology to implement this subject.

This article provides an in-depth examination of a case study from my research that focuses on Mizrachi women's encounters with the welfare and public mental health services in Israel. The article examines the lived experiences of Dorit, an 80-year-old Mizrachi woman, and her encounters with various state services, through lenses of gender, psychoanalysis, violence, and sexuality. Dorit's narrative unveils the intricate nature of her interactions with state entities, as well as the multitude of identities she embodies: womanhood, Mizrachi heritage, motherhood, and her additional roles—immigrant, domestic violence survivor, the spouse of an emotionally disabled man, and a woman struggling in poverty. The article draws from LaMothe's work on the creation of potential spaces (Winnicott), a transitional sphere of experiencing between reality and fantasy essential for emotional growth, within marginalized and disadvantaged communities. As she faces gender discrimination, systemic racism, and the stigma of the "dirty Mizrachi," Dorit develops coping mechanisms and survival strategies, deriving from the potential spaces created by her ancestry and religious practice, which revolve around three key aspects: wit, faith, and cleanliness. By sharing Dorit's story, I aim to present a broader perspective on challenges and obstacles faced by women from marginalized groups when and while accessing public services. Simultaneously, I wish to highlight resilience and resistance strategies that emerge even in the most difficult life circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute bronchiolitis is a leading cause of hospitalization in infants. In this retrospective study, 645 patients with acute bronchiolitis diagnosed as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV; n = 538) or human metapneumovirus (HMPV; n = 107) were compared in terms of demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings. The HMPV patients presented later in the winter, were older (20 vs 7.55 months; P <.001)), had higher levels of C-reactive protein (4.55 vs 3.03 mg/dL; P =.007), and a higher prevalence of complications (43.9% vs 32.7%; P =.03). This study highlights the similarities and differences between these 2 common respiratory viral pathogens and shows that HMPV has a slightly more severe disease course than RSV. These findings can help guide approaches to these 2 common viruses that cause bronchiolitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a devastating disease with significant mortality and long-term morbidity. The COVID-19 pandemic and containment measures have affected the epidemiology of infectious pathogens. This study's aim was to assess IMD trends in Israel prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Neisseria meningitidis invasive infection is a notifiable disease in Israel. Laboratory analysis includes serogrouping and molecular characterization. The overall national IMD incidence rate (1998–2022) was 0.8/100,000 population. The IMD incidence rates declined during the pandemic years (0.3/100,000 in 2020–2022 vs. 0.9/100,000 in 1998–2019). The number of notified IMD cases declined by 65% in 2020–2022. The case fatality rate among laboratory-confirmed IMD cases was 9% (47/521, 2007–2022). Mortality risk markers included cases' age (older) and socio-economic status (lower). Overall, most Neisseria meningitidis isolates were of serogroup B (62.6%), and the most prevalent clonal complex (CC) was CC32 (24.2%). Serogroup B prevailed in cases aged 0–9 years (74.5%) and less in cases aged 10 years and above (39%). Neisseria meningitidis serogroups and CC distribution altered recently with a decline in serogroup B fraction, an increase in serogroup Y, and a decline in CC32. Ongoing IMD surveillance is necessary to assess trends in circulating strains and support decision-making on meningococcal vaccination programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars have identified a range of variables that predict public health compliance during COVID-19, including: psychological, institutional and situational variables as well as demographic characteristics, such as gender, location and age. In this paper, we argue that religious affiliation is also a clear predictor for compliance with public health guidelines. Based on a sample representative survey (N = 800) of Haredi Jews in Israel, we found that Haredi Jews mostly followed COVID-19 health regulations. Among the respondents who were non-compliant, however, we found large divergences which mostly reflected religious affiliation. While members of Lithuanian and Sephardi communities reported following guidelines, Hasidim, a more charismatic sub-group, were 12% and 14% more likely to flout public health guidelines than their Lithuanian and Sephardi counterparts, respectively. Despite this inner diversity, all Haredim were portrayed in Israeli media as one homogeneous group that was blamed for flouting public health guidelines and spreading COVID-19. Based on these findings, we argue for the importance of public health messaging that attends to diverse aspects of religious dogma, practice and observance by creating partnerships and sustainable relationships between different actors and stakeholders. In addition, we found that compliance was also shaped by knowledge about COVID-19 and public concern. Taking these findings together, health communication that acknowledges religious diversity while providing critical knowledge about the pandemic is key to developing and implementing community-focused interventions and public health programs. Practically, these insights help to improve pandemic governance as well as contributing theoretically to the study of public health relations and religion by highlighting how discourses around health vary and how differently positioned actors shape representations of responsiveness and health compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, leaders in the school counseling profession worldwide have been calling on their colleagues to re-examine their role as "agents of social justice" in schools, with a view to promoting equal educational opportunities for all students. This research examines counselors' perceptions of the role, role behaviors, personal "justice sensitivity," the school's "justice sensitivity" and the interrelations among these variables. Two hundred and six Israeli school counselors responded to a questionnaire. Findings show that the majority of counselors perceived their role as promoting social justice, and indeed engaged in activities meant to increase disadvantaged students' chances of success. The variable of role perception was found to mediate between personal sensitivity to justice ("justice sensitivity") and counselors' actual behaviors. These findings have theoretical and practical implications for the professional socialization of counselors as agents of social justice.

This paper introduces the concept of "pedagogy in practice" (PiP), referring to the immediate interaction between students' learning experiences and school's pedagogy and distinct from the pedagogy advocated "from above" by the school. We bring the concept of PiP into focus by analysing students' open-ended discourse about their learning experiences in 24 open group conversations, comparing two holistically different learning environments (conventional and an alternative arts and sciences (A&S) high school in Israel). The results show that A&S students described their learning experiences as ones wherein they actively steered and navigated their own learning process. Students' experience of the conventional school's pedagogy implies that the conventional school's PiP considers its students as passengers joining a ride over which they have little control. Traditionally, research has looked into students' perceived learning experiences for the purpose of better understanding their learning processes. We suggest that students' talk about their experiences is also informative for understanding their interaction with the schools' pedagogy.

This study explored students' views on learning in a sample of 171 secondary school students. The answers on an open-ended task were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The views on school learning were mostly reflected in the things students do in school in order to be good learners. Factor analysis of students' views of school learning showed they referred more to pragmatic categories, passive learning strategies, and grades than to active learning motives and understanding. The most dominant factor in students' views of school learning, adequate school performance, does not relate to actual learning processes but can be viewed as the minimal compliance behaviors students must perform in order to keep up in school by "satisficing" (Simon, 1955)--satisfying and sufficing--the teachers (task completion and class participation). Theoretical and educational implications were discussed to heighten educators' awareness of students' thinking about learning. (Contains 1 table.)

The current study examines the implications of literary teaching material in a national diversified society in which the governmental educational policy separates between two national educational systems, and controls both of these separate systems. We set out to examine whether, in such realty, teachers are willing to teach texts, not formally included in the curriculum, that are replete with values and politics. In addition, we examine if they are willing to teach, whether they would introduce their ideological beliefs even if the teaching unit is incompatible with their ideological worldview. The teaching material comprises two poems about Jerusalem, one written by a Jewish poet and the other by an Israeli Palestinian poet. 26 Interviews were performed with teachers: 13 Jews and 13 Palestinians. Their sayings were categorized into the following voices: The essence of the voice--a captured or liberated voice; Character of the voice--neutral or political; and Aim of the voice--socialization or individualization. We did not find any differences in the voices among the Palestinian and the Jewish teachers. Categorically, the teachers attempted to silence any discussion that spilled over into political matters. The ideological dilemma made the teachers voice as hidden voice. Since we do not believe that the governmental educational policy in Israel is going to become more democratic, we hope that our findings will encourage colleges of education in Israel and similar societies to encourage their students to develop liberated and political voices, and voices of individualization. (Contains 1 footnote.)

This ethnographic study obtains first-hand information on spousal abuse from Ethiopian immigrants in Israel. Data include 23 interviews with male and female immigrants of various ages and 10 professionals who worked with this community as well as observations and documents. The findings, verified by participants, show that during cultural transition, the immigrants' code of honor, traditional conflict-solving institutions, and family role distribution disintegrate. This situation, exacerbated by economic distress, proved conducive to womens abuse. Lack of cultural sensitivity displayed by social services actually encouraged women to behave abusively toward their husbands and destroy their families. Discussion focuses on communication failures in spousal-abuse discourse between immigrants from Ethiopia and absorbing society, originating in differences in values, behavior, social representations, and insensitive culture theories.

This article explores qualitative research issues that arise when researchers engage in study within their own ambiguous, unstable, conflictual, and rapidly changing society. We explore the topics of the relationship between the researcher and the context, the difficulty in choosing relevant research questions under such conditions, and the relevance of generalizing or transferring findings from such contexts to other sites and populations. We present two research cases from the Israeli context: one that demonstrates an external conflict (between Israelis and Palestinians) and one that demonstrates an internal conflict (between Israelis and Israelis), analyzing them according to these three main issues. Our conclusions focus on the methodological implications that researching one's ambiguous and conflictual "backyard" have for qualitative researchers. (Contains 2 footnotes.)

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the impact of respiratory symptoms and positive viral testing on the risk of serious bacterial infections (SBIs). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted that included infants (0–60 days) presenting with a fever between 2001 and 2022 at a tertiary hospital in northern Israel. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were collected, and risk factors for SBIs were analyzed. Results: Data from a total of 3106 infants, including data from blood, urine, and CSF cultures, were obtained in 96.6%, 89%, and 29% of cases, respectively. A fever without respiratory symptoms (fever only) was present in 1312 infants, while 1794 had a fever and respiratory symptoms—427 were positive for a respiratory virus (virus+), 759 tested negative (virus−), and 608 were not tested. The SBI rate was 5.1% vs. 7.5% in the fever-and-respiratory group vs. the fever-only group (p = 0.004, OR = 0.65 (95% CI = 0.49–0.88)) and 2.8% vs. 7% in the virus+ vs. virus− group (p = 0.002, OR = 0.385, (95% CI = 0.203–0.728)). The male gender, an age < 1 month, leukocytosis > 15 × 109/L, or a CRP > 2 mg/dL increased the risk of SBIs. Respiratory symptoms or a confirmed viral infection reduced the risk of SBIs in the presence of the above risk factors. Conclusions: Respiratory symptoms and a positive viral test decreased the risk of SBIs. Combining rapid viral testing with clinical variables may identify low-risk infants. Despite the relatively low risk of SBIs in individuals with viral infections, conducting prospective studies remains essential for accurately predicting the occurrence of these potentially life-threatening infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the many movements with a strong female presence promoting peace in the Middle East, the movement Women Wage Peace (WWP) currently represents the largest and most impactful organization in the country. Founded in the aftermath of the 50-day Gaza War/Operation Protective Edge of 2014, Women Wage Peace has grown to 45,000 Israeli members, the most significant grassroots peace movement in Israel today. WWP's theory of change refracts the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and its resolution, through a gendered lens. The movement is non-partisan and does not support any specific solution to the conflict. Instead, it empowers women from diverse communities to build trust across divides, leading to a unified demand for diplomatic negotiation, with full representation of women, to end the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. WWP enables very diverse women to unite with the aim of taking their own and their children's futures into their own hands: women from the left, center, and right, young and old, from the center and periphery of the country, religious and secular, Jewish, Arab, Druze, and Bedouin. The movement continues to refine its non-hierarchical structure, distributing its work among thousands of volunteers who serve on regional and/or mission-specific teams, including Government Engagement, Foreign Affairs, Digital Communication, Special Projects, and Strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Disaster Medicine (DM) requires skills, knowledge, and prior experience that are rarely put to test by health care providers. Pediatric DM presents unique challenges in terms of both knowledge and practice. Methods: An anonymous survey consisting of demographic and five-point Likert scale questions was administered to physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel from Israel's major medical emergency teams who were deployed to respond to the refugee crisis in Ukraine. This included teams from the Hadassah and Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Centers and the Israel Ministry of Health. Results: Of the 171 members of the medical teams deployed on the Ukraine border, a total of 105 responses were obtained (61.4%) from 61 physicians, 50 nurses, and 12 other health care providers. The teams were composed of pediatricians (31.6%), internal medicine physicians (21.6%), Emergency Medicine and intensive care physicians (18.0%), and 31.0% other specialties. For 60% of the participants, this was their first deployment, and 78% had received no training in DM. Members rated the need for DM training at 4/5 (IQR 3-5). Forty-nine (49) members (46.6%) were not briefed on situational awareness and 97 members (89.5%) were not trained in the recognition of acute stress reactions. The responders also rated their concerns about providing medical aid to children at 2/5 (IQR 1-3). A medical clown was part of the teams 42.8% of the time; the presence of clowns was rated at a median of 4/5 (IQR 4-5). The team members underscored the need for more targeted training in DM at 5/5 (IQR 3-5). Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for the formulation of a disaster education model that includes pediatric DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social workers often rely on non-professional community figures to identify and refer at-risk populations. One such figure is the Jewish "balanit" (plural: balaniyot), who assists women at the mikveh, a religious bathhouse for monthly purification. Mental health symptoms can come to light in this unique situation. This quantitative study drew on the feminist perspective and concept of the "moral third" to explore factors contributing to balaniyot's role perception regarding distressed women. Israeli balaniyot (N = 166) completed self-report questionnaires assessing the role perception of aiding distressed women, and independent variables relating to commitment and connectedness to the victims (organizational commitment, years of experience, workdays), and acknowledgment of suffering (knowledge of distress situations, beliefs about violence toward women). Hierarchical regression showed that more weekly workdays, higher community belonging, and greater knowledge of distress situations contributed to role perception. Moreover, among participants with low community belonging, organizational commitment was associated with lower role perception. The findings suggest that organizational commitment may conflict with community belonging, requiring balaniyot to choose between them. The study indicates the need for specialized training to increase balaniyot's knowledge of distress situations and ensure that their organizational commitment is not strengthened at the expense of their crucial capability to aid distressed women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major or L. tropica and visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. infantum have been reported in Israel. We collected Phlebotomus spp. sand flies in the Negev desert of southern Israel to identify circulating Leishmania spp. Of 22,636 trapped sand flies, 80% were P. alexandri. We sequenced Leishmania-specific internal transcribed spacer 1 fragments and K26 genes. Of 5,019 Phlebotomus female sand flies, 2.5% were Leishmania DNA–positive; 92% of infections were L. donovani. Phylogenetic analyses showed separate clustering of L. donovani and L. infantum. P. alexandri flies positive for L. donovani harbored blood meals from European hares. Leishmania DNA isolated from a patient with cutaneous leishmaniasis who lived in the survey area was identical to L. donovani from P. alexandri flies. We report circulation of L. donovani, a cause of visceral leishmaniasis, in southern Israel. Prompt diagnosis and Leishmania spp. identification are critical to prevent leishmaniasis progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addresses the problem of relating distance and scale by way of alternative models of perception taken from the history of science. Makes specific suggestions to broaden the scientifically-based actual activity zone of students. (Contains 19 references.) (DDR)

This study examines the moderating role of parenthood in associations between personal and community resources and psychological distress and somatization following collective exposure to security threats. The research questions were guided by Terror Management Theory that posits that parenthood involves heightened anxiety when children are in danger yet may also provide an existential resource that can reduce the individuals' distress. The study was conducted following the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict and included 1014 Israelis. The participants completed a questionnaire assessing levels of trauma exposure (the predictors), sense of mastery (personal resource), engagement in community activities and trust in leaders (community resources), and psychological distress and somatization (the outcomes). Results indicated that parenthood moderated several associations between trauma exposure and personal and community resources as well as paths between these resources and psychological distress. In almost all these cases, these paths were statistically significant only among parents in two different directions. Parenthood was associated with more psychological distress through lower sense of mastery and greater engagement in community activities. On the other hand, parenthood was related to lower psychological distress through greater trust in local leaders. In addition, only among parents, lower levels of mastery mediated the association between trauma exposure and somatization. These results offer significant implications for practitioners. Although parents and non-parents can be similarly affected by trauma exposure with respect to trauma-related outcomes, the way to assist them to reduce these negative outcomes should be conducted through different paths involving their personal and community resources. Highlights: Parents and non-parents showed similar levels of trauma-related outcomes, but they arrived at them through different pathways. Only among parents, trauma exposure was associated with lower mastery, which in turn, was associated with higher trauma-related outcomes. Only among parents, long-term exposure to trauma was associated with greater levels of engagement in community activities. Only among parents, higher engagement in community activities was associated with higher psychological distress. Only among parents, trust in local leaders was associated with lower levels of psychological distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Israel's military prisons operate a rehabilitation program for imprisoned soldiers based on a psychosocial diagnosis. The program's essential aim is to help soldiers complete their service and avoid re-incarceration. This article describes the program, its function related to the integrative law court, and its role as the army's probation service. It further presents a unique perspective regarding military rehabilitation programs, demonstrating how rehabilitation leads to recidivism. It concludes with a recommendation for incorporating an organizational change in the program that involves redistributing the existing sections to operate under two different authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of a self-questioning intervention for Israeli kindergartners. Researchers used theory-based interventions (active processing and metacognitive intervention) and traditional methods to facilitate questioning, story comprehension, and self-directed learning. Theory-based training proved to be the most efficacious, with the metacognitive method superior to active processing. (SM)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated preventive measures such as national and regional lockdowns have dramatically changed the epidemiology of pediatric admissions to the emergency department. Nevertheless, there are scant data on the epidemiology and injury patterns of major pediatric trauma injuries during these lockdown periods. Methods: A single-center retrospective study of data obtained from a tertiary level 1 trauma hospital trauma registry. The data included demographics, injury mechanisms, injury severity and type, treatment, and resource utilization in children aged 0–18 years who required trauma team activation upon arrival. The analysis compares the data from the 5-week lockdown period from March to May 2020 in Jerusalem, Israel, to its parallel periods in 2018–2019. Results: A total of 187 trauma visits that required trauma team activation (TTA) were analyzed: 48 visits during the lockdown period vs. 139 in 2018–2019, corresponding to a 40% drop in TTA. There was a significant decrease of 34% in MVA-related injuries (p = 0.0001) but a significant increase of 14% in burns (p = 0.01) and a 16% increase in bicycle-related injuries (p = 0.001). No changes in ISS, injury patterns, admission rate, PICU utilization, or need for interventions were observed. Conclusion: There was a significant decrease in the number of overall pediatric trauma visits during the 2020 lockdown, mainly in MVA-associated trauma, but an increase in burns and bicycle injuries. These findings can thus inform policy makers as to the need to formulate prevention awareness programs alerting the public to indoor hazards and the dangers of activities outside the home. Furthermore, it can inform hospital policy decision-making in future lockdowns. The fact that PICU admissions and the need for operating rooms stayed unchanged suggests that it is vital to maintain trauma team capabilities even during lockdowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) Program is a process-oriented program based on Structural Cognitive Modifiability and Mediated Learning Experience (SCM-MLE) theory. It is aimed at promoting learning how to learn, development of deficient cognitive functions, problem-solving strategies and metacognitive abilities. The FIE program was developed mainly for students coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds with low academic achievements. The FIE was implemented for one year in three Grade 4 classes (n = 73) in an Israeli-Arab school. Two comparison classes from the same school in Grade 4 (n = 58) learned the regular content-oriented curriculum for the same period. All students were administered the Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices, Numerical Progression Test, and the B8-B12 Set Variation measures before the intervention. Students' grades in English, Arabic, and Mathematics were recorded before and after the intervention. The findings showed that the students receiving the FIE significantly improved their grades from pre- to post-intervention compared with the comparison group, and that students who started the year with lower cognitive scores benefited from the program more than the students with higher scores. The findings indicating a far-transfer effects are discussed in relation to the SCM-MLE theory and previous research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examined expressions of fear of personal death among physicians, nurses, and social workers working in hospital dialysis units. Results indicated no differences in fear of personal death between 71 dialysis personnel and 68 other hospital personnel serving as controls. Physicians had lowest scores of fear of personal death followed by nurses and then social workers. (Author/NB)

We examine the associations of a country's macroeconomic and social policy indicators and diverse household characteristics with joint-income-wealth-poverty (JIWP) among households with members aged 50 years and over in 18 European countries and Israel. A multidimensional approach was used to integrate income and wealth by defining four groups of households: twice-poor, economically vulnerable (poor only by wealth), protected poor (poor only by income), and non-poor. JIWP was examined for two wealth concepts—the 'net-worth' and the 'liquid-wealth'. Using the sixth wave of the Survey on Health, Aging and Retirement (SHARE), we employed multilevel multinomial models to study JIWP across countries. JIWP varied widely across countries, with both country's features and household characteristics shaping the picture of poverty. GDP per capita was negatively associated with JIWP. Total (gross) social expenditure and public social expenditure per capita were negatively associated with risk of JIWP. Greater minimum guaranteed income among working age households and higher replacement rate of pensions among elderly households were also negatively associated with JIWP. Higher public expenditure on health and better quality of the healthcare system decreased the risk of JIWP, but heavier reliance on private financing of the healthcare increased it. Implications for research and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]