Shimon Ben Zvi High school is located in Givatayim, a city in the central, urban part of Israel, neighboring Tel Aviv. It is a four year high school, for students aged 15-18. Our students are motivated and aware of the importance of education for their future. Many of them aspire to continue their education on an academic level. They are involved in their community and Israeli society. This year approximately 600 students attend the school.
There are 19 classes from the 9th to the 12th grades. As in all public high schools in Israel, our students study mandatory subjects, such as History, Hebrew, literature, English, mathematics, bible, physical education social studies general science (physics, biology and chemistry).In addition, most students major in two subjects: physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, sociology, economics, Arabic and Islam, communications, French, and physical education.
One of our unique features is the different programs designed to cater to the needs of students with various capabilities and interests: the scientific excellence class offers highly motivated students a challenging and enriching curriculum; the physical education program is designed for talented athletes and dancers, who want to combine academic studies with sports; the communications program focuses on theory of mass communications as well as practical training in film making and photography; the Arabic and Islam studies encourage students to deepen their knowledge of the language and culture of the populations in Israel and neighboring countries.
We put a special emphasis on social activities and volunteering. Each student does voluntary work in a charity of his/her choice. These include old age homes, hospitals, animal shelters, "Magen David Adom" (Israel's paramedic services), and more. Moreover, many of our students are active in the scouts as counselors and trainees.
We see a great importance in strengthening the students' knowledge of Israel's geographical sites, landscapes and heritage. Many of our school trips are designed to educate students to install a respect for nature and history. We are convinced that connection between us and schools around the world is an opportunity to widen the young students' horizon and complement the academic and humanistic values that we try to impart.
