Schools and gans in Zichron Yaakov: zones, registration and the options

The council says Zichron has more than 5,000 pupils, 25 kindergartens, 6 primary schools and four high schools, and that it puts over 40% of its budget into education (council (opens in a new tab)).

Primary schools

The council's primary-school page lists (council (opens in a new tab)):

• HaHoresh (state)
• HaChita (state)
• Nili (state)
• Yavetz (state religious, open to families from every neighbourhood)
• Keshet (democratic, integrating state-religious; also open to all neighbourhoods)

The Arugot Rivka agricultural farm is a state school where about 1,800 Zichron pupils learn each week. The Ministry of Education also lists Haredi schools and talmudei torah in town (data.gov.il (opens in a new tab)). They are all in the directory.

High schools

The four high schools are Tichon HaMoshava (state), Pelech (state religious, girls), the Yeshiva Tanachit high school (state religious, boys) and Keshet (democratic, run by a parents' association). High-school registration is on each school's own website during the registration period (council (opens in a new tab)).

Zoning

Schools and chova gans are assigned by the council's 15 registration zones, and the 2026-27 PDF lists the streets in each (council (opens in a new tab)). The PDF's column headers are merged, so it is not obvious which primary school serves which zone. Look up your street, then confirm with the education department before you sign a lease. Yavetz and Keshet take children from all neighbourhoods.

When and how to register

• Registration for 2026-27 ran from 19 January to 8 February 2026 (the English guide says 2 February). After that, children are placed only where there is room (council (opens in a new tab)).
• Age groups for 2026-27: chova (age 5) born in 2021, trom chova (age 4) born in 2022, trom-trom chova (age 3) born in 2023. Gan registration is online at the council's registration site (English registration guide, PDF (opens in a new tab)).
• New residents upload both parents' ID cards with the address appendix (or passports), a rental or purchase contract if the ID shows another address, a cancellation of registration from the previous town (not needed for new olim) and, for divorced parents, the custody agreement.
• Olim without residency in Zichron cannot register children for school in Zichron.
• Registering does not guarantee a particular gan: the placement comes later by email. Requests to switch school or register out of zone go to a committee in June (same guide (opens in a new tab)).

The council's olim team helps with registration and contact with schools, and once held an English open house on the kindergartens with the education department and psychology service (same guide (opens in a new tab)).

Afternoon care and transport

• Tzaharon for 2026-27 is run by "Tzaharon After School", 14:00-17:00 with a hot meal; registration is in July and August.
• School transport follows the registration zones; eligibility for a subsidy follows the Ministry's circular, and the contact is the education department on 04-6297190 (council (opens in a new tab)).

Who to call

The education department answers phones 08:30-12:30 and on Tuesdays 16:30-18:30: director 04-6297104, kindergarten department 04-6297168 / 04-6297184, special education 04-6297140, educational psychology 04-6291557, school transport 04-6297123 (council (opens in a new tab)).