Petition launched at the request of Israeli Pastor Daniel Yahav
Lifting the closure order against the Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias.
The Israeli Ministry of Education has ordered the closure of Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias. The school has operated for 35 years and educated over 500 children with an Israeli curriculum that includes biblical values from the Old and New Testaments.
Being the only Hebrew-language Messianic elementary school (grades 1-6) in northern Israel, it provides a biblical education for Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians in the region. The stated reason for its closure is low student enrolment. However, this decision fails to consider that this is a private school serving a minority group—the Messianic community in Israel. Denying us the opportunity to educate our children according to our faith undermines our religious freedoms.
The significance of this matter
Closing the school will leave Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian families, including expatriates living in northern Israel, without an institution that aligns with their faith and values. This situation will force parents to act against their strong convictions regarding their children’s education. Furthermore, parents of the affected students are facing threats of criminal charges if they do not immediately enrol their children in the public school system. It is crucial that action be taken now to prevent these charges and to stop this unjust decision from establishing a dangerous precedent against faith-based education.
A Call to Action
We urge the Minister of Education, the Honourable Mr. Yoav Kisch, to reverse the closure order and permit the school to continue operating.
Add Your Signature and Make a Difference!
By signing this petition, you consent to having your name included in the official letter that will be sent to the relevant Israeli authorities. Together, we can advocate for the rights of Messianic believers and ensure that future generations receive an education rooted in biblical truth.
(Your name will be included in this letter once you sign the petition.)
To: The Honorable, Mr. Yoav Kisch, Minister of Education, Israel
Subject: Urgent Appeal to Lift the Closure Order against the Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias, Israel
Dear Minister Kisch,
We are deeply concerned about the decision to close Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias. For 35 years, this school has served the Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian communities, providing high-quality education aligned with the Israeli curriculum while upholding biblical values.
The stated reason for the closure of the school—insufficient student enrolment—does not justify the loss of the only Hebrew-speaking private Messianic Jewish school in Galilee. Over the past 35 years, 500 children have successfully attended the Peniel school, which has operated fully in compliance with Ministry of Education standards and is entirely privately funded. Closing the school would severely impact Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian families, including expatriates living in Israel, who depend on it for their children’s education. We respectfully urge the Israeli Ministry of Education to reconsider and reverse this decision. Religious freedom and access to faith-based education are fundamental rights, and closing this school would set a troubling precedent.
We express our solidarity with the Messianic Jewish community in Israel and kindly request that this matter be reviewed fairly and sensitively.
Signed: