Reverse the Closure Order against the Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias, Israel!

Reverse the Closure Order against the Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias, Israel!

The Israeli Ministry of Education has issued a closure order against the Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias after 35 years of operation. Over 500 children have successfully passed through the school, which provides an education based on the Israeli curriculum while upholding biblical values from both the Old and New Testaments.

This is the only Hebrew language Messianic elementary school (grades 1-6) in all of northern Israel offering a biblical education for Messianic Jews and Evangelical Christians living in that area. The stated reason for closure is low student enrolment, yet this decision does not take into consideration that this is a private school that serves the Messianic community in Israel, a small minority group and that denying us the opportunity to educate our children according to our faith undermines our religious freedoms.

Why It Matters

Closing the school will leave Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian families, including U.S. expatriates, in northern Israel without an institution that aligns with their faith and values and will require parents to act against their strong convictions in regard to educating their children. The parents of students are being threatened with criminal charges if they don’t immediately enroll their children into the public school system. It is important that we act now to stop such charges and prevent this unjust decision from setting a dangerous precedent against faith-based education.

What We Are Asking

We call on the Minister of Education, the Honourable, Mr. Yoav Kisch and the Israeli Ambassador to the US, His Excellency, Dr. Yechiel Leiter to take actions to reverse the closure order and allow the school to continue operating.

Sign and Take Action

By signing this petition, you agree to have your name added to the official letter that will be sent to the designated Israeli authorities. Together, we can stand for the rights of Messianic believers and ensure that future generations can receive an education grounded in biblical truth.

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(Your name will be added to this letter upon signing the petition.)

To:

• The Honorable, Mr. Yoav Kisch, Minister of Education, Israel


• His Excellency, Dr. Yechiel Leiter, Israeli Ambassador to the US

Subject: Urgent Appeal to Reverse the Closure Order against the Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias, Israel

Dear Minister Kisch and Ambassador Leiter,

We are writing to express our deep concern regarding the decision to close the Peniel Messianic Elementary School in Tiberias. For 35 years, this school has faithfully served both the Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian community, providing a high-quality education in line with the Israeli curriculum while maintaining biblical values from both the Old and New Testaments.

The stated reason for closure - an insufficient student enrolment - does not justify the loss of the only Hebrew speaking, private Messianic Jewish school in the Galilee. Over the last 35 years, 500 children have successfully studied at the Peniel school which has operated in full compliance with the Ministry of Education standards and which is 100% privately financed. Closing the school would have a severe impact on Messianic Jewish and Evangelical Christian families, including U.S. expatriates living in Israel, who rely 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 the closure of this school would set a troubling precedent.

We stand in solidarity with the Messianic Jewish community in Israel and respectfully request that this matter be reviewed with fairness and sensitivity.

Respectfully submitted, Charles Cibene, representing all concerned supporters and signees