All of Efrat's schools are state-religious (mamlachti dati); NBN lists no secular-state or haredi schools in Efrat (NBN (opens in a new tab)). Browse them in the schools directory.
Registration
Registration goes by your child's age and the address in the Population Registry, online through the council site. For the 2026-27 (5787) year it ran from 19 January to 8 February 2026 (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)):
- age 3 = born 2023, age 4 = born 2022, age 5 = born 2021
- grade 1 = born 2020
- children born from 1 January 2024 could not yet be registered
The council publishes the next window on the same page; on past form it opens in January.
New residents: update your address with Misrad HaPnim as soon as you can. If online registration still doesn't work, use the council's special registration form for new or future residents (gan or school) (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
Olim and returning residents: the council asks you to contact its Aliyah Department before you register (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
Late registration is only into free places, after the dates the council announces on its channels, and placement goes by registration date, age, the gan's area and the balance of ages and genders (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
Children who need accessibility adjustments can be registered early, from June of the year before, so the school can prepare (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
The education department is on 02-9939330, Sunday to Thursday 08:00-15:30, or hinuh@efrat.muni.il (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
Gans
Gan is free for ages 3-4 under the Trachtenberg law; the council charges for accident insurance and an optional culture basket. The council's 2026-27 list has public gans in Dagan, Dekel, Gefen, Tamar and Zayit, including special-education and communication gans. See the gan listings.
Afternoons and holidays
- Tzaharonim: the Efrat Matnas runs afternoon programmes in every gan complex with enough children, and for schools, with the Ministry of Labour; working mothers can apply for a subsidy (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
- Holiday School: over Chanukah and Pesach the council runs the Ministry of Education programme in all gans and elementary schools, for gan children and grades 1-3 (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
- Summer School: 1-20 July each year for grades 1-3 in all Efrat elementary schools, run by the Matnas (Efrat council (opens in a new tab)).
See childcare.
Efrat's elementary schools
| School | Stream and grades |
|---|---|
| Aseh Chayil (Gefen) | grades 1-8, 7-8 girls only |
| Orot Etzion Junior Division (Zayit) | grades 1-3 |
| Orot Etzion Boys (Dekel) | grades 4-8 |
| Orot Etzion Girls (Zayit) | grades 4-8 |
| Mamad Ariel (Tamar) | grades 1-8, 7-8 girls only |
| Alomim (Dagan) | grades 1-6, religious, traditional and secular children together |
From the council's school pages. Grade 1 registration uses one online form for all Efrat elementary schools, and Junior Division children continue to Orot Etzion Boys or Girls.
High schools
The council's list includes Neve Shmuel, Derech Avot, Orot Yehuda, Shvut Yisrael, Bnei Akiva Ulpanat Rosh Tzurim, Ulpanat Neve Chana and Ulpanat Oriya. You register directly with each school.
Help for olim children
NBN says the Gush council places Bnot Sherut in some elementary schools to give olim pupils extra help with Hebrew, homework and social integration (NBN Gush (opens in a new tab)). NBN also says Efrat has no Misrad HaKlita-run ulpan, and the council runs a two-week ulpan day camp in August (NBN (opens in a new tab)).
Transport
The council runs subsidised student transport; children not eligible under the Ministry's distance rules can join at a subsidised price. Registration is digital.
