Sign In

EN flag EN

DE flag DEES flag ESIT flag ITNL flag NLPT flag PT

EN flag EN

DE flag DEES flag ESIT flag ITNL flag NLPT flag PT

Explore

Find me a Professional Oleh Budget Calculator My Aliyah Plan My Pilot Trip

Get in Touch

Sign In Contact the Helpdesk About Us

Social Media

FacebookInstagramTikTokLinkedin
How can we assist you today? Aliyah Information Hub

Language Kindergarten

January 21, 2026
Home > Language Kindergarten

What is a language kindergarten (“Gan Safa”)?

  • A gan safa is designed for children with significant delay or disorder in language – in comprehension, expression, or speech intelligibility.
  • The kindergarten operates within the special education framework, according to Ministry of Education guidelines and the Special Education Law.

 

Children and staff at a gan safa

  • The number of children is small (about 8–14 children) to enable personal attention and adapted learning.
  • The staff is multidisciplinary and includes a special education kindergarten teacher, assistant, speech-language therapist, occupational therapist, and emotional therapist.

 

What are the gan safa’s goals?

  • Strengthening the Hebrew language – vocabulary, sentence construction, understanding instructions, and social discourse.
  • Developing emotional, motor, and social skills, and strengthening self-confidence and a sense of efficacy.

 

How is eligibility determined?

  • Professional assessment (speech-language therapist and sometimes additional professionals).
  • Presentation of findings to the Eligibility and Specification Committee for Special Education Needs in your local authority, which examines whether a significant language disorder exists and decides on placement in the appropriate framework.

 

What’s important for parents to know?

  • Attending a gan safa does not place a “label” on your child but is an opportunity – an intensive therapeutic framework for strengthening language during the critical years of development.
  • The system’s goal is integration: many children later integrate into regular kindergartens and schools, according to their progress.

Where to apply? To the Education Department in your local authority or the Educational Psychology Center, with assessments attached (speech-language therapist, developmental pediatrician), to receive a referral through the Ministry of Education’s placement committee.

For more information: Ministry of Education Parents’ Portal