30 years since PM Rabin’s Assassination – Amal Schools Embrace Rabin’s Legacy
Amal Educational Network marks thirty years since the assassination of Prime Minister and Defense Minister Yitzhak Rabin with a deep sense of reflection and responsibility. This milestone anniversary is a time to honor Rabin’s enduring legacy, which remains a touchstone for Israeli democracy and a call for social unity. In schools across Israel, educators are tasked not only with recalling Rabin’s vital contributions, but also with exploring the lessons his life and tragic death offer for today’s society – a society still confronting challenges of political extremism, division, and violence.
This year, the Ministry of Education called for all educational institutions to anchor their commemoration in the theme: “30 Years Since the Assassination – What Have We Learned?” Schools are encouraged to go beyond ceremonial remembrance and engage students in critical reflection about the roots and consequences of political violence. However, as many teachers now belong to a generation born after the event, the challenge of making this history relevant is ever-present. Data from recent surveys reveal that nearly half of educators avoid controversial topics such as incitement, peace, and the dangers of extremism, often citing a lack of pedagogical tools or fear of negative reactions within school communities.
Amal Educational Network views Rabin’s vision as central to its ongoing transformation into a leading state democratic network. Rabin exemplified a commitment to dialogue, respect for diverse groups, and an active pursuit of peace. These principles are woven into Amal’s educational mission and are reflected in daily school life—from inclusive class discussions to democratic school governance. Amal recognizes Rabin’s observation that violence “erodes the foundations of democracy,” and embraces the profound need to create an educational environment where disagreement is met with respect and where differences are understood as strengths.
Yet, three decades on, the environment that enabled Rabin’s assassination has sadly not disappeared. Amal regrets seeing echoes of the same incitement and divisiveness that led to this national tragedy. In response, the network does its utmost to advocate for peaceful dialogue and to denounce all forms of violence within its schools. Amal’s educators work tirelessly to equip students with the tools to resist hatred, to defend democratic values, and to safeguard every individual’s right to be heard – so that the lessons of history are not only remembered, but lived.
As Amal students and staff participate in memorial activities, such as classroom debates, communal assemblies, and visits to the Rabin Center, they answer Rabin’s enduring questions: “Who do we wish to be?” and “What future will we shape?” For Amal, the answer lies in cultivating a generation determined to stand for democracy, peace, and respect for all – the very vision that guided Rabin through his life, and for which he paid the ultimate price.