New teachers in Israel are increasingly abandoning their profession due to an increasing gap between their wages and those of more veteran teachers, according to data published by the Ministry of Finance.

The earnings report in the educational system was published as the Ministry of Finance is stuck in a dispute with the teacher’s union. The union is threatening to strike at the beginning of the upcoming school year.

The Finance Ministry’s wage commissioner, Kobi Bar-Nathan, reported that last year, the average monthly salary for teachers in Israel was NIS 12,423 ($3,670). Meanwhile, teachers new to the job earn an average of 29 percent less than their veteran colleagues.

The lowest teacher salary was NIS 8,000 ($2,368) per month. 

“To instill a new spirit into the system despite the challenges, changes need to be made to teachers’ wages,” Bar-Nathan wrote. 

But until those changes are made, the low wages are causing teachers to hemorrhage from the education system. The educators left behind are struggling to feed their families on a salary that simply isn’t compatible with inflation.

Rising costs throughout Israel are causing increased food insecurity among young teachers. Luckily for them, social organizations like Colel Chabad are there to help. Colel Chabad’s food delivery service provides warm meals for Israeli families suffering from food insecurity. 

As inflation in Israel increases and wages remain stagnant, Colel Chabad is seeing an increase in demand for food among Israeli families. Meeting the need is an ongoing challenge. Although Colel Chabad is ready for the challenge, the organization also relies on donations from friends of Israel worldwide looking to bless the Jewish state.

Can you give to help feed hungry Israeli families?

If you can, please consider donating to Colel Chabad today.