ABSTRACT
There is no doubt that the Israeli education system is characterized by a pluralistic composition of students with respect to nationality, ethnic origin, and religion. It consists of Jewish and Arab students, and within the Jewish population, distinct groups of students regarding ethnicity, wave of immigration to Israel, and religiosity. Given the pluralistic nature of students, the relatively small size of the country, and the centralisation of its education system, one would expect the Israeli Ministry of Education to develop a clear-cut policy of teacher education toward pluralism. Such a policy could prepare the teachers to handle heterogeneous classes, and could eventually enhance mutual understanding among students and the academic achievement of disadvantaged groups.
