The Israeli system usually classifies early childhood as ages 0-3 (early childhood care) and ages 3-6 (pre-primary/kindergarten).

From 3-6, Gan programs are divided as follows:

Ages 3-4 - Trom-Trom Chova - טרום טרום חובה - Pre-School

Moetzot - מועצות - Municipalities and recognized operators provide Ganim for 3-year-olds as part of compulsory education. In public and recognized but unofficial Ganim, tuition is funded by the state; parents pay regulated annual parent payments (for trips, materials, enrichment) and any optional services like Tzaharon - צהרון - afternoon programs

Ages 4-5 - Trom Hova - טרום חובה - Pre-Kindergarten/Pre-K

This is the “middle” year in the municipal Gan track. For children from Olim families, Trom Hova is particularly important for building Hebrew, social connections, and familiarity with Israeli classroom routines in a structured Hebrew-language environment

Ages 5-6 - Gan Chova - גן חובה - Compulsory Kindergarten

This year is part of compulsory education and must be in an official or recognized framework, unless there is an approved exception (special-education placement or approved home education). From age 5, education is defined as free by law, although regulated payments for extras (cultural activities, trips, etc.) usually exist

• Registration for official or recognized-but-unofficial ganim is done with your local authority (Moetza or regional council). General information about registration, including official and recognized frameworks, home education, and private ganim, appears on the Misrad HaChinuch registration portal
• Each winter, the Misrad HaChinuch sets a national registration window (often January - February) for the following school year, and each local authority publishes exact dates and instructions on the portal
• Placement is based mainly on your registered address, the educational stream (state, state-religious, etc.), and available places, with national rules for class size and supervision
• Parents whose children are already registered can use the “Parents’ Portal” to view information and submit certain requests online.
• For new Olim, on-time registration is critical: late registration can mean fewer choices and sometimes placement farther from home. On first entry to the system you will usually be asked for the Teudat Zehut - תעודת זהות - child’s ID , proof of address, and documents confirming Aliyah status (for example a Teudat Oleh - תעודת עולה - immigration certificate)

The main practical choice for many families is between a municipal/recognized Gan and a private Gan.

Municipal/official/recognized-but-unofficial ganim

These include:

• Official municipal ganim (state or state-religious), fully under the Misrad HaChinuch
• Recognized-but-unofficial ganim, which meet Ministry standards, are supervised, and often receive funding, but may be operated by other organizations or networks

Key points:

• They follow the national preschool curriculum and Misrad HaChinuch regulations on safety, staffing, and educational content
• Tuition for ages 3-4 in public pre-kindergartens is covered under the free education policy; parents pay only regulated “parent payments” for extras (cultural activities, trips, etc.) published by the Misrad HaChinuch each year
• Gan Chova (age 5-6) is tuition free (plus the added parent fees above)
• Registration and placement are handled through your local authority under the national rules described above

Private Ganim and day-care frameworks

These may include:

• Private ganim for ages 3-6.
• Private day-care and early childhood frameworks serving mainly ages 0-3, some of which are being brought under Misrad Hachinuch oversight.

Key points:

• Some private frameworks are licensed and supervised (for health/safety and basic standards) but are not recognized for public funding, so tuition is set by the operator and can be significantly higher
• Others may be both licensed and recognized, and thus receive state subsidies, but details vary and must be checked individually with the operator and local authority
• While preschool is free in public pre-kindergartens, attendance at private licensed kindergartens may involve parent payments according to that framework’s status.

For Olim, private Ganim can offer advantages such as smaller groups, bilingual staff, or specific religious/educational approaches, but they may be more expensive and may provide less direct connection to the public system that the child will enter in first grade.

Language support in Gan

Formal Hebrew support programs (Ulpanit, special hours for immigrants, grading adaptations) are concentrated in elementary and secondary school. In Gan, language support is mostly through daily exposure to Hebrew, play-based learning, and staff experience with children who arrive without Hebrew. Some municipalities also offer extra programs or parent workshops on Hebrew for Olim.

Mid-year arrival

If your child arrives mid-year, you register via the local authority’s education department (often in person or by phone) rather than the regular online window, and request placement in a nearby Gan with available space. The authorities are expected to find a framework for a child of compulsory-education age, but choice is narrower mid-year, so proximity and availability influence the placement.

Communication and support services

In some cities, municipal absorption services and immigrant-students coordinators help Olim parents with registration, translation of key information, and contact with Gan staff.