Israel Expands AI Education to Transform Its Periphery

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries worldwide but in Israel, it’s also being used to close social and educational gaps. That’s the mission driving a series of powerful initiatives spearheaded by the Rashi Foundation and its nonprofit partner, the Cyber Education Center, aimed at revolutionizing tech education in Israel’s periphery.

The Rashi Foundation, one of Israel’s leading philanthropic forces, has long focused on empowering communities outside the country’s central economic hubs. Today, it believes AI can dramatically accelerate that progress.

“There are vast gaps between the periphery and the center of the country,” says Michal Cohen, CEO of the Rashi Foundation and former Director General of the Education Ministry. “But AI tools can make a big difference. If children from the periphery can use these tools correctly, they will narrow gaps that would have once taken a decade to fix.”

The challenge is real. Many students in peripheral areas lack access to modern technology, exposure to Israel’s booming high-tech industry, or the resources needed to keep pace with their peers in the center. The solution? Introducing AI-based personalized learning and tech exposure from an early age.

Rashi’s flagship project in this area is Hello Tech, a joint venture with Google that offers AI education to middle school students and teachers across the country, with a special focus on underserved areas. The initiative includes online courses, an AI learning platform, and teacher training all designed to harness AI’s power for personalized learning and classroom innovation.

Educators in both Jewish and Arab communities are now integrating these tools to enhance lesson plans, manage classrooms more efficiently, and better communicate with parents. AI platforms can adapt lessons to each student's level and pace, giving teachers real-time feedback and transforming the learning experience into a dynamic, individualized journey.

At the forefront of this movement is the Cyber Education Center. For fifteen years, it has developed programs that have enabled 4,000 students many from peripheral cities like Nahariya and Eilat to graduate from its elite Magshimim tech program. A remarkable 70% of these graduates went on to serve in IDF tech units, and 84% continued into Israel’s high-tech industry.

“The most important thing is that students feel they belong in the tech world,” says Sagy Bar, CEO of the Cyber Education Center. “AI platforms can level the playing field, making quality education accessible to anyone, anywhere. That’s how we create real opportunity.”

As the next school year approaches, Cohen emphasizes that this is no longer about keeping u it’s about getting ahead. “The AI revolution is here,” she says. “We can’t afford for Israel’s periphery to be left behind. With thoughtful investment and the right tools, we can build a future where every student, no matter where they live, can be part of Israel’s tech success story.”

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