Karen Tal

Jewish Values

“I know as a Jew that we as a people are instilled with values that command us to love our neighbors as we do ourselves. So while we cannot change the starting points of these young lives, we can with love and strength and courage and compassion help to influence their present and futures.”

Global Impact

Amal Educational Network is pioneering a transformative vision for Israeli society by becoming the country’s first state-democratic educational network. In the wake of the October 7th war and amidst deepening societal polarization, Amal has taken on the urgent challenge of rebuilding Israel not only through infrastructure but through education rooted in democratic values, civic responsibility, and social resilience. Unlike traditional approaches that sidestep contentious issues, Amal is boldly integrating discussions of democracy, justice, and identity into its curriculum — redefining schools as spaces where communities are built and national healing begins.

This holistic model extends far beyond the classroom. Amal engages students, educators, and entire communities in experiential training, learning communities, and leadership development. Its inclusive framework reaches Jewish and Arab students alike, across religious and secular lines, and in both urban centers and the periphery. By weaving together academic excellence, technological innovation, and civic education, Amal cultivates informed, critical thinkers ready to take part in Israel’s democratic future. Through this work, Amal aspires not only to transform its own network, but to become a model for Israel’s broader education system — demonstrating that democracy, trust, and shared purpose must begin in the classroom if they are to thrive in society at large.

Biography

Karen Tal is one of Israel’s most respected and influential educators. Since August 2022, she has served as Director General of the Amal Educational Network, bringing her deep commitment to shaping Israel’s future through education.

Prior to her role at Amal, Karen founded Insights in Education, a nonprofit organization that supports schools in Israel’s geographic and social periphery. For over a decade, she worked to strengthen public schools by placing principals at the heart of educational leadership and promoting a holistic view of the school as a central anchor in the lives of students — academically, socially, and emotionally.

Karen gained national and international recognition as Executive Director of the Bialik-Rogozin Campus in South Tel Aviv, where she transformed a struggling school on the verge of closure into a celebrated model of excellence, inclusion, and coexistence. The school, serving children from over 50 nationalities — including the children of refugees and migrant workers — became the recipient of the Israeli Education Prize and was featured in the Oscar-winning documentary Strangers No More. Her leadership at Bialik-Rogozin redefined the possibilities for education in marginalized communities and led to regulatory changes benefiting her students.

Karen holds a BA and MA in Education and Education Policy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is a graduate of the Mandel Leadership Institute and a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. In 2011, she received the Charles Bronfman Prize in recognition of her visionary leadership and commitment to human dignity through education.

As Director General of the Amal Educational Network, Karen is leading a bold transformation. Amal — founded in 1928 by the Histadrut (Israel’s Labor Federation) — is Israel’s only state-democratic educational network. It comprises approximately 50 schools serving 30,000 students from all sectors of Israeli society — Jewish, Arab, Druze, and Bedouin — across 24 municipalities and local councils.

Under her leadership, Amal is committed to cultivating informed, responsible citizens with a strong sense of identity, values, and capabilities to navigate and shape a complex, ever-changing society. The network prioritizes both academic excellence and social responsibility — promoting digital literacy, technological and scientific education, alongside civic education rooted in humanity, liberty, equality, and justice.

Amal schools are deeply embedded in their communities. Educators are encouraged to become leaders beyond the classroom, while students initiate projects that build common ground and strengthen social resilience. Amal’s holistic model promotes partnerships with academic institutions, local businesses, and nonprofits to enrich learning and strengthen regional belonging.

Karen’s vision centers on embracing diversity and fostering dialogue. Through this approach, she believes schools can help students form a multifaceted identity — personal, communal, national, and global — and become agents of coexistence and shared society. Under her guidance, Amal is emerging as a leading force in Israeli education, proving that inclusive, democratic education is the key to a more just and unified Israel.

Tal is a popular speaker on topics of education, children, human rights, and inclusiveness. She currently serves as a lecturer at the School of Education of Tel Aviv University and is a member of the Education Council established by the former Minister of Education. She lives in Tel Aviv, Israel.