Multicultural Aspects in Educational Counseling in Israel

Abstract

Many waves of migration have shaped the multicultural structure of contemporary society in many countries, including Israel. Israeli society is multifaceted from almost every possible perspective. This diversity, with its implications, is expressed in all areas of life, including education. The multicultural approach opens a space of respect for all cultures, assuming that as the person as an individual and society as a whole will absorb components from different cultures in it there will be cultural richness. The educational system constitutes a main mechanism through which Israeli society is dealing with this issue. Many counsellors are required to address issues of intercultural encounter during their work. The counsellor’s involvement in this context in the school is expressed in different dimensions: knowledge in the school program and in the degree to which it fits the multiculturalism of the school population, relationship with the school staff about coping with the daily challenges of the intercultural topic, and parent involvement. Counselling in the school has a wide range of actions, including individualized work, group work and community work. The counsellors face many challenges in activity in the multicultural aspect. The school based on active and healthy pedagogical and counselling principles may cause significant community changes outside of its walls.