Start of the 2012-2013 School Year; PM Netanyahu: "Efrat and Gush Etzion
will always be part of the State of Israel"
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

At the Aseh Chayil School in Efrat

Prime Minister Netanyahu: "Efrat
http://www.nbn.org.il/aliyahpedia/community-a-housing/community-guide-beta-listings/1597-efrat.html?q=efrata
and Gush Etzion
http://www.gush-etzion.org.il/
are an integral, fundamental and evident part of greater Jerusalem. They are
the southern gates of Jerusalem and will always be part of the State of
Israel. We are building Efrat and Gush Etzion with enthusiasm, faith and
responsibility; thus we are also building education.

This is a newsworthy day. Today we are starting something unprecedented in
the state – free education from age 3. Once it was a matter of money, today
it is free – true equal opportunity from age 3. This saves parents NIS 800 a
month, NIS 8,000 a year, but it is mainly an opportunity to educate children
from the roots to the top. I wish that each of you achieves everything that
you want. [As Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl said] If you will it, it is no dream, and
today, the state is offering its support."

At the Szold School in Jerusalem

Greetings from older pupils: "Mr. Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr.
Education Minister Gideon Saar, and Mr. Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, on
behalf of the pupils at the Szold School, we thank you for having decided –
on this moving day, the start of the school year – to honor us with your
presence. We are grateful for having been given the privilege of meeting
you, the leaders of the state.

Dear first-graders, today you join our family, the Szold family. We are
pleased – and even excited – to welcome you to us. This is a new beginning
for you. This is a new beginning for us. This is a new beginning for all of
us. On this festive occasion, we promise to extend a hand in friendship and
assistance, to be with you in class and during breaks, and to set an example
for you. We welcome the coming year. We wish you a productive year of
respect, health, peace and hope."

Prime Minister Netanyahu: "First of all, I would like to wish you all good
luck in your studies. I came here, along with Education Minister Saar and
Mayor Barkat to see you on this very exciting day. Are you all excited? Yes.
A little scared? No. What are you feeling? You are excited. I see that some
of you already know how to write the letter 'shin'. Did you learn at home?"

Pupil: "I learned the letter 'aleph' at home."

Prime Minister Netanyahu: "Where is an 'aleph'? Can you show me an 'aleph'?
Can you go to the blackboard and show me an 'aleph'? Can someone write for
me an 'aleph'? Who knows how? Do you want to come up? What is the next
letter?"

Pupil: "'Bet'."

Prime Minister Netanyahu: "'Bet', 12 points! Now I want the letter that
comes after the next one, not the next letter, but the letter after the next
one. The one after the next letter, do you know it?"

Pupil: "'Dalet'."

Prime Minister Netanyahu: "Do you know how to write a 'dalet'? Write it. You
have received 24 points. How many letters are there? Does anyone know?"

Pupil: "22!"

Prime Minister Netanyahu: "Who said that? What is your name? Yaheli. There
are 22 letters, quite right. What is the last letter? 'Taf.' What is the
next-to-last letter? 'Shin.' Very good. I am certain that you will learn all
the letters here. Let's go over them. 'Aleph, bet, gimmel, dalet, heh, vav,
zayin, chet, tet, yod, chaf, lammed, mem, nun, samekh, ayin, peh, tzadik,
kof, resh, shin, taf.' That's it. I think that you already know everything.

I wish you well, that you should continue with your good lessons. Shalom,
first grade. This is a very exciting day. When I was here, I don't remember.
My G-d, how many years has it been Gideon? I was here 56 years ago, can you
believe it? Fifty-six years ago, I came to this school, to this building.
There were huts. We were welcomed very nicely and I was very, very excited.
I knew, I think, fewer letters than you. The teacher welcomed us and told
us, ' Shalom first grade.' And later, after many years, I went to a
different school with my own children and I was very, very excited for each
one in turn when they went to first grade. Today, I am very, very excited
for you, and do you know what? One day you will come with your children and
teach them -- 'Aleph, bet, gimmel, dalet', and you will be excited. I wish
you a genuinely successful year. Shalom, first grade. Thank you.

Teacher: "Thank you our Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu."