| Unit Name: | Education and Youth Corps |
| Native Name: | חיל החינוך והנוער |
| Dates: | 1948–present |
| Country: | Israel |
| Allegiance: | Israel Defense Forces |
| Commander1: | Tat Aluf Ophir Levios |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Flag |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Beret cap |
The Israeli Education and Youth Corps (Hebrew: חיל החינוך והנוער, Heil HaHinuh VeHaNo'ar) is the IDF Manpower Directorate corps responsible for the education of soldiers and commanders in Israel's military. It is designed to instruct and develop national values among the troops.
According to former Chief Education Officer Avner Shalev, the aims of the education system in the IDF are to increase the motivation and morale of the troops and units. This is achieved by introducing cultural activities into the lives of soldiers, teaching them about the country and its values—both national and universal—as well as by teaching them about the nature of their duties as soldiers and citizens of the state.[1]
The Education and Youth Corps is divided into two main brigades - the Magen division and the education division - as well as 6 independent units directly subordinate to the Chief Education Officer:
The Magen (an abbreviation for Morot-Hayalot (teacher soldiers), Makam, Gadna and Nahal), comprises four IDF education programs:
Mihve Alon, a training base for new immigrants not proficient in the Hebrew language, is also subordinate to the Magen division.
The education division serves as the professional guide for the other units of the corps, and of the IDF in general. It is divided into 6 branches:
The Education and youth training base, or by its name Sha'arei Avraham (Abraham's gates) was built near the Re'em Junction in the Lachish Valley near Kiryat Mal'akhi.
Many of the soldiers in various roles in the Education Corps get their training in the Youth Education Training Base.
Among these roles:
The emblem of the Education and Youth Corps is composed of four stripes integrating into one flame.
Three of them (different shades of blue) represent the three different centers of the corps and the fourth (colored white) represents the headquarters of the corps.
| Name | Years as chief officer | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| 1948–1950 | ||
| 1950–1963 | ||
| 1963–1968 | former Knesset member | |
| 1968–1972 | Director of Yad Vashem, 1972 - 1993 | |
| 1972–1975 | ||
| 1975–1977 | ||
| 1977–1979 | current Director of Yad Vashem | |
| 1979–1982 | ||
| 1982–1985 | ||
| 1985–1988 | ||
| 1988–1991 | ||
| 1991–1995 | ||
| 1995–1997 | ||
| 1997–1999 | ||
| 1999–2004 | later, also head of the Human Resources Directorate | |
| 2004–2007 | ||
| 2007–2013 | ||
| 2013–2017 | ||
| 2017-2020 | ||
| 2020- | ||