Iraqi Jewish immigrant teachers and the Israeli education system, 1949–61

This article analyses the experiences of immigrant Iraqi Jewish teachers in Israel from 1949 to 1959. It offers key insights into two main areas. Firstly, it illuminates the development of Israel’s educational system, particularly in the nation’s social and geographical peripheries during this crucial period. Secondly, it explores Israeli social history by focusing on the integration process of Iraqi Jewish immigrants, with specific attention given to the role and impact of teachers within this community. The analysis employs two distinct approaches. One examines the opportunities for social mobility that becoming a teacher provided for these Iraqi newcomers. The second approach utilizes John Berry’s ‘intercultural encounter model’ to highlight the inherent tension immigrants faced between preserving their original cultural identity and undergoing identity transformation following their migration to Israel.