20,000+ Students Participate in Commemoration Marking 30th Anniversary of the Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin Z”l

This year marks the 30th anniversary since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin z”l, who was murdered in 1995 during a rally in Tel Aviv in support of his program for peace.

Dror Israel launched a nationwide educational initiative to commemorate Rabin’s life, legacy, and assassination. More than 20,000 students in over 700 classrooms and 100 schools took part in meaningful discussions and activities led by dozens of Dror Israel educators.

Teens across Israel are diving into deep conversations about democracy, responsibility, and hope, connecting Rabin’s legacy to the challenges of today.

The program invited students to reflect on the events of 1995 and their relevance today, asking what it means to live together in a democratic society, how to hold respectful public discourse, and how each of us can strengthen the social fabric of Israel through listening, empathy, and shared responsibility. Day-long seminars covered the life and death of Rabin, teaching about the democratic values of social justice and the pursuit of peace.

In every classroom, young leaders are proving that real change starts with open dialogue and the courage to listen.

The special educational kit developed for this initiative combined personal testimonies, video clips, and guided conversations that encouraged students to connect history with their own lives. In classrooms across Israel, participants explored the boundaries of disagreement, the dangers of incitement, and the importance of preserving space for all voices — even, and especially, in times of deep division.

 These moments of conversation and reflection remind us that education isn’t just about history, it’s about shaping the future together

Educators created welcoming spaces where students could share their feelings and thoughts about their current social reality, and draw parallels between past and present, from a political assassination three decades ago to the challenges facing Israeli democracy today.

According to the team at Dror Israel, “The conversation about Rabin’s assassination is not only a lesson in history, it’s a living practice of democracy. Israeli society still faces violent rhetoric and incitement that can turn legitimate disagreements into threats to our shared future. In every classroom we witnessed brave human encounters, students talking about pain, about difference, and about choosing hope. For us, this is the essence of education: to awaken thought, strengthen responsibility, and make room for every voice.”

A high school teacher in southern Israel shared, “The activity addressed a sensitive and subject, especially in light of the reality we’re living today, giving space to different emotions with care and sensitivity. Together, we found a shared center that holds both disagreement and consensus around the need to protect our democracy.”

Thirty years later, the next generation can choose empathy, respect, and shared responsibility as the foundation for Israel’s democracy.

In addition to school-based initiatives, Dror Israel erected Yitzhak Rabin z”l Remembrance Tents in public squares throughout the country, with the largest and flagship tent in Rabin Square in Tel Aviv. The tents present a portable exhibit about the life and death of Rabin, and challenge visitors to take a stand and commit to strengthening Israeli democracy.

Day-long seminars on the life and death of Yitzhak Rabin are held in hundreds of schools across Israel.

Rabin memorial activities culminate with the Israeli Assembly, bringing together people from all walks of life for roundtable discussions in cities across Israel, for open and respectful debate on the pressing issues facing Israeli society today. This initiative, along with the nationwide youth movement rally in Jerusalem, is organized by the Coalition “Remember the Murder, Fight for Democracy,” of which Dror Israel is a leading member. The rally serves as a central event bringing together thousands of young people to honor Rabin’s memory and strengthen their commitment to democratic values.

The Israeli Assembly in Tel Aviv’s Rabin Square