Children’s institutions in israel as mirrors of social and cultural change

The study of any major social institution yieIds insight into macro-social processes. Emerging trends in the social function of children’s institutions in Israel can be analyzed fruitfully fram this perspective, since close to twenty percent of the youth are educated in residential settings. Such a study is expected to enhance our understanding of the normative culture. The use to which a society puts its institutions for children and youth is a good measure of long range national goals.