Rights10/8/2026

Justice Ministry: Details of About 21,000 Special Education Students Leaked

The Privacy Protection Authority at Israel’s Ministry of Justice reported a leak of sensitive information concerning about 21,000 ultra-Orthodox special education students. According to the Authority’s assessment, flaws in one of the Ministry of Education’s systems led to a violation of the Protection of Privacy Law.

Key facts

•About 21,000 students were affected
•The report was published on October 8, 2026
•The information concerned ultra-Orthodox special education students
•The Protection of Privacy Law was violated
•No amounts of fines or compensation were specified

What Information Was Exposed

The leak included students’ identifying details, home addresses, information about their studies, and their religious affiliation. Medical information also became accessible to unauthorized parties, including descriptions of the children’s health limitations.

How the Leak Occurred

According to the Authority, the information reached members of the public and other people who were not authorized to access it. The source of the leak was one of the information systems used by the Ministry of Education. The publication did not specify further technical circumstances of the incident.

The Legal Assessment

The Privacy Protection Authority classified the incident as a “serious information security incident.” It concluded that the Ministry of Education had violated the Protection of Privacy Law. The source does not report the imposition of a fine, compensation for those affected, or any other sanction.

What this means for you

The incident illustrates that privacy protection requirements also apply to government education systems, especially when they contain children’s medical information. For families in a similar situation, the Authority’s conclusion confirms the seriousness of the unauthorized exposure of such information, but the source does not clarify what measures will be taken regarding the specific individuals affected.

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