When looking at the tech layoff data, the heart aches. We are witnessing talented, creative, and passionate individuals who find themselves one morning outside the workforce, after years of building magnificent careers. This is a disruptive period for them and their families.

On the other hand, not far from there, in our education system, thousands of science teachers are missing. These are two ends of the same string, where on one side there is a painful shortage of figures who can ignite the spark in students, and on the other side there are wonderful people who are just looking for meaning and a way to contribute from their vast knowledge.

It seems like an absurdity that cries out to the heavens that we are failing to connect these two worlds. Why are we leaving our classrooms empty of quality teachers, while so many technological minds are searching for their next step? This is not just a matter of a job or a salary; this is an opportunity for us as a society to gather these people, who might feel a bit lost at the moment of layoff, and show them that they are still needed, that they still have a critical role in shaping the future of our country.

The pain of the laid–off worker and the need of the education system are an opportunity for mutual healing. If the state chooses to reach out, not only with grants or benefits, but with a genuine embrace that will ease the transition, remove administrative barriers, and allow them to integrate into the system in a way that respects their experience and knowledge – we can turn this crisis into a victory.

I believe that these tech professionals can bring with them to the classrooms not only technical knowledge, but also the spirit of entrepreneurship, the ability to solve complex problems, and the belief that anything is possible. This is exactly what our children need.

If we know how to open the gates, these layoffs will not be the end of the road, but the beginning of a new and exciting journey for them, and for the entire future generation. We owe it to our children, and we owe it to ourselves, as a society that wants to continue believing in the good and in the possibility of change even in the hardest moments.

The author is the head of the Administrative Law Department at the Amit, Pollak, Matalon law firm