For the past 20 years, the Aderet Mechina program has worked to help create a model society in Israel. The participants in the program come from all parts of Israeli society, observant and non-observant, right and left. They all love this good land with their hearts and their feet, and wish to learn and apply themselves to take responsibility for the Jewish people and Israeli society.
About four years ago, we created a new partnership model to connect the mechina with youth villages, institutions whose students come mostly from Israel’s social and geographic peripheries. As part of this unique model, the students of the mechina play a significant role in the educational processes of the youth villages’ children, turning the theories learned in the Beit Midrash into practice in day-to-day life.
Hiking on Israel’s National Trail with new partners
Based on this value-based educational partnership with the youth villages and the encounter with hundreds of young boys and girls from Israel’s socio-geographic periphery, we realized that we must lower barriers and do what we can to make these populations part of our leadership-oriented programs, a first step in making Israel a better and more just society.
Based on this approach, we are interested in establishing a third extension of the mechina already in the coming year. This new branch will operate according to the unique Aderet spirit in yet another youth village.
In addition, we are excited to open our new Maalot program, which will break down structured barriers by identifying young people from underserved populations to be coached and mentored during their junior and senior years in high school, and then in their mechina or national service year and on, until after their enlistment in and completion of military service as they find their place as leading members of Israel’s civil society.
If you believe as we do that everyone deserves the opportunity to make a difference, to be a leader and to move Israeli society forward to a better place, if you believe in national resilience that grows out of partnership, diversity and a shared commitment, we invite you to join us and be part of an opportunity to make that difference and help Israel become that model society.
