Mechinat ‘Yonatan’. We’re Counting on You!
It’s been ten years since we established the ‘Yonatan’ Mechina in Kibbutz Alumim by the Gaza border. ‘Mechinat Yonatan’ is a Pre-army gap year program intended for religious boys and girls after high school, who want to become more mature and get a better idea of ones’ self before being drafted.
Now, as the Mechina celebrates a decade, we can wholeheartedly say that our Mechina is indeed unique. Not only is it the only religious Pre-army program for young men and women in Israel, but it is also unique in its values; in helping its participants and graduates build their personality and identity in unique and personal methods, and upholding the values of the ‘Kibbutz Hadati’ movement (the Religious Kibbutz).
Our Mechina’s motto comes from the ‘Pirkey Avot’:
“On three things does the world stand: on the Torah, on the service of G-d, and on deeds of loving kindness.”
In this light, ‘Mechinat Yonatan’ offers its participants a distinctive program; one that accentuates in-depth learning alongside giving. Individual development, work ethics alongside sharing and living as part of a group. We named our Mechina after the late Yonatan ‘Yoni’ Netanyahu, who fell in Operation Entebbe. We consider his life the most fundamental and simple expression of the essence of Israeli-ness: That we are all responsible for one another and are willing to give our lives for each other.
After ten years of operating out of small temporary buildings around the Kibbutz, the time has come to build the Mechina a permanent home. Thankfully, as the years go by, we have been getting more and more applicants, and in order to expand our program we need a bigger and more suitable building to accommodate the growing number of participants. For this reason we have already raised an initial sum and completed the planning phase towards the new building.
In order to make this dream a reality, we need your help too. We invite you to join us and help us complete our permanent structure, and with G-d’s help, we will soon be able to see all of you here in Kibbutz Alumim.
The Donation Drive will take place on February 15th and 16th, 2021.
For the link to the drive, please contact:
Itzik Yablonski, Head of Mechina:
+972 54-775-6111
[email protected]
