Mechinot: Strengthening sense of belonging, values of Israel's younger generation
KKL-JNF — Helping pre-military programs prepare for life beyond the military.
For years, pre-military preparatory programs in Israel have been a platform for training young people for IDF service, but their importance goes far beyond preparation for meaningful service. Through a partnership with Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, these preparatory programs nurture a generation of leaders and citizens imbued with a Zionist vision and responsibility for Israeli society and its future.
At a conference held last month in Ashkelon, impressive data on the accomplishments of the preparatory programs over the past year was presented, which included over 132,000 days of volunteering in more than 1,500 activity centers throughout the country. The students and graduates of the preparatory programs were engaged in a variety of activities: education and welfare, support for agricultural communities, assistance in essential enterprises, working with evacuees, and cleaning shelters in northern Israel. These activities reflect their deep commitment not only to the IDF, but to the country’s social and economic resilience. In addition, the data was presented on the number of graduates of the pre-military academies who have fallen during the Iron Swords War, which stands at 119, constituting approximately 15% of the total number of IDF soldiers who have fallen in the war, which stands at 739.
KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat Ovadia-Luski emphasized the special contribution of the pre-military preparatory programs to Israeli society: “There is no period in which we have seen more clearly the contribution and importance of the pre-military mechinot to the success of the State of Israel than today, in building the country and the nation in our current generation. The contribution of the preparatory programs is not only in preparation for meaningful service in the IDF, but in shaping a new generation of leaders – a generation of citizens with a Zionist vision, who understand the meaning of giving and leading and who feel responsible for the future of the State of Israel. The partnership between KKL-JNF and the pre-military preparatory programs is based on the shared values – love of the land, building the land, and the Zionist mission.”
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Avishai Berman, CEO of the Council of Pre-Military Preparatory Programs: “The ultimate goal of the preparatory programs was and still is to develop the next generation of Israeli-Jewish-Zionist leadership. There are many aspects to it. There are numerous ways to get there, and everyone chooses to do it differently. But the principle is the same. In order to rise to the top and lead others, we deliberately look downward to a process of deepening and clarifying one’s identity and increasing one’s individual capabilities. Last month, we opened the year with 105 activity centers, close to 6,000 trainees, and 11 new preparatory programs in the Gaza Envelope and northern Israel. The pre-military preparatory program has proven its national importance during wartime and reconstruction, thanks to the involvement and deep commitment of students and graduates to the security and resilience of the State of Israel.”
During the conference, journalist Ofra Lax, mother of General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal) soldier Lieutenant Nave Lax, a graduate of the Ein Prat preparatory school, who fell on October 7 in Kibbutz Be’eri, clarified the importance of fostering values of partnership and a sense of belonging among the younger generation: “We must intensify the discussion on collective values to reduce the sense of foreignness in Israeli society. The preparatory programs are a significant platform for this discussion and for strengthening the shared sense of belonging.”
The pre-military preparatory programs are beginning the new year of activity with 6,000 trainees in 105 activity centers throughout the country, including 11 new preparatory programs in the Gaza envelope and northern Israel. The increased activity in these areas emphasizes the ability of the preparatory programs to provide support and a sense of security even in particularly challenging situations. The activities of the pre-military preparatory programs in Israel pave the way for a new generation of committed leaders who come from all parts of Israeli society and strengthen ties and commitment to shared values of responsibility, mutual contribution, and love of country. In these times of crisis, every contribution counts. Join KKL-JNF in this critical mission to protect the land of Israel and its people from the devastating effects of these fires. Click here to donate. This article was written in cooperation with KKL-JNF.