News & Updates

The distance between New York and Jerusalem has never felt closer – the annual delegation of Mechinot heads participating in the “Peace Dialogue” seminar took place last month.

Another year has passed, and the participants of the 'Yachad' program are parting ways and preparing for the next stage. Liron Dauber, a participant in the program, shared with us: “I grew personally and learned things that will stay with me for life.”

Many locals haven’t yet returned home, but the mechinot are hard at work making communities in the north livable again. See what Adam, Naama, and Noa—two of whom were displaced by the war—have to say about taking action with meaning, reconnecting to a community, and the power of working together.

With Sukkot approaching, mechina heads and instructional staff came together for this year’s inspiring conference

Bridging The Gap, a unique program under Joint Council leadership that is funded and managed by the Jewish Agency, AMI, and Masa Israel, brings together Jews from the Diaspora and mechina students. Here’s how it looks up close

This year’s 110 Yachad participants arrived at mechina a year into the war, in one of Israel’s most difficult hours. Read all about the seminar and get to know Carmel and Noa

Last year was no normal one for Mechina students, but wartime challenges were no match for Shibolim, the disability mainstreaming program of the Mechinot

At the annual joint conference of the mechinot and KKL, we paused to remember and learn about the legacy of dozens of mechina alumni who gave their lives

Last month’s annual joint conference of the mechinot and KKL marked the beginning of a ninth year of collaboration 

The conference kicked off with an exciting discussion between Joint Council CEO Avishai Berman and President Herzog. Watch it all here

Halevi addressed the annual joint conference of the mechinot and KKL in recorded remarks. Watch the full video here

Two weeks ago, the students of the Orthodox, secular, and traditional mechinot convened at the International Conference Center in Jerusalem for this year’s conference of the mechinot and KKL, attended by President Herzog. The difficulties of recent months colored the event with mourning and pain, but also a lot of hope

The Otzem Pre-military Torah Academy in Naveh, which was uprooted from Atzmona, has been through more than a few upheavals since its founding. Yet Rabbi Rafi Peretz and now his son and successor, Rabbi Rei Peretz, continue to breathe a spirit of strength into their students, who in this war as in the past stand out among the ranks of fighters and commanders, and figure conspicuously among the fallen as well

Dvir Amar

Original article (Hebrew)

They’ve already cleaned bomb shelters, helped out agricultural businesses, collected donated items for evacuees, and even secured a hospital. Now the students of the Mechina at Hannaton are focusing on helping men and women whose spouses are fighting in the reserves. Student Hila Goldman: I was that girl whose father was always on reserve duty, and I remember how hard it was for my mom. Noam Hevroni, a mother of two whose husband was called up: Thanks to her, I get the time I need so much to refresh myself

This is what Mechinat Maoz head Rabbi Barak Ukavi and Otzem Pre-military Torah Academy CEO David Bar-Chai had to say about running a mechina while serving in the IDF

The students of the mechina were evacuated to Jerusalem, where they boosted public morale before returning to Naveh to assist regional agricultural businesses

With the death of Cpt. (res.) Neriya Zisk in battle in Gaza, 15 alumni of Mechinat Bnei David in Eli have fallen in this war. CEO Lior Shtul: We’re on a mission. We have a powerful spirit. We’re not special. We’re all together. We all give. We’re all at the front. Mechina head Eli Sadan: For Israel, we are prepared to sacrifice our lives

The intelligence officer who did his trek on an all-terrain wheelchair. The young woman who changed the culture of dialogue at her mechina. The young man on the spectrum who completed military service in the IDF with honors. Zeev Sela is director of Shibolim, the Ministry of Social Affairs program for mainstreaming young people with disabilities at the mechinot. This is what he has to say about the challenges of integrating students with disabilities in physically and socially challenging educational programs, and the need to think outside the box

Yachad participants come from all over the world to spend a gap year at mechina. On October 7, just weeks after arriving in Israel, they realized that this year was going to be nothing like what they’d expected. Meet some of the students who decided to stay despite the war

Since the war broke out, many mechina staff members have been called up for emergency reserve duty. While they serve in the army, their students are shining in civilian missions around Israel. Watch below.