Vision
The Yiftah Pre-Military Academy (Mechina) seeks to nurture social leadership amongst youth graduates of vocational-technical schools, according to Herzl’s vision – “Zionist is an endless ideal.” The students will be required to lead and take active part in strengthening the values of Zionism and democracy in Israel and implementing them in building a more just society, with the equality of human value placed at the center.
Activity
The Yiftah Pre-Military Academy (Mechina) is a unique Mechina aiming to promote the personal growth and integration of at-risk youth into the IDF and the workforce. The Mechina will focus on building halutzic [pioneering] social leadership for various vocational fields in the IDF’s technical directorate, and later on for the Israeli economy, which for many years has suffered from insufficient professional manpower in the fields of logistics, machining, welding, and technicians.
The Mechina is targeted towards recent graduates of vocational high schools. These youth are largely isolated; most of them have dropped out of various educational frameworks and suffer from low self-esteem, doubt their own personal capabilities, and have little motivation for meaningful army service. The graduates will complete their year at the Mechina with strong motivation for meaningful IDF service and with leadership abilities which will be expressed both in their lives and at the forefront of the Israeli economy in the future.
Components of the Mechina:
• Beit Midrash for Leadership
• Entrepreneurial social venture
• Educational involvement in the community
• Army preparation
• Group life