Vision
In the wide and cultural variety of “Mechinot”, pre army programs, that we find here in Israel, the absence of A program that is suited and made for young women who live and come from Israel’s periphery stood out to us. The establishment and the subsistence of “Mechinat Zohar” is in aspiration and the strive to minimize the class difference in Israeli society whilst providing equal chances and possibilities for learning and gaining leadership skills that come forth as well through Army service in Israel’s defense forces.
In “Mechinat Zohar” we strive to provide our students with tools and capabilities for personal growth, learning and understanding responsibility towards society and learning to feel and be a great part of it. We aspire to educate and grow a generation of fierce and strong women leaders, who are connected to their Jewish ancestry and learn from it in order to grow.
Activity
During their year in Mechina, the girls go through a process where they learn and experience many skills, subjects, and activities. These include in class learning of a variety of topics and subjects in Judaism and secular fields such as Zionism, Democracy and current affairs in Israeli society, faith and religion’ relationships, inspirational women activists and many more as well as learning outside of the classroom.
In our Mechina we believe in teaching and providing the tools and surroundings to enhance and push forward taking responsibility. Everything in the Mechina is run by the girls, starting with maintenance- kitchen duty, ordering food and supplies etc. and ending in activities and social life in the group as well as outside of the Mechina. The girls are divided into responsibility groups that have various rolls throughout the year as well as short term rolls that change on a weekly basis rotation.
We believe in personal growth through experiences such as hiking trips, various personal and group responsibilities in the Mechina and preparation for the Army and life in general through facing challenges, trying and experiencing fields that aren’t necessarily our comfort zone in order to enhance mental and physical health and volunteering in the community. Examples for these experiences are hikes, volunteering, exercise preparation for the army and different “Sdarot” series, in which the girls prepare a journey into learning about the Israeli society. These “sdarot” are planned and executed by the girls alone from topic choice, travel arrangements, group volunteering and different guest speakers and visits. A number of “sdarot ” take place throughout the year which by the end we try to cover all regions and social groups that constitute our country.
The Mechina teacher and lecturerers body, see the great importance in guiding and teaching the girls in class and out to make their experience meaningful.