Vision
The vision of the Midrasha Lemaaseh program of the Alumni project of the Joint Council of Israeli-Zionist Social Leadership Academies- MECHINOT is to instill in Mechina alumni after their IDF service a commitment to live a life of “shlichut”, activism, and community building. To provide an experience that builds and empowers moral leaders committed to a better future for Israel’s civil society.
Activity
The Midrasha Lemaaseh project combines study and action in the community. Four groups of 25 Mechina graduates after their Army service meets an afternoon and evening (including overnight) on a weekly basis. During their time together they combine study, discussions, and volunteering in the community, while planning projects for their future both as individuals and as a group. Additionally national activities take place focusing on combining a life of “shlichut” with a number of disciplines including education, social work, communications, and public service.
The main focus of the process is values based with the goal that in following years individuals will develop personal plans for “living a life of shlichut” in confluence with professional and family goals. Another goal of the project is the creation of “young communities” in key locations throughout Israel. We hope in the coming year to expand the program which at present is a pilot in four locations to additional groups.
Today the four groups include a group in the North, Jerusalem and center, south, and an Orthodox group. The vision of the program is for the groups to continue after the first year to a second stage of the program where the individuals in the group begin their academic studies but continue the group activities on a monthly basis while implementing projects in the community. In the third stage of the project graduates of the group from the previous years will begin a special interdisciplinary academic program that provides advanced tools for a “life of shlichut”.