Yemin Orde Young Men’s Leadership Program

Vision

The Yemin Orde Young Men’s Leadership Program for Immigrant Youth works to empower youth from immigrant backgrounds with the skills necessary to excel in their military service and to thrive in civilian life afterwards. This gap-year leadership program provides a unique blend of education, volunteering, physical training and emotional support, allowing participants to maximize their individual potential and capacity to become contributing members to society.

Activity

Every year, approximately 60 young men from around the country choose to defer their mandatory military service for one year to attend the Yemin Orde Young Men’s Leadership Program. The vast majority of participants are immigrants or children of immigrants from Ethiopia and the Former Soviet Union. All are from underserved communities and disadvantaged backgrounds who could not reach their full potential without access to such a program.

The program teaches life skills through courses in personal finance, interpersonal relationships, making informed decisions and public speaking. The young men learn about teamwork by volunteering in the local community and running the day-to-day logistics of the Mechina. In preparing for military service, participants learn navigation and orienteering skills, have a week-long survival course, a week at a Paratrooper basic-training camp, first aid lessons, and hikes and field trips focusing on the history and geography of the Land of Israel, Jewish heritage and traditions of the IDF. Upon graduation, allocated staff remain in close contact with these young men to provide essential resources, trainings, counseling and support, helping ensure their journey into mandatory military service and onwards to independent life is a true success.

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Our graduates understand the significance of what they experienced at the mechina when they start their military service. They have internalized what it means to be independent, to be responsible, and to volunteer and do things for others. There is also a strengthening of the relationship with their families as a result of their experiences in the mechina – the relationships become deeper and they take greater responsibility for them and for what happens in the home.

- Shiri Horesh, Graduate Coordinator, Yemin Orde Young Men’s Leadership Program

Eyal Eldar

Eyal Eldar has been Director of the Mechina since its inception in 2000. For eighteen years he has balanced family life with the needs of the many young men participating in such a life changing experience. He is responsible for the full oversight of the program; including staff, organization of program components, connecting to external community partners, serving as a role model and mentor, and ensuring the 800+ graduates receive support and assistance. Eyal was born in Israel and is one of the founding members of the communal settlement, Hoshaya. He served in the most elite special forces unit of the IDF- Sayeret Matkal and received a degree in business administration from Bar Ilan University. He has also served as Director of Archaeological Digs and Preservation in Beit She’an and over the years has continuously returned to the IDF, per their request, to serve in leadership roles managing special projects.