The Emek Mechina
The pre-army Emek preparatory program (Emek being the Hebrew acronym for City, Moshav, Kibbutz), is a framework for the study of Jewish identity and social leadership. It is offered to religious and secular youth who have completed grade 12, and who would like to serve meaningfully in the army and make a significant contribution to society. The program provides the opportunity to form an individual and group identity that is of value, in order to deal with the challenges involved with actively contributing to society, education, and the military – both in Israeli society and among the Jewish people as a whole.
The young men and women participating in the program will be exposed to worlds of knowledge and culture, with the view of becoming deeply involved in the fundamental questions of our identity as a people and as a state. In this way, they can take the steps towards reforming society and creating a bridge of understanding and faith between various population sectors in the country and worldwide.
Core Values of the Mechina:
- A deep connection to a diverse Jewish identity
- Contribution to the State as a citizen and soldier
- Self-management in a communal group setting
- Social and communal activity on the periphery of Emek HaMa’ayanot and Beit She’an
About Chivruta
The Beit She’an and Emek Chivruta Association was established in 2005 by social activists residing in Emek HaMa’ayanot and Beit She’an. The aim was to foster development, growth, and empowerment in the area. The association actively fulfills this important purpose by means of establishing and running educational programs for young people, who come from all over the country to participate.
The educational programs operate in the spirit of mediation and the creation of dialog between different segments of Israeli society. They lead discourse on value and identity in the areas of leadership, Zionism, and Judaism in Israel. In addition, the young program participants work in communities where they contribute to welfare and participate in communal work, as well as education and agriculture, with the aim of strengthening communal and social ties in the Emek and Beit She’an communities, and to cultivate growth for the entire region.