מכינת עמי חי
אייקון דגל ישראל

About Ami-Chai Mechina

The Ami-Chai pre-army leadership academy (‘Mechina’) Located in kibbutz Kramim in the northern Negev, a unique community and the only mixed kibbutz of Orthodox, traditional and secular Jews.

Ami-Chai engages young Israelis, high school graduates – girls and boys, secular, traditional and religious – who are interested in postponing their military service in favor of a year of exploring their Jewish-Israeli identity, deepen their love of Israel, hard work, community service, preparation for a meaningful military service, pioneership, learning and listening.

The mechina’s vision – to empower and develop leadership, to be the place where students go through a personal and group growth journey, where they form their identity and clarify their values toward a life full of social-Zionist, Jewish, Israeli fulfillment on their way to building an exemplary community in Israel and tikkun olam.

The mechina’s students live in a magical site in the kibbutz. They experience an active community life alongside meaningful learning, and volunteer work.

To prepare for their military service, the students exercise regularly, and attend lessons and workshops. Every few weeks, the group goes on an educational Seminar or an empowering hike.

Ami-Chai Mechina is characterized by aspirations for excellence, perseverance and seriousness, alongside a family atmosphere – built on simplicity, respectful discourse and hard work – that brings students together.

About Retamim Program

Retamim program was founded a few years ago to cultivate young leadership in the Negev. The program engages a diverse group of high school students from Israel’s southern periphery. It’s a diverse group that targets youth from all the communities living in Negev cities. The group includes religious, traditional and secular youth from all genders.

Retamim is a three year program for students in their 10th to 12th year of school. It’s meant for ambitious, value-driven teenagers, who are interested in making a positive impact on their future in the area. It takes place mostly in weekend seminars.

In the program, students meet visionaries, change agents and activists from different places in Israel. They study current events and challenges in the Israeli society in depth, and hold deep conversations about personal, regional and Jewish-Israeli identity. Retamim combines two paths – leadership capability development, and exposure to Mechina programs and other gap year options. Program instructors are Ami-Chai students. They’re responsible for creating the seminars and providing personal mentorship. They act as older siblings to Retamim students.

We believe in the Negev’s youth’s capability, and the ability to build a better, rooted and creative society in this wonderful region.

What Exactly is the Mechina Based on?

Seven Mechina Foundations and Values

Deepening the Jewish and Israeli identity by studying sources that establish our mutual identity. Ideological exploration and developing a reasoned personal opinion by experiencing a variety of opinions, resources and inspiring people.

Mechina students acquire knowledge in the following fields: Zionism, Judaism, leadership, society and economy, law, national strength, philosophy, politics, Israeli studies, geopolitics, Middle east studies, media, current affairs, military preparation (including first aid) and Ethics.

Life in the Mechina is managed mostly by the students themselves.

Every Mechina student is a member of a committee. Through this participation, she or he leads a Mechina area throughout the year out of a desire for self growth.

Among the committees – content committee, cultural committee, Sabbath and holiday committee, volunteering committee, sustainability committee, and more.

Centering the self management idea and community life in the Mechina is the general assembly, where students make decisions once a week in a democratic way. We believe that the path to leadership includes taking personal and group responsibility. Therefore, the Mechina spends a lot of time mentoring the students’ self management skills.

The Mechina believes in balancing receiving and giving, by contributing to the community, because action teaches most. Mechina students regularly volunteer in the kibbutz, in the regional council Bnei Shimon, and in Beer Sheva city. The weekly volunteering is based on students meeting the elderly, special needs children, at-risk youth and new immigrants on a weekly basis.

The preparation includes a weekly lesson about IDF values, the military path and battle legacy. In addition, students meet soldiers and commanders, and learn about a variety of military roles and units.

They specialize in navigation, exercise, mental strength and field challenges. They get prepared for selection trials for elite military units.

The Mechina believes studying needs to be connected to action, and the connection between people and nature needs to be strengthened. Therefore, Mechina students experience manual labor in the field, in the garden and in their living spaces.

Every week, they study and  practice expressing the idea of creative, sustainable living, and turning it into reality.

The Mechina aspires to create an outstanding community, that believes in equality and leads to a perceptual and cultural change, and creates a society where people of different opinions and views live together, and meet with with each other for honest conversations, out of humility and listening and mutual help, for the sake of a better mutual future.

We see community life as a real value, and aspire that Mechina graduates will choose to live in mixed communities down the line.

Every month, students leave the classroom for a week of hiking and educational experiences. The intention is for them to thoroughly get to know the country, experience navigation and guided tours, as well as challenging activities and field resilience.

Throughout the educational experiences, students meet the action takers and visionaries of the Israeli society, learn about the country’s challenges, and get inspired.

All seven Mechina foundations are expressed in the Mechina’s weekly and annual plans. A lot of thought went into the annual plan, out of a desire to include all our core values. The value balance changes every year based on students’ choice (as part of their self management), but in general, the Mechina includes three weeks of studying, followed by a week outside the Mechina for an educational experience or a trip (most Mechina trips take an entire week).

Every week of learning inside the Mechina includes one day for volunteering and one day for a hands-on experience . In addition, there is one cultural evening a week, and of course, a meaningful, experiential, mutual and powerful celebration of the Sabbath and holidays.

Nice to Meet You

The Mechina Team

Married to Hagit and dad to Zohar, Naveh and Segev. Member of kibbutz Kramim. Major in reserve duty. Holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from the Open University, and a master’s degree in political science from the Hebrew University. Used to manage the youth department in the World Zionist Organization, which included the youth organization and the Tזameret service year.

Married to Anat and dad to Barry, Yehudah and Itzhak. Member of kibbutz Kramim.

Holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, economy and political science (PEP). Has a certificate in Jewish thought and biblical education, and a master’s degree in civil education and democracy. A social activist and Major in reserve duty.

Has served as the Mechina’s educational manager for over a decade.

30 years old. Member of kibbutz Holit. Graduated from the second class of Lachish Mechina, and was previously an instructor in the Ami-Chai Mechina. Holds a bachelor’s degree in education, political science and international relations. A master’s degree student in politics and governance. Has been in charge of Mechina operations for the past five years.

41 years old. Married to Tamar and dad to Yotam, Kedem, Alma and Dagan.

Lives in Carmit, and has resided in the Negev for the past 15 years. Worked for several years in instruction and coordination roles, and has been a high school teacher for the past 12 years. Participated in a mission trip to the United States with his family, during which they taught Hebrew and happily represented Israel. Mechina coordinator.

Married to Dolev and mom to Maayan, Eden, Maor, Eliraz and Yarden. Lives in Susya. Manages the Mechina’s office: In charge of suppliers, payment collection, salaries, bills and students’ volunteering.

Lives in Beer Sheva. Student in Key College’s Shvilim program. Studying informal education and history. Graduated from Mechinat Alma, which focuses on developing female leaders. Served as a non-commissioned education officer in Judea and Samaria.

Lives in Beer Sheva. Married to Letizia and dad to Nitzan and Aviv. Holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the Open University. Graduated from Wingate as a running and fitness coach. Major in reserve duty.

Lives in Modiin. Studied in Yahad high school. Graduated from the Mechina’s 16th class. Served as a diagnostic officer in the Air Force’s sorting department. Second year instructor in mechinat “Ami-chai”.

Lives in kibbutz Bahan. Studied in Maayan-Shachar high school. Volunteered for a year in “Hashomer Hahadash” organization as a gap year before drafting into the army.Served as a combat soldier in Egoz unit in the IDF, and as a commander in “Havat Hashomer” base. First year Mechina instructor in mechinat “Ami-chai”.

Lives in Jerusalem. Studied in Boyar high school. Graduated from the Mechina’s 17th class.

Served a command and control instructor in the military. First year Mechina instructor in mechinat “Ami-chai”.

Lives in Efrat. Studied in Derech Avot, a yeshiva for high school students. Graduated from the mechina’s 17th class. Served as a warrior and camouflage instructor in the Zanhanim Orev unit. First year Mechina instructor in mechinat “Ami-chai”.

Meet Our Teaching Team

Mechina Classes

Resides in Yeruham, father of seven. Holds a PhD in Jewish thought and has been certified as a rabbi by the Israeli rabbinate. Member of Beit Hillel Rabbis and of the Interfaith Initiative in the Negev.

In his Mechina classes, Rabbi Elkana teaches about Israeli current events through exploration of biblical issues.

Born in Be’er Sheva and lives there to this day. Senior lecturer of sociology and criminology in universities and colleges. Member of the Israel Prison Service’s parole board and of HaPoel Beer Sheva’s management team.

Dr. Ofer teaches Israeli sociology, settlement, and is a member of influential Mechina projects for the future of Israel.

Lives in kibbutz Kramim. Author and human rights lawyer. Her debut novel, Emek HaShedim (Valley of Demons), is about her childhood in Yamit, Sinai.

Teaches creative writing in the Mechina.

Lives in Adumim village, which is located in the Judean Desert, approximately 15 minutes from Jerusalem. Married to Neta, who works as a social worker, and dad to Yuval, Ella and Yair. Graduated from Ami-Chai Mechina’s third class.

In the past five years, he’s been teaching in pre-military programs across the country. At Ami-Chai Mechina, he teaches psychology and life skills.

Mom of five, married to Omer. Member of the Halachic Leadership Institute at Midreshset Lindenbaum.

Holds a bachelor’s degree in Middle Eastern studies and a master’s degree in dispute resolution and mediation. Graduated from Mishlei program. Teaches Chazal (sages of Mishnah and Talmud) tales.

Lives at kibbutz Kramim. Holds a bachelor’s degree in informal education. He’s the student council chair and the leader of the Israeli Education Students Forum. He teaches at Ben Gurion University, and also works as a life coach and a discussion leader focusing on interpersonal communication.

Teaches communication skills at the Mechina.

Lives in kibbutz Kramim. Certified yoga teacher. Lived in an ashram in India for three years. Teaches yoga and yoga teachers in several places. Founded a yoga center in Beer Sheeva’s old city. Teaches yoga workshops at the Mechina on Fridays.

Graduated from Ami-Chai Mechina’s third class. Shirion company commander in reserve duty, educator, and student in Mea She’arim Yeshiva, as part of the Haredi community. Lives in Neve Yaakov.
Teaches Midrashir – AVODAT H’AMIDOT (virtue work) through Hebrew music – at the Mechina.

Mom to Aviad, Yael and Noa. Partner to Orit. Lives in the community settlement Midreshet Ben Gurion. Holds a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science, as well as a master’s degree and PhD in management and public policy. During her military duty, she served in command roles (squad commander, platoon commander, team commander in a commander training course) and in training development roles (training developer at Training Camp 1 and commander of training development at Shirion school).

Among others, she teaches ethics, public responsibility and political corruption at the university.

At the Mechina, Dr. Ayelet teaches economy and society, and emphasizes the influence that economic policy has on day to day lives. Believes in tikkun olam.

Lives in Modiin, mom of two. Holds a master’s degree in contemporary Judaism from the Hebrew University, and has been certified as a rabbi by the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism. Works as a rabbi in the Sha’ar HaNegev regional council.

Teaches Judaism as a culture out of love for the constant renewal of the Jewish culture across thousands of years, and for the power it has to drive creativity and change.

In the Media

Video: 20th Class

Video: 16th Class

Massada Journey: 16th Class

Podcast “Jewish and Israeli”
by Yair Tiktin (heb)
Podcast “Nation Sages,” episode 5:
Interview with Honen Haim (heb)

Mechina Graduates - This is Yours and for You

News and Updates (heb)

We’d Love for You to Keep in Touch

We’d love for you to keep in touch!

You can fill the form and we’ll get back to you soon.

Contact information:

Email: amichaimkdz@gmail.com
Office phone: 054-966-3068

Partners

The Mechina and its graduates continue holding educational activities and working toward meaningful, extensive social fulfillment. We approach you to assist as partners on Ami-Chai Mechina and Retamim Program’s blessed path.

Donate to the nonprofit

Web & Graphic Design: www.NetX.co.il

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