עברית

PRE-ARMY SERVICE YEAR PROGRAMS

Every year, thousands of high school graduates defer their IDF service to spend a year volunteering, mainly as counselors and tutors for children and youth. This "gap year" is highly significant in terms of personal growth, and has a long-lasting impact on the participants' lives. Yet, only few of the volunteers come from the social-geographic periphery.

Aware of the value of volunteering as a tool for promoting equal opportunities and social mobility, Rashi's affiliate the Ma'ase Association developed and operates service year programs that target young people from underprivileged backgrounds. Working in the periphery, these volunteers serve as powerful role models for the children and teens they reach, while getting an opportunity to build their own capabilities.

Yahad – service year for high school graduates, who live in communities in the periphery and work with at-risk youth in schools and after-school settings.

Eitan – pre-army volunteer year followed by military service in the "Nahal" Corps, operated in cooperation with the IDF, for graduates of boarding schools, Ethiopian Israelis, and other marginalized populations.

Pre-army programs combining educational and leadership training with volunteer work in the community:

• Gal Leadership Academy (Acco, Haifa & Kiryat Bialik), in partnership with the Aharai ("follow me") Association

• Ma'ase in the Galilee - pre-army program in Tiberias

• Bedouin Leadership Program – for high school graduates from Bedouin communities in northern Israe