Kol Ami Mechina Leadership Gap Year in Israel

As an Israeli citizen I know growing up that after 12th grade I am going to the army. Throughout 12th grade my parents convinced me that I need to take a gap year so I can learn how to be independent. During the process of finding the perfect program for my self I found Kol Ami. A program that combines international and Israeli teens on a gap year.
During the program I met people from Australia who spend with us 3 months, Bonded with them ate with them and talked to them after schedule. Not many people get to know people from around the world during there gap year and having the opportunity to do so was amazing. The bond you get with people around the world is so unique. It's gives you the opportunity to meet people from around the world and eventually when you go visit these places you have people who you know who can show you around.
This experience was one of a kind and you can only get it here in Kol Ami.

Mechinat kol ami has a lot to offer. We have classes on peoplehood, zionism, kodesh studies, and more. In addition, we have a lot of activities - hikes, peulot (like in bnei akiva), army prep, navigations, seminars, debates and so much more. The mechina is a very social place, and through interactions with the group and responsibilities I got to discover who I am and grow as a person. The meeting between Israelis and chulnikim is extremely interesting and we learn so much about each other and form incredible bonds. The classes, while mostly are very interesting, didnt really challenge my mind. Overall - very recommended program for people who want to learn about jews from all over the world, want to grow have an interesting israeli experience and have a really fun time with great friends.

This experience changed my life.
Going to Kol Ami was by far the best decision I could have made. I had a six month gap between high school and the army and was debating what to do. When I talked to a few people and heard of Kol Ami I was excited, it sounded like a great way to spend half a year before the army.
In my time at Kol Ami I grow in maturity, socially, responsibility and I grew overall as a person.
The Kol Ami experience is one I recommend greatly. I believe it’s an amazing experience that everyone who has the possibility should do.

I’m an israeli who lived in America for 6 years. I came back to draft in the army and wanted a program that would prepare me for it. This mechina really helped with that. We’ve done many army prep things like south challenge and navigation week that really simulated the army experience. And for someone who isn’t drafting, it’s a great way to see what the army fuss is all about.

Aside from that, this program attracts amazing people and I’ve made friends for life.

Great program. Overall the program was great. Other than some flaws with support for kids that decide they want to draft in the army it is a bit hard but those are things they are working on every year and getting better at it. Overall it was amazing and I would recommend!!!!

I'm an Israeli that before drafting to the army decided that he wants a little more time to learn about things that usually we, Israelis, don't really think or learn about.
For me, opportunities is the best way to describe kol ami in a word.
In 6 month I have had opportunities to meet so many different people:
Jews from England, USA, Chile, South Africa, Australia; Israelis from all around the country; Germans; Palestinian who uses to be part of Hamas; 1 on 1 conversations with Ultra-Orthodox Jews; and much much more.
I also had the opportunity to learn things that I was never taught:
Jewdaism, leadership skills, how to talk against anti-israeli propoganda, politics, economy...
Im very happy that I joined kol ami, and it definitely changed my life, and I feel at a much better starting point then before. Unlike different programs, this place really gets you out of your bubble.
Its amazing how people from different countries, mentality, and beliefs can all live in the same place for 6 month and survive to tell. Of course there are difficulties, but we overcome them together.
If you want to challenge yourself and have a really meaningful experience, this is the place for you.
GL :)

Describing Kol Ami on a scale of 1-10 doesn’t do the program justice. The fun, challenging, educational, and crazy half year I’ve had included life long connections, interesting classes that taught me raw life skills, and best of all, strengthened my leadership abilities tremendously. There are many times that the program was challenging and made me doubt why I am here, but those moments were some of the main reasons why I feel like this is the best program for me, or anyone for that matter. Waking up early, working on our group dynamic, planning activities, and days that end late all are factors that were at first very difficult for me. After some time, it became easier and even natural for me to do these things and as the group dynamic improved I felt more and more like I belonged here. The main reason I highly recommend this program is because I look at anerixan gap year programs that my friends are on this year and see the amount of free time they have along with the less intense environment and used to get jealous, but quickly understood that I am always occupied, entertained, and learning here which is something that makes me so happy. I have met and made close connections with Israelis his year, have learned about myself and enjoyed being challegened the way I did. Again, I highly recommend this program. I have gained so much here with no regrets.

I am from London, United Kingdom. Mechina has been a very different experience to most Gap Year programmes. Although it has been challenging as a chulnik from abroad, I feel like I have immersed into Israeli culture, and have fully engaged with Israelis by living with them for 6 months.

Every programme has its ups and downs, but what I would say about mechina is that you go through downs together as a group. Because of the intense environment and social scene, you become a whole, experiencing and growing together.

If you're looking for a programme of psychical, social and academic challenges, this is the one for you. Be prepared to be creative with activities, learn in lots of lessons and grow through leadership skills.

The programme mixes between religious and secular, however if you are not used to being with people who keep nothing then I would suggest that you should apply to the Migdal Oz (Bnei Akiva) campus.

Our day to day schedule consists of lessons, committee time and activities. The programme is based on committees; where you organise and run what goes on. The committees include: Shabbat committee, content committee, trip committee, public relations committee and IDF committee. You are in charge of your experience, dependent on whether it is appropriate, and you can choose what happens in the mechina.

Kol Ami provides a chance to connect with people from all over the world, bonding over similarities and having interesting discussions over differences. From volunteering, to tiyulim, to survival challenges and exercise classes; there is so much to enjoy with Kol Ami.

If you're looking for a challenge then this is the place for you!!