Israel by Choice is a 5 or 10 month programme beginning in February. The target market is high school graduates, who are not involved in a youth movement from Australia , New Zealand , South Africa and the United Kingdom ; who want to spend a creative gap year in Israel exploring the land, the people and their Jewish identity.
IBC is a leadership development program, where through a wide range of experiences participants will gain a deeper insight into Israeli society and the Jewish people. A dynamic and democratic environment will empower participants to participate in the design of their year and make important choices throughout the program. A strong emphasis is placed on the individual experience, freedom and space --- combined with the support and framework of the group.
The program consists of:
- Option blocks where participants will choose where
they want to spend their time volunteering, working or learning.
- Stimulating seminars , covering topics of Jewish
Identity, Israel Society, Israel advocacy and Zionism encourage participants
to explore the issues in an open and dynamic environment.
- Tiyulim are interwoven through the program bringing
the group together for a wide range of challenging experiences as they
discover Israeli geography, culture and history.
- Different encounters with different aspects of
Israeli society: different cultural groups, and social and cultural
fault lines.
- Experiencing the Mechina programme designed to
produce Israeli leaders of the future in a specially designed version
for South Africans and Australians
If there are a minimum of 12 participants interested in the 10 month option, it will be made available.
Read an Article by the Jewish Agency on IBC!
What is unique about Israel By Choice?
A key aspect of IBC is empowerment. IBC provides an opportunity for participants to explore their own boundaries and interests. Participants are involved in the design and direction of the programme throughout the year. Individual responsibility and group processes create a different dynamic and framework. Participants and staff of Yeladim Netivot work interdependently to facilitate these processes.
IBC places great importance on the interaction between participants and Israelis. This comes about through working side – by- side with Israelis on various volunteer options, or the unique relationship formed between participants and Israeli Students at a pre-army academy through joint programmes, shabbatot and tiyulim.