Meitzar Academy

for Leadership and Social Responsibility

Meitzar Academy for Leadership and Social Responsibility

Location: Moshav Meitzar on the southern Golan Heights

Dates: September-June (10 months)

Level of Religious Observance: Pluralistic

Gender: Co-ed

Program Language: Hebrew

What is The Meitzar Academy?

The Meitzar Academy for Leadership and Social Responsibility is a nonprofit organization aiming to educate students towards showing initiative, taking responsibility and enhancing leadership, in order to build a model Jewish and democratic society in Israel.

How was Meitzar invented?

The Meitzar Academy was established in 1998, at Kibbutz Meitzar on the southern Golan Heights, by the regional municipality and residents of the first settlements in the Golan Heights, who set the goal of establishing an organization based on the values of Zionism, leadership and social responsibility. Members of the foundation's board today are key public figures in the Golan community.

Today, the Meitzar Academy is educating its 20th class of 86 young men and women. It has become one of the most sought-after pre-military programs, as many young people are drawn to its ideals and program and request to take part in this important and meaningful experience.

Who goes to Meitzar?

The Meitzar Academy students are high school graduates from all over Israel who have chosen to postpone their enlistment to the IDF and spend a "Mechina" year acquiring skills and knowledge that will enable them to shape their identity, and prepare them for a more meaningful and purposeful life as responsible citizens of Israel.

The Meitzar Academy's students are highly committed and highly motivated, working day and night on their academic studies, community projects and self-management of their communal lifestyle, as well as meeting the expectations and goals set for them within the brief span of a year.

As of today, 1000 graduates are fulfilling the Meitzar Academy values and vision through extensive social activity in a multitude of areas and they represent a great hope for the future of Israeli society.

The Meitzar Academy sees itself not only as a pre-military educational framework for developing leadership and social responsibility, it also strives to have a significant and meaningful on-going relationship with its graduates and has developed an Alumni Association in order to achieve this goal.