By Gloria Averbuch
When the group of students at the new AMIT Leadership Training Program for Young Women chose an inspirational name for the inaugural class, they set the tone for success. They called the program Mechinat Ori, the word “Ori” means “my light.” The name encapsulates the Mechina’s central focus: teaching each participant to find and develop her own strengths and abilities.
The 20 students, who come from a background of poverty and narrow horizons, named the program for its aspirational possibilities. And they came to exemplify the program’s goals of success and self-reliance. In addition, they exhibited the character development that includes involvement in the community, as well as giving back to others. Thus, these students are a shining example as the first class of Mechinat Ori, part of the AMIT Gloria and Henry I. Zeisel and Family Junior College, located at AMIT Kfar Blatt Youth Village in Petach Tikvah.
Like those in 70 percent of AMIT schools, these students have much to overcome. Forty percent of the first-year graduates are from the adjacent AMIT Kfar Blatt Youth Village; another 30 percent are graduates of AMIT’s Technological High School in Ramle. These are programs in areas which further AMIT’s mission to address underserved areas and their populations.
Personalized Guidance
The Mechinat Ori program is comprised of focused career and lifestyle components. A portion of the students’ day is spent studying an in-demand profession—either legal administration, in a one-year program, or industrial management, in a two-year program. The remainder of their day, they participate in a range of classes and enrichment activities that teach them valuable life skills.
The students learn about personal finance and budgeting and are engaged in a physical fitness program. Drama therapy classes teach them to explore and express their feelings, while also imparting skills for speaking in front of groups and in job interviews.
The program combines a study of technology to earn a professional certificate with a preparation program (mechina) for life and significant national service. Continuing their education at the Junior College prior to their national or IDF service is a significant step towards a brighter future, as the technological studies give the young women a viable professional skill while the lifestyle component fosters important personal development.
Mentorship is provided by a young couple on staff, a rabbi and rebbetzin, who serve as role models. They conduct classes in Jewish texts and values, empowerment, and sexual health and forming healthy relationships. The couple get to know the students on a personal level and serve as a source of advice and support.
Outside the Classroom
As part of the program, trips are held frequently, with the twin goals of deepening the participants’ knowledge of the Land of Israel and its history as well as developing their physical fitness, navigational skills, and organizational abilities.
Fostering independence is one of the program’s hallmarks, and the concept is built into the Mechina’s daily format. The young women live in three on-campus apartments, where they are responsible for cooking breakfast and dinner daily, while eating lunch in the communal dining room. They are given a budget to purchase food and supplies and learn to deal with the responsibilities of running their homes.
The head of Mechinat Ori, Pri-el Dahan, sums up the program’s first year, “Over the past eight months, besides the technical certificate they earned, our students have acquired significant life skills. These include dealing with difficulties, fitness training and navigating.”
Giving Back
In addition to the self-development that is at the heart of the program, the values and guidance students acquire also foster a sense of nedivoot (generosity).
The young women of the program volunteer with the younger students at Kfar Blatt, work with special needs students, and run holiday activities for the village. They advise the younger students, help motivate them with their studies, and oversee the planning of activities. This year, three students in their second year at the Junior College served as counselors to the first-year students. In exchange for a scholarship towards their studies and a small stipend, these counselors worked with the program staff to ensure the smooth running of the Mechina.
A Homemade Bat Mitzvah
A true test of educational success is how students independently actualize what they have learned. This was clearly illustrated by the first-year class. Set to celebrate graduation when the second wave of COVID-19 struck in June, the students decided on their own to create an alternative. With the endorsement of the staff, they organized a full Bat Mitzvah event for a young girl whose parents were unable to create a celebration for her.
The resourceful group raised funds; decorated the space; purchased, cooked and served the food; and created an artistic program—all while adhering to strict coronavirus restrictions, including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
Mechinat Ori graduate Ortal Dahan expresses the altruism and generosity that epitomize the AMIT education philosophy. She explains, “Throughout all our years at the Youth Village, we were educated about the importance of giving back to the community, and so it was only natural for us to feel that it was our duty to finish our period at the Village with an act of giving.”
Overcoming their challenging backgrounds and benefitting from the educational and emotional support they received in their AMIT high schools and at the Mechina, these students have a promising future. Thanks to Mechinat Ori, they are poised to enter the adult world as educated, empowered young women who are ready and able to create fulfilling lives as individuals and productive members of Israeli society.
