Me'ir - BBYO's year course programme

Click here to request a brochure for yourself or a friend!
Click here to view a Website from a previous BBYO year course

This is a one year programme for post A-level students, based in Israel. It consists of three months volunteering in a community development town, a week in the army (Gadna), six weeks following “your dream”: on a kibbutz, at yeshiva, or in a job related to a degree you are planning to undertake. Then the option of either the Machon or Megamot, both programmes are four months and involve a fantastic mix of learning about Jewish History, Israeli Society, Leadership Training and Hebrew Ulpan as well as exploring the country. There are also various educational seminars, weekends together and hikes all over Israel throughout the year.

Participants then return to form the future leadership of our organisation and the Jewish community at large. Nothing beats a gap-year in Israel with BBYO!

Link to the Jewish Agency Machon website

Quotes from previous Shnatties:

Next stop – Kibbutz Lotan (11/01/04)
"So we left Tsfat after three incredible months of teaching, learning and exploring. It was a very sad farewell but we certainly ended our time there in style, especially because of the gourmet meal we cooked for our co-ordinator!
Our Chofesh (holiday) time was spent in Eilat, with both of our families and lots of our friends. Camel riding, jeep safari, water sports, to name but a few of our activities.
Then we arrived at Kibbutz Lotan, our home for the month, in the Negev about 40 miles north of Eilat. Upon arrival we were shown around the Kibbutz by the Netzer boys who spent last month here and will spend this month living here with us. The Kibbutz is made up of about fifty members and lots of children and other volunteers. It is a progressive Kibbutz that aims to promote ‘Tikun Olam’ (repairing the world) with its Eco Park, made of recycled bits and bobs!
We were thrown in the deep end on our first working day by starting work at 5.45 in the Eco Park (where they make various things out of old bottles, cans, tyres) and the organic garden. Every morning we start the day by drinking some herbal tea and 'tuning in' - which involves all the eco volunteers standing in a circle, holding hands, closing our eyes and focussing our energies on the day ahead – while we stop ourselves falling asleep again! Since arriving at the Kibbutz we have built walls out of old tyres and mud, picked sweet potatoes, fixed a water irrigation system, painted the roof of a mud house with recycled oil... so its all very interesting and definitely different. We work until 9 then have an hour break for breakfast, then work again until 2 or 3, when the working day ends in time for lunch. From lunch onwards we are free and our weekends are also free.
Once a week we have ‘Yom Chinuch’ (education day), during which time we have programmes or tiyuls, and this weekend we have Shabbat Beyachad with the BBYO and Netzer Madrichim.
The Kibbutz, like any community, certainly has its problems but the people are so friendly and all have stories that could keep us both occupied for hours! Plus, we feel very lucky to work on such a unique Kibbutz, when else in our lives will we be making walls out of mud and tyres or waterproofing mud with fish oil?!
So we’re at Lotan until the beginning of February, when Machon starts in Jerusalem. We’ve both had a fantastic time so far … and could go on for a lot longer about our experiences so if you have any questions, e-mail either of us and we’d be happy to tell you more!
Happy New Year!
Love always,
Danica and Jude x x x"

15 people, 1 house, 3 months (1/12/03)
"So Judith and I have been in Israel for exactly three months as of today and thought it was about time we let you know a little of what we have been up to on our gap year. When we arrived three months ago we met the rest of the group (35 of us in total) and went to Ulpan Akiva, near Netanya, to learn Hebrew and get to know each other.
We spent two and a half weeks learning to read, write and speak Ivrit. We had the most incredible teacher who managed to handle all of the unique personalities in our group and actually get us to do some work! She was so nice that she had our whole group back to her house one evening for a pizza and pool party and has told us we are welcome at her house any time over our year here - a very generous woman! As well as the lessons, we also had various sessions about history, music, literature. In the evenings we had other activities such as Israeli dancing! Also had time to take advantage of the facilities at Ulpan, including the huge swimming pool and nice grounds. A great surprise whilst we were near Netanya was to go see a concert of Subliminal (Israeli rapper) - such a great atmosphere and loads of people!
After becoming fluent (well almost!) in Hebrew, we spent five amazing days in Jerusalem. We went on various tiyuls and spent Shabbat at the kotel. By this point we felt like one big group of 35, ready to face the challenges of volunteering and living together. We separated into movement groups living in flats in various development towns - AJ6 living in Shelomi, RSY and ULPSYNC Netzer living in Carmiel, Hanoar living in Biriya and us living in Sefad with Macabbi.
So on September 21st we got dropped off at our house in Sefad... 15 of us, the sight of one big house, for 3 months. After a few weeks of settling in, and many chugim, we became the 'Tsfattie Shnatties'! We have now been living in the house for almost three months and are reaching the end of our volunteering. I have been working in a secular junior high and high school, helping to teach English to all ages and abilities. Judith has done the same at a religious primary school and we both work at the absorption centre in the afternoons, helping to paint parts of the building, teach the kids English and do other activities with them. Teaching has been a real challenge but a very enjoyable one. Apart from the language barrier and culture differences (you wouldnt believe what they get away with at school here!), they are really nice students and it is a pleasure to help them learn English! The absorption centre has also given us many challenges, as many of them are so new to Israel that they also speak only limitied Ivrit. But the children are beautiful and very affectionate and you feel as if they really appreciate what we do for them.
We are continuing to learn Hebrew, from simply having to use it in our every day lives (and obviously whilst volunteering) and from Ulpan lessons, which we each have for two hours a week. On Tuesdays we have enrichment day when we have activities and trips around the North of Israel, usually as a big group of 35. We have done some great things, including hikes, bike rides and trips to places like Rosh Hanikra. On the weekends we are free to do our own thing and visit people and places around Israel. I am lucky enough to have cousins in Tsfat, so I have spent lots of time with them but we have also been on trips to stay with the other English volunteers and we still have a few more trips planned.
Communal living - hard to describe what it is like living with 14 other people. I think I can best describe it by saying there is never a dull moment! There is always something going on in the house (even when you are trying to sleep) - whether it be an argument, a water fight, a house prank or just people listening to music! We adapted quite quickly and learnt how to get everything done without too many arguments but life can get a bit stifling when you just want alone time and there are so many other people around all the time. On the upside, I have made really good friends and have learnt how to look after myself a lot more than I ever have done before. I also have plenty of funny stories to tell my grandchildren when I am older!!!
We leave Tsfat in three weeks, which will be very sad because it is so beautiful here and the people are so friendly. But we are looking forward to seeing our families and friends in Eilat and also to going to Kibbutz Lotun, where we will spend the month of January. Time has gone so quickly and the rest will only go quicker. We have seen and learnt so much, met so many people and feel very lucky to get to spend such an exciting year in such a special country.
Hope that has given you a bit of an insight into our lives out here in Israel ...
L'hitraot,
Danica and Jude"

Blake-Ezra Cole National President 2000-2001
"Hey to BBYO England and Ireland! My name is Blake-Ezra Cole and I am currently on Machon in Israel this year. BBYO means a lot to me- I was Bournemouth Chapter President in 99-00 and National President in 00-01. For that reason I am very happy to be taking my year out with BBYO- on a great scheme in Israel. We are learning lots here that we ultimately hope will assist to better BBYO in every way so that it is the best movement possible and all of you enjoy it as much as you can! Machon is, so far, an amazing course and a great learning experience and I would recommend it to anybody considering going! L'hitra'ot!"

Caron Kemp National President 1999-2000
"I started BBYO when i was 12, and went along to Pinner chapter every Wednesday night. Soon I was hooked and in 1997 went on ETC, which was a wicked event. I came back and stood for Educations Officer, and after doing that for a year and going on many events including CLTC and DLTC in 1999 I took on the position of Pinner President for a year - followed of course by one of the best summers of my life, Israel tour. Being National President the following year was unbelievable for me, and I made some of the best friends ever. The opportunities I had were just raaa, and I'll never forget the exec meeting we decided to have in our pyjamas, and our trip to Euston station for lunch with everyone thinking we were mad - to bo fair they weren't that wrong! So post Atid, second timers tour, and the dreaded A-Level year, here I am taking a gap year and on machon. I am having an amzing time, the people are lovely, the lectures are unparalleled and I am learning loads. The only scary part is just how quickly it's going. I remember being told before I left that it would fly by and it really is, but in the meantime I've had the opporunity to create some very special moments which I won't forget - and we still have a lot to look forward too. We're going to karmiel in january to teach English at the schools there, so I'm trying to brush up on my Hebrew just now to prepare me. I mean, I can ask where the toilet is, but I think I need to know more than just that! So there it is, one of the bbyo machon 9 out here during a really difficult year in Israel, and very proud to be here. I am glad I came and am part of what is going on. Life out here isn't just what you see on the TV and having the chance to actually live here at this time is soemthing I am very grateful for. L'hitraot, shalom (oh yeah I can say that too :-) ) Caron x"