חיברותא - בית שאן והעמק (ע"ר)

Chivruta Beit She’an and the Emek was founded in 2005 by social activists who live in Emek HaMa’ayanot and Beit She’an, with the goal of bringing about the development, growth and empowerment of the region. The organization realizes this important goal by establishing and running educational programs for youth who come to the region from all over the contry. The educational programs are active in bridging and creating discussion between various parts of Israeli society and they lead a dialogue of values and identity on issues of leadership, Zionism and Israeli Judaism. In addition, the young participants are active in the communities of the Emek and Beit She’an in the areas of welfare, community, education and agriculture, with the aim of bringing communal and social empowerment and to generate growth in the entire region. The educational programs which the organization runs promote leadership education and social responsibility while integrating activity in the community, work in agriculture, a return to group living and learning that leads to action. Chivruta and its programs actively confront and challenge the increasing alienation between Israeli youth and working the land, life in the periphery, the values of Zionism and the basis of solidarity in society, and it integrates in its programs the basic values upon which Israeli society rests – working the land, settlement, inter-sector dialogue, mutual responsibility, group living, and learning the values of leadership, identity, Zionism and Jewish Israeli identity. The organization bound its fate together with the future of Emek Hama’ayanot and acts in complete cooperation with the relevant factors in the region to turn it into a proud periphery and to advance the Emek on many levels – agriculture, settlement, education and welfare, society and community, based on a vision of educational, pioneering and Zionist values. :Mechinat Ha'Emek (pre-army preparatory program) A mixed pre-army preparatory program for youth who have completed the twelfth grade; religious and secular, girls and boys who are interested in having a significant service in the army and in society. The Mechina provides a unique possibility to crystallize a value based personal and group identity, to acquire skills, develop leadership and widen horizons, and enables the participants to cope with the challenges involved in action that contributes to society, education and the army, in Israeli society and the Jewish people at large. The Mechina encourages education towards active social involvement and entrepreneurship and its participants are active in a variety of institutions and communities in the Emek. :Agriculture in the Emek A pioneering educational program designed for those who have completed the army and National Service and integrates agriculture, group living, involvement in the community and the study of issues about Zionism, Judaism and society. The program strives to connect youth who have completed military service with concepts of a quality value-based discourse and with rooted Zionist activity including manual agricultural labor and integration in veteran communities in the Emek. :Communites of Graduates in the Emek Communities of young adults who choose to live in Emek HaMa’ayanot and to be active in social and community fields in the communities of the Emek. The Student Community in the Emek – Students who live as an active group in a kibbutz in the Emek. The students volunteer and initiate activities among children and youth, elders and young adults with the goal of expediting settlement in the community and making it young, prominent and attractive. Choosing the Emek – communities of young adults who are program graduates, which crystallize into long-term, mission-oriented settlement nuclei. The young adults live as a community and receive support which includes accompaniment consisting of studies of Judaism, society and Zionism, and occupational and social guidance. Doing Good in the Emek: A program of community action which was founded to strengthen the population of the Emek HaMa’ayanot and Beit She’an by empowering weaker parts of the populations in society. Chivruta, which devotes itself to community action as a leading value, runs the activities of 200 young people a year through this program; they volunteer in settlements, institutions and organizations throughout the Emek and Beit She’an. They do educational, social and community activities with children and young people in formal and informal education, with elders, disabled people and those with special needs, in cooperation with the communities of the Emek settlements. Thus, a special relationship is created which empowers and enriches both sides.