Expanding the horizon

Expanding Horizons, Building Futures We are the 14th cohort of the Hannaton Pre-Army Academy (Mechina). As part of our year of learning and growth, we wanted to create a social initiative that gives back and leaves a meaningful impact. Through our shared experiences this year, including the perspectives of cohort members from Kiryat Shmona, the Upper Galilee, and other peripheral communities, we identified an existing need: many young people in Israel’s periphery are not lacking talent or potential, but exposure to opportunity, role models, and the belief that broader possibilities exist for their future. Our initiative aims to help bridge that gap by creating meaningful encounters that expand horizons, strengthen self-confidence, and inspire leadership, purpose, and a broader sense of what is possible. We are raising 10,000 NIS to help bring this vision to life. Our Initiative: Building Connection, Exposure, and Future Pathways As part of this project, we are organizing a two-day initiative in Kiryat Shmona for high school sophomores and juniors from the region. The first day will be a conference designed to expose participants to a wider range of opportunities through lectures, conversations, and roundtable discussions with army officers, professionals, and young adults from diverse paths of service and leadership. Our goal is to help participants better understand the options available to them and imagine new possibilities for their own futures. The second day will focus on shared volunteering and group-building between participants and our own Mechina cohort, creating real relationships rather than a one-time event. This initiative is rooted in our belief that meaningful change happens through connection. Beyond these two days, we hope to remain in contact with participants as mentors and