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Kol Ami

Kol Ami

4.73 Rating
49 reviews
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Why choose Kol Ami?

Kol Ami is a life changing leadership program operated by the Jewish Agency for both Israelis and Jews from around the world. We strive to forge a deep, meaningful, and lasting connection amongst the next generation of Jews.

Our participants come from different backgrounds - religious, secular, and everything in between. During the program, develop deep friendships, while exploring Israel, volunteering, learning, and living together as a community. Classes focus on the concept of Jewish Peoplehood, a topic that involves discussions and personal thinking.

Website
www.kolami.org.il
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Community Photos

Kibbutz Amir Kol Ami/ Galil Elyon
Shabbat
Cutting a closet into a half
Jordan trip
From our Golan trip
Picking kiwis in kibbutz baram
golan trip

Reviews

Default avatar
Naama
21
Female
Israel
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Kol Ami Mechina Leadership Gap Year in Israel

Gal-Il program

Oct 24, 2021

I love this program! It is different and crazy and intense and funny all at once. I got to know amazing people here, we go through a-lot together, we learn and play and laugh and cry together. The program is very interesting, we have great lecturers, lessons, activities, we travel and go on adventures and all of that in such a short amount of time. I believe this program will benefit me and all my friends a lot, we will be prepared for life and for the army, will gain skills, abilities and powers that we will carry along for a long long time. I really suggest to do that, if you are curious to learn, to become a better version of yourself, to develop and open your mind.

Shabbat
Default avatar
ilay
Male
Israel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Kol Ami Mechina Leadership Gap Year in Israel

Machine in general

Oct 24, 2021
Default avatar
Ben
22
Male
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Kol Ami Mechina Leadership Gap Year in Israel

Kibbutz Amir Kol Ami/Gilil Elyon

Oct 24, 2021

Overall the experience I have had so far has been great. It’s a huge way to build your resume. Personally I took it as a way to mature and create connections with people. Overall this has worked very well with my overall views of making connections and mature in a great way in a different place then you usually are in, it takes you out of your comfort zone. Personally I think this program helps with people making a mature way of learning and helps you grow as a person as well. Hopefully by reading this you find interest in joining and coming to the mechinas.

Kibbutz Amir Kol Ami/ Galil Elyon
Default avatar
Yuval
22
Male
United States
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Kol Ami Mechina Leadership Gap Year in Israel

Mechina Galil Elyon

Oct 24, 2021

I’m just finishing my second month at Kibbutz Amir. The mechina I am in is a mix of mechina Galil Elyon and Kol Ami. It has been absolutely fantastic so far. We have a very intense schedule and are constantly doing things but it is amazing. If you were to tell past me how much I’d be cleaning I’d say it doesn’t sound fun or meaningful but everything is done in really the perfect leadership way. Almost all of what we do in the mechina is led and planned by the chanichim. Recommend strongly to anyone who is willing to put in effort and not just lazy fun.

What was your funniest moment?
Navigations trip where we learned how to navigate in the field alone.
Default avatar
Hadar
21
Female
Israel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
Kol Ami Mechina Leadership Gap Year in Israel

The mechina!

Oct 24, 2021

This program is the best program, it’s help you to know Israeli mentally, meet new friends and learn more about yourself. It also helps you learn about how you work best in a group as well as how you can benefit groups with what you know best. Connecting with others from different places are a lot of fun and you really get to learn how other people similar to you live there life. The connections are one of the best parts of coming to a mechina. These are your forever friends and the bonds are amazing

What was your funniest moment?
At the first day me and another 2 boys washed the dishes, and it’s something that supposed to be not fun but it was so funny and we just couldn’t stop laughing
Jordan trip
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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Shani Ofir

Program
Kol Ami Mechina Leadership Gap Year in Israel
Shani Ofir

Why did you choose this program?

I finished school at July and was going to start the army in March so I had a lot of time to spare, so instead of just working and chilling like most teens my age, I decided to go to a half-year Mechina. Since I’m a fluent English speaker and have a strong connection to diaspora Jews when I heard about the Kol Ami program, I knew it was the one for me.

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The program sent us a list before the Mechina started of what we needed to bring; we had beds and mattresses already there. They also organized our Rav-Kav (public transportation card) and had a 3 prep days before the Mechina to clean and organize the Mechina, as well as bond before the program properly starts.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

I’d recommend bringing snacks to make sitting in the Zula (our hang out spot) more fun, bringing good pillows and cute decorations for your bedroom. Also. a mirror is crucial, so you should really bring one!

Other than that, make sure you have enough clothes for 12 days at a time, plenty of sports clothes, and a reusable bottle of water.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

The average day starts at 6am if there’s a morning workout, or 7am if there isn’t. We have Boker Tov, which is a fun morning activity a participant makes, and then we have different lessons, volunteering and committee/project times.

At night after dinner, we have Family Time, which is with the Madrichim, and is a conclusion of the day and a fun activity. The days are long and intense, but very productive.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was really scared of not enjoying community life aspect of Mechina.

It takes time to get used to living with 30 other people, but eventually it works. We fight and things don’t work out perfectly most of the time, but you learn how to deal with people and adjust to your environment, which is an incredible skill to have for life.

How hard is the Hebrew/English adjustment?

It’s not easy - some Israelis have a hard time with the English and some overseas Jews have a hard time with the Hebrew. The first 3 months are entirely in English, which makes the overseas participants more comfortable socially and improves the Israelis' English. After 3 months, the program switches to Hebrew and then it’s the same, but opposite.