To fully understand Israeli society, and to meet their Israeli peers, FZY believes that it is essential that every chanich/a has a significant interaction with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Every Israeli at the age of 18 gives two (for women) or three (for men) years of their lives to serve in the IDF and as such, a critical part of the FZY year is to meet with and experience life in the army. At no point are FZY chanichim members of the IDF or liable for any service of any description, rather they are volunteering and experiencing the life of a soldier of their own age.
FZY offers three exciting programmes, Sar-El, Marva and Dakar. They are designed to expose chanichim to the complexities of the problems and challenges facing the Israeli Army, and the role of the IDF within the framework of Israeli Society. As part of the Israel Experience section of Year Course, all FZY chanichim will have an army experience. Year Course chanichim may choose between Sar-El, Marva and Dakar.
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Sar-El: The National Project for Volunteers
Sar-El is a voluntary organisation providing people from abroad of all ages with an opportunity to volunteer on an IDF base doing routine, but important tasks. The chanichim are stationed throughout the country and they live in the same conditions as Israeli reservists. The period of the volunteering varies, but is approximately two to three weeks in length and many other activities are provided to complement the work. These include lectures and other cultural activities which are provided in the evening.
Marva
Marva is a programme that consists of a two months simulated training programme. Chanichim doing Marva are not doing Army service and are in no way part of the IDF. Components of the programme include training, hikes and marches, history of the IDF, living in field conditions (no bathrooms or showers), camouflage, topography, physical fitness and extensive education programmes. The Marva programme is conducted in Hebrew and chanichim are subject to a type of discipline and time constraints that they will not experience in any other part of the programme. The chanichim will participate with other young people from all over the world. The programme is an exciting and demanding one that is mentally challenging to chanichim.
Dakar: Navy
Based out of a naval base in Acco, Year Coursers will join up with an Israeli nautical college which prepares young Israelis to become officers in the navy. With these future naval officers, Year Course participants will take part in their programming which includes three major areas; a sea component, a land section and a volunteering element.
The sea component includes learning about the basic aspects of boats (row boats, sail boats and ships), how to put up sails, tie knots, and command and navigate a vessel. Participants will also have a tour of naval bases learning about the different aspects of the Israeli Navy (ships, submarines, soldiers, etc.). The land section will involve participating in physical training, army treks, land navigation, leadership training and tours throughout the north of Israel. The volunteering element includes tutoring the Israeli students in English and other subjects through both formal and informal sessions. The final week Dakar participants will have a week on the sea and will finish the course with a basic sailing qualification. |
