Timetable: 05:00-05:45 Wake up and snack 06:00-11:00 Agricultural work (half an hour break’s at 08:30 for breakfast and rest) 11:00-13:00 Rest and lunch 13:00-16:30 Matriculation exam studies (two lessons, 1.5 hours each) 16:30-18:00 Learning centers / leisure time 18:00-18:30 Supper 18:30-20:00 Enrichment activities 20:00-22:00 Leisure time, study time, etc. 22:00 Lights out.
Classes are organized according to the students’ age. All other activities take place in mixed age groups.
Over 90% of our students in each Program successfully pass their matriculation exams.
Yes. The help our students are able to give farmers is essential. All the farmers involved in our programs know they can rely on Leaders of the Land to act as a ‘safety net’ in the event that they need help during the growing season. Farmers are to be found out in the fields with students, working with them and guiding them, acting as role models. Agricultural work requires a serious and professional approach. The duty roster is set daily by one of our instructors. We do our best to maintain the balance between the need for learning and gaining expertise in agricultural work, and the need to experience varied agricultural tasks. These different tasks vary in their level of difficulty, but all are basically suited for our students. There is no work with pesticides or high above ground level. All the students’ agricultural tasks are approved by the Ministry of Education and by our own Safety Officer. All students are personally insured. Travel to and from the fields occurs in program-owned approved vehicles, students are accompanied by instructors, and safety regulations are strictly maintained.
Yes. Some 5-10 percent of our students are local to the school area, as our schools offer an educational alternative to local schools. We make special point of ensuring that the majority of our students come from all across Israel, and not just from the immediate vicinity. Although in principle, boarding is required, we do allow local students to choose one or two nights a week when they may sleep at home. In practice, even though this is an option, we have found that most students choose not to use it, preferring to stay close to their school friends throughout the week. Transportation to and from the school is by public transport or by the students’ parents, coordinated with the program’s instructors. We encourage local youth to act as guides in their local youth organizations on one afternoon a week, providing this is coordinated in advance. In any event, such decisions are also dependent on the wishes and judgment of the local youth organizations themselves.
Our professional teachers are approved by all the appropriate Ministry of Education criteria. Our instructors are selected on the basis of prior acquaintance. Our staff undergo various educational training courses throughout the year and are accompanied by both a social worker and an educational counselor; they also take part in the Ministry of Education training courses. HaShomer HaChadash’s Department of Education, Research and Development accompanies and monitors all our programs.
Yes. Our instructors live in the boarding school with the students and are readily accessible in and when necessary.
Yes. The investment in each of our students is very high, and the agricultural work helps us fund some 20% of the costs. We also see educational value in the fact the students are aware that their work partially funds and contributes to their school, and that funding does not come only from parents and the Ministry of Education.
Both head-teachers and instructors work with each student on a personal basis throughout the year. In addition, the program works with both a social worker and an educational counselor who guide the staff and offer further help where needed. We are in constant touch with parents, and they are partners in the education process. All our teachers are here to help, and students with learning difficulties receive further assistance in our learning centers. The responsibility lies with the pupil. A student who invests time and acts responsibly will get all the help they need. In addition, the students themselves are also constantly helping one another.
We encourage all our students to serve in a meaningful way in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and thereby contribute to Israel’s security. All our schools discuss the values of enlisting in the army, but other relevant activities vary among the schools. Some offer military readiness and fitness training, some conduct talks from time to time on related subjects. Some classes even undergo part of the checks and tests of the army induction process together in groups. We continue to offer support and guidance during student’s military service, and help in dealing with specific problems.
The Program costs approximately 1,200 NIS a month for 12 months, plus an annual payment of 1,000 NIS for those who require weekly transportation from Hazeva to Be’er Sheva, and an additional 320 NIS for textbooks. Scholarships are available via the Ministry of Education (through Aliyat Ha'Noar) or our mother-organization, HaShomer HaChadash. We believe that no student should have to forgo participating in the program because of their inability to pay the tuition fees.
