About us

General Background

The Upper Galilee Leadership Institute program was founded in late 1998 at Kibbutz Maayan Baruch. Israel was in the midst of a social crisis, which deepened after the assassination of the late prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin. The overall aim of the program is to develop youth with value-oriented leadership that can lead our country to a better tomorrow. For this purpose, we developed a unique educational framework that offers high school graduates a rare opportunity to take a yearlong break from the rush of life in-order to concentrate on the development of their character and abilities to act on behalf of themselves and the society. We currently work with 140 pupils a year in three locations along the border with Lebanon in the Upper Galilee: Maayan Baruch, Baram, and Kfar Hanassi..

The Participants

Our program emphasizes the cultivation of learning and thinking as individuals, who also know how to communicate and act for the benefit of the people and the community that surrounds them. The program has an in-depth curriculum that aims to expand each participant knowledge, awareness, and concern for the world around them. The curriculum includes numerous activities with the surrounding upper Galilee community, the founding and development of leadership skills, direct contact with the landscapes of Israel, and acquaintance with different populations throughout Israel.

Main Goals

The main goal of the program is to help the participants develop independence, critical thinking skills, and have them investigate questions about their identity as individuals, as Jews and as Zionist Israelis. We also strive to prepare our pupils for a meaningful military service in commander and officer positions by developing their capability of undertaking challenges, for the sake of a better future for our people. 

About Us

General Overview of the Program Components

Our program emphasizes the cultivation of learning and thinking individuals, who also know how to communicate with the people around them and act for their benefit. The program has an in-depth curriculum that aims to expand each participants knowledge, awareness, and concern for the world around them. The curriculum includes numerous activities with the surrounding upper Galilee community, the founding and development of leadership skills, direct contact with the landscapes of Israel, and acquaintance with different populations throughout Israel.

Introduction to a Wide Range of New Acquaintances and Experiences

The Value of Giving and Volunteering in the Program

The Leadership Institute Association and the Management Team

Annual Cost

The overall annual cost of the program is approximately NIS 3.5 million. Our main sources of funding are the Ministries of Education and Defense, Upper Galilee Regional Council, and tuition (about NIS 11,000 per year per participant, we try to ease the burden for those whose families have difficulty paying this fee). 

Short- and Medium Term Plans and Needs

1 After nearly 20 years of successful activity, in which we established the Leadership Institute as a well respected and highly desired educational program, the time has come to settle in permanent sites. We currently rent sites in three locations on a temporary basis. Thus we have set ourselves a primary goal of finding funds to establish our permanence and continuity. 

2 We seek to increase our sources of funding in order to develop the programs staffed by program graduates and other young people, which will enable us to continue to support and empower our graduates and further strengthen the Galilee. 

3 We want to establish a scholarship fund for candidates from low socioeconomic backgrounds to give them an equal opportunity to enhance their personal abilities and develop their potential leaders for their communities of origin. 

Subscription

A preliminary connection with me, and then contact one of the group coordinators and a current student who is from overseas who can explain about the program. Given there is an interest in the program there will then be an interview. The acceptance process, until the start of the year, must include meeting the student or the parents of the student on the campus of the leadership institute program. Registration for the leadership institute program is done through the Yachad program coordinators by email: yachadcoordinator@gmail.com .  

For Who is the Program Suited For

The program is suited for high school graduates from all over the country who are looking for a place where they will be encouraged to learn, get stronger, and develop through hard work and personal activism. Even if you don’t believe that you can change the world, all you need is a few sparks of ambition and motivation and we will take care of the rest. Together we will work on the faith in our abilities… Our program treat the students as full partners in their journey throughout the year. It put the students in a complex place where they are responsible for everything that goes on around them. Every year we get a wide range of students that come  from a wide range of backgrounds.  