Garin Tzabar
Encyclopedia
Garin Tzabar is a program that facilitates service in the Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) for children of Israelis and Diaspora
Jews not living in Israel
.
but who have no immediate family in Israel are called "lone soldiers". Garin Tzabar was formed in order to provide a support system for such soldiers.
", is used in Israel to mean a native-born Israeli Jew.
, but it also receives money from the Jewish Agency for Israel
and private donors.
. A series of five seminars is designed to:
Upon arrival in Israel, participants are placed on a hosting kibbutz
. The first three months prior to basic training include:
In addition to Garin Tzabar staff, soldiers and educators from the IDF
and teachers from the Ministry of Education assist with the transition.
Each individual begins his or her military service according to the schedule arranged by the IDF
.
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF) for children of Israelis and Diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
Jews not living in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
Background
Soldiers who come to Israel to serve in the IDFIsrael Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
but who have no immediate family in Israel are called "lone soldiers". Garin Tzabar was formed in order to provide a support system for such soldiers.
Etymology
In Hebrew, Garin means “core” or “seed”. Aside from its literal use, the word is also used in Israel to refer to a group of people who moved to Israel together. The Hebrew word Tzabar, translated in English as "sabraSabra
Sabra may refer to:*Sabra and Shatila massacre, a 1982 massacre in Lebanon**Sabra refugee camp, former Palestinian refugee camp, part of the scene of the above massacre*Sabra , a native-born Israeli JewSABRA...
", is used in Israel to mean a native-born Israeli Jew.
Organization
Garin Tzabar was founded by the Friends of Israel Scouts, Inc. in 1991 and is currently under its auspices. The program is largely funded by Israel's Ministry of Immigrant AbsorptionImmigrant Absorption Minister of Israel
The Ministry of Immigrant Absorption of Israel , known until 1951 as the Ministry of Immigration , a ministry in the Israeli government.In co-ordination with local authorities, the Ministry is responsible for new immigrants for three weeks after they arrive...
, but it also receives money from the Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel , also known as the Sochnut or JAFI, served as the organization in charge of immigration and absorption of Jews from the Diaspora into the state of Israel.-History:...
and private donors.
The Program
The members of Garin Tzabar begin their orientation in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A series of five seminars is designed to:
- Facilitate discussion among prospective participants about the decision they plan to make
- Impart logistic information regarding the program, military service, and AliyahAliyahAliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
to Israel, - Provide a forum to practice Hebrew
- Build a strong and cohesive group that will serve as a support system to program participants once they arrive in Israel
Upon arrival in Israel, participants are placed on a hosting kibbutz
Kibbutz
A kibbutz is a collective community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches, including industrial plants and high-tech enterprises. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism...
. The first three months prior to basic training include:
- Teaching of the Hebrew language (under UlpanUlpanAn ulpan is an institute or school for the intensive study of Hebrew. Ulpan is a Hebrew word meaning basically studio or teaching, instruction....
) - Pre-draft logistics such as a physical exam, mental-psychological fitness testing, and an interview with the IDFIsrael Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
- Acclimation to Israeli history, geography, and culture
In addition to Garin Tzabar staff, soldiers and educators from the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
and teachers from the Ministry of Education assist with the transition.
Each individual begins his or her military service according to the schedule arranged by the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
.
External links
- The Jewish Journal, June 2008: http://www.jewishjournal.com/graduation/article/outstanding_seniors_class_of_2008_20080604/
- Cleveland Jewish News, May 2008: http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2008/05/30/news/local/graduate0530.txt
- The Jewish Exponent, February 2008: http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/15267/
- Yediot Ahronot, August 2006: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3293328,00.html