The Alma pre-military academy for girls opened in 2013, with a special, first-of-its-kind program to train and promote leadership among girls from the periphery. Many of the graduates assume significant positions in the IDF and later, in Israeli society. The main aim of the academy is to encourage the girls to understand just how far they can go, and to instill in them the strength to lead change. Keren Hayesod, through the Jewish Agency for Israel, supports the Alma academy along with another 22 pre-military academies around the country that help diverse sectors of the population prepare for meaningful positions in the IDF and contribute their skills to the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
These academies enable thousands of young people – new immigrants, youth from disadvantaged backgrounds, ultra-Orthodox Jews, Druse, Arabs and Bedouins as well as Diaspora Jews – to realize their potential, which, without frameworks like this, might not be fulfilled. For Keren Hayesod, an investment in young people is an investment in everyone’s future.
Photo: Alma pre-military academy, class of 2020