Dati-Leumi program for Israeli boy age 18

amother

OP ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 8:23 am

Son just graduated from an Amit high school in the Mercaz. He has a medical ptor from the army due to serious medical condition, but is planning to volunteer (in an office-based role). He wants to do something a little like a Dati-leumi mechina for a year before volunteering, but without the intense physical component which would not be suitable. Also can't be in a remote location. A very intelligent boy, looking for a program centered on Torah but with other elements as well , with a strong Zionist philosophy (Rav Kook etc). In Hebrew obv.
Could be in Tel Aviv area, Yerushalayim, or other area with easy transportation from center. Could be part or full time.

amother

Vermilion ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 8:50 am

You can join a yeshivat hesder even if not drafting. If that's relevant. My son did that in Maaleh Adumim.

I'm not 100% clear what hashkafa he's looking for, but there are yeshivot gvohot like merkaz Harav, har hamor, bet el. Or perhaps a mechina like Eli.

This is for this coming year? Why didn't his high school help him find something?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 9:02 am

amother Vermilion wrote:

This is for this coming year? Why didn't his high school help him find something?

This was a sudden medical change only some months ago. Until then he had been planning to go to a pre-army mechina.

amother

↑ Vermilion ↓

Wed, Aug 14 2024, 9:18 am

tree of life wrote:

Shurut lumi for boys

She said he's volunteering in the army, and is looking for an appropriate placement for the year before the army.

Sherut Leumi isn't what he needs.

amother

↑ OP

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 7:09 am

amother Vermilion wrote:

You can join a yeshivat hesder even if not drafting.

In that case, what would be the difference between a yeshivat hesder and a yeshiva gedola?

amother

↑ Vermilion

Thu, Aug 15 2024, 7:20 am

amother OP wrote:

In that case, what would be the difference between a yeshivat hesder and a yeshiva gedola?

I can't promise that all yeshivot hesder will accommodate, but I think most, if not all, will.

In the case of a kid who's not drafting they just enroll in the yeshiva and don't do the chiyul part with their friends. My son's yeshiva was very flexible in terms of what my son did while his friends went to the army. In practice he did sherut leumi and moved out of the dorm (it made sense for him to live at home and commute to his sherut). We continued to pay tuition voluntarily during that time (because they do take tuition from the army kids), but they would have been okay if we hadn't.

There are also kids who do the army but aren't kravi, they also separate from their hesder friends while in the army. If your son is interested in a yeshivat hesder, it's worth reaching out to them and asking if they can accommodate him. My guess is that at this point the biggest impediment to their accepting him would be if they don't have more space for this coming zman.