It was close to three decades ago that the first so-called ‘mechina yeshiva’ opened its doors in Yishuv Eli in the Shomron. Today, Bnei David has become a legend, for it has produced the backbone of some of the most elite IDF combat units as it has graduated over 2,000 talmidim, many going on to become officers. Bnei David graduates can be found in all branches of the military, but the majority are in elite infantry and reconnaissance units.
It was back then that leading rabbonim in the dati leumi community warned that the mechinot marked the beginning of the destruction of the hesder yeshivot, as the latter placed an emphasis on limud Torah accompanied by a minimum IDF service whereas the former placed the emphasis on military service, not geared to producing rabbonim of dati leumi bnei torah but more interested in having high-ranking officers wearing kipot in the future.
Time has passed and statistics prove the rabbonim who heeded the warning correct and the hesder programs have waned, some closing their doors, whereas the mechinot are blossoming – boasting 54 mechinot nationwide today.
With Elul upon us it is reported that 3,600 youths will be entering mechina programs this year, representing a 94% increase over the past eight years as the majority of the dati leumi world is clearly more interested in becoming an IDF fighter and not a ‘beinish’ (ben torah), the name given to hesder yeshiva students serving in the IDF. Sadly, even the Bnei David role model has been diluted and of the 54 mechina programs, 47% are mixed gender and secular, not yeshivot at all but simply preparatory programs to prepare one for entry into the IDF.
Today, there are also mechinot for the Druse and chareidi sectors as well, in addition to mechinot for new immigrants and religious dati leumi girls.
Boasting success it is cited that 80% of mechina graduates opt for a combat position in the IDF as opposed to 45% in the general sector among boys. The mechinot add that among girls, 20% enter officers training as opposed to the general population females with only 6%. Regarding males, 11% of mechina graduates enter officers training as opposed to 5% of the regular population males. Hence, the mechina programs are boasting success as their goal is to produce a more motivated IDF soldier and patriot.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
The “so-called ‘mechina yeshiva’” in the words of the author are just as bad as so-called ‘hesder yeshivas’.
Zo neveila vezo tereifa.
Why should the yesiva oilam care about this?
As a former Hesder “Beinish”, I see nothing wrong with mechinot. When the Hesder program was initiated, the idea was to allow students the option of a shortened combat service in order to allow them to learn in Yeshiva. While this is an amazing program, it should only be utilized by those who actually want to learn. Anyone who goes to a Hesder yeshiva and does not learn is doing a disservice to society and is essentially wasting army resources and causing a great Chilul Hashem.
Before Mechinot existed, those who were not interested in learning would either go into the army right after high school or they would go to a Hesder yeshiva and waste time. The Mechina gave them another option. Where a Hesder yeshiva was a regular yeshiva (Gemara, Mussar etc.), the Mechina would have dedicated time for classes on what it means to be a religious soldier and emmunah within the army. Those who have aspirations to go into special forces units or officers training gain a lot from mechinot.
stam_a_yid, the mechinot strengthen Jewish observance and commitment among men who might normally go secular in response to the challenges of army life. Neither neveila nor tereifa. Avodat kodesh is more like it.
Nonsense. Three decades ago there were a handful of Hesder yeshivas. Today there are over 60, in addition to several non-Hesder D”L yeshivas such as Merkaz Harav etc.
As for those of the mechinot that are not religious and that serve chiloni youth: what do they have to do with the issue? Is the author seriously proposing that a chiloni who attends a non-religious mechina would otherwise have chosen to attend a Hesder yeshiva?
oy vey, the Zionists are even succeeding in getting our youth that are religious bad enough they took so many from us in the past. We need a kinus on the Zionists.