The Mechina of the Northern Negev is a paragon one-year post highschool project for youth from Israel’s rural peripheries who have not had the opportunity to fulfill their innate potential.

In a 2006 study commissioned by the UJA NY Federation the Mechina Program of the Northern Negev received high marks on all indicators evaluated: the program was shown to strengthen students’ value systems, Jewish id identity, connections with family, and commitment to democracy entity, and contributing to society.

The study clearly determines that the program has succeeded in breaking new ground in terms of the target population to which it reaches out – one that other post-high school preparatory programs in Israel (around 30 in total) have not succeeded in contacting.