Welcome to Tzevet Mikey

On this page you will find everything you need to know before your first training sessions with Tzevet Mikey. Read it carefully, internalize and reach out if you have any questions. Good luck!

Now that you’ve passed the application and interview stage, you are about to begin your journey in Tzevet Mikey. So first let’s explain a bit about the background of Tzevet Mikey:

Tzevet Mikey is a pre-draft training program built by Lone Soldiers, for Lone Soldiers. We are here to build you up from whatever level you are coming to us at, to a successful IDF combat soldier who is a credit to your country and your unit. Tzevet Mikey was created in 2015 by Lone Soldiers, and is named after Michael Levin, a Lone Soldier in the Paratroopers from Philadelphia who fell in battle in the Second Lebanon War. 

Today, Tzevet Mikey is run exclusively by former Lone Soldiers. All of our instructors are veterans of combat units, many having served in special forces units and/or command positions. Most of the instructors were once participants in Tzevet Mikey before their draft, and now volunteer their time to help educate and train you: the next generation of Lone Soldiers. 

Joining Tzevet Mikey gives you an opportunity to not only prepare you for a successful combat service in the IDF, it also gives you a chance to meet and socialize with other participants who are in a similar mindset and stage in life as you are. 

Unlike any other pre-draft training group in Israel, Tzevet Mikey is free. However, we have a different price – consistent attendance. We’ll put in the work to help you improve as long as you put in the work for yourself. Consistent attendance to at least half the workouts is mandatory. Participants who have not met this standard will be removed from the program at the end of each month. If you are traveling, injured, or are not able to attend enough sessions for a different valid reason, reach out to the instructor who conducted your interview and inform them so you will not be removed at the end of the month. 

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What is Arbox & How Do I Register for Sessions?

Arbox Explanation & Instructions

Arbox is a simple platform for managing the Tzevet Mikey schedule and registration for Tzevet Mikey events. We use Arbox for registration to the 3 central activities that Tzevet Mikey offers:

1. Combat fitness sessions (every Monday & Wednesday evening)
2. Ulpan Yehoshua – Hebrew Lessons (alternating Sundays)
3. Educational Lessons – (alternating Sundays). 

How To Install & Set Up Your Account:

Once finishing your registration process with Tzevet Mikey, you will receive an email from Arbox. The email will contain 2 important items:

1. A link to download the Arbox application to your phone (download it!)
2. Your personal log-in details (user & password). 

If you didn’t receive the email from Arbox, make sure to reach out to the instructor who interviewed you before joining the program to let him know he’ll make sure to resend the email. 

Once signing in to your user with the details you received, you will need to read and sign an additional document within the application in order to finish the process. If the document is not signed, the platform will not allow you to register for sessions. This should take no longer than 30 seconds to complete.

How Registration for Events through Arbox Works:

While we will continue to use the WhatsApp group for updates, registration for all sessions is now exclusively through Arbox and will open at set times: 

1. Registration for Sunday events (Ulpan/Educational lessons) open up in the app automatically 96 hours before the event. This means that starting Wednesday evening, you can start registering for the Ulpan/Educational lesson the following Sunday. 
2. Registration for Tzevet Mikey training sessions will open up 48 hours in advance. Meaning, you can register for Monday sessions starting Saturday evening at 19:00 and Wednesday sessions starting Monday at 19:00. 

As always, the registration for each event will close exactly 3 hours before the start of the event/session. Meaning, if the event starts at 19:00, you can register for the event/session until 15:59 – At 16:00 the application will no longer allow you to register.

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Tzevet Mikey Group Chat

Upon being added to the group chat, Tzevet Mikey Warrior Program – צוות מייקי תוכנית לוחמים, you must fill in the blanks to the following text and send it in the group. This message is an introduction that you are sending to your teammates and also serves as a reference point to look back in the future.

Hi my name is ___ _______. I am (age) years old from _______.
Before coming to Israel I _______________.
In Israel, I am currently spending my time by ______________.
I have been in Israel for ________ (amount of time).
My hobbies are ____________.
I would say that my level of fitness is __________.
I can run 3 kilometers in ___________ (minutes).
My Hebrew level is ________.
My estimated draft date is __________.
In the army I would like to serve in ________ (unit).
I am feeling _____________ to join Tzevet Mikey.
By joining Tzevet Mikey, I expect to ___________.
I would most like to improve my _________ before drafting.
The strength I contribute to the team will be ___________

Required Equipmennt List For EVERY Training Sesison

I know – your first thought was, “Nah I don’t really need everything here”. Let me make this very clear – the entire list is required. If you arrive to a session without all of the required gear, you will be removed from the session. It’s that simple. These are the items you need:

1. Tzevet Mikey shirt: You will receive a Tzevet Mikey shirt after participating in three workouts. For now, come wearing any workout shirt. 
2. Long workout/cargo pants: Wear long pants, not shorts. 
3. Running/Hiking shoes
4. Stopwatch: Bring a watch that has a stopwatch. If you do not have one, click here to apply for a watch through the Tzevet Mikey “Watches For Warriors’ Program.
5. 4.5 liters of water: Bringing the correct amount is super important. Don’t bring four liters, don’t bring 4.4 liters, show up with 4.5 liters of water. No soda or juice or anything that’s not water. 
6. Notepad and pen
7. Backpack: Should be comfortable and big enough to contain all listed items.
8. Food for after: Bring a small snack so you can fuel your body after the session. 
9. Equipment list: a list of all equipment you have in your bag. This list should be written in your notebook prior to the workout and it follows an exacting format. An example is shown later in this article. 
10. Warm clothing for after: For the possible occurrence of cold weather or rain, it is required. The clothes must be sealed in a way that is waterproof. One way to do this is to seal it in a plastic shopping bag, and then seal that in another plastic shopping bag. 

Any deviation from the equipment list will not be tolerated. 

In addition, educational classes are held every Sunday. Every other Sunday is either a class on a different aspect of IDF service (some examples: Lone Soldier rights, units of the IDF, financial workshop etc.) and every other Sunday is a Hebrew learning ulpan class. Reminders about the classes will be sent in the chat prior to each class but signups for these classes are exclusively through Arbox as well.

This is what the weekly schedule looks like:

Sunday	Monday	Wednesday
Spoken Hebrew Lessons or Educational Lesson ~18:00 – 20:00	Training Session ~19:00 – 21:00	Training Session ~19:00 – 21:00

Why is this so exacting and taken so seriously?

At Tzevet Mikey, we understand that running fast and shooting well aren’t the only qualities needed to be a top soldier. A quality soldier is first of all, responsible and organized. Right now you are training, and it may not seem critical to arrive without a certain piece of equipment. Have no doubt – the small things are what ultimately saves lives!

You must get used to a certain standard of organization and responsibility, as in a short time you will be drafting. Quickly, your notepads and pens, will be exchanged for extra ammunition and medical gear. This is the time to learn to be responsible. Not just for yourself but for your teammates as well.

What else do I need to know?

1. Show up on time, and by on time I mean at least twenty minutes early. If you plan to show up on time, any delay can result in arriving late. If you give yourself extra time, even when you get delayed by a missed bus, extra traffic, or any other kind of delay, you will arrive on time. There is no such thing as “arriving late to a session”. Those who don’t arrive on time are sent home.
2. All Tzevet Mikey workouts are conducted exclusively in Hebrew. If you struggle with your fluency in Hebrew, understand how much you will struggle if you draft to the army before becoming fluent in Hebrew, and start learning. In the short term, during the workout always be watching what everyone else is doing and even if you don’t understand what is being said, do what everyone is doing. 
3. Come prepared mentally and physically for a difficult workout. Get a good nights sleep the night before, eat well, and drink a minimum of three liters of water the day of the workout. 
4. The instructors of Tzevet Mikey are here to help you succeed. Always feel free to reach out to any instructor with questions you may have, or for advice about any subject. Remember, they were once exactly where you are now, and they understand what you need to do to succeed. 

Group Chat Behavior

1. The main Tzevet Mikey chat, “Tzevet Mikey Warrior Program – צוות מייקי תוכנית לוחמים” is a group used for the following:
   • For the instructors to send information regarding upcoming training sessions and events
   • Occasionally for instructors to send out updates about the program. 
2. The Tzevet Mikey Warrior Program – צוות מייקי תוכנית לוחמים group chat is not the place to ask questions or chit chat with your friends. If you have a question or problem, reach out to the instructor who conducted your interview or any other instructor or ask a friend from the program. If you want to make a funny or interesting comment, don’t.  

Example of an equipment list