Daniella S.

Machal Mechina – July 2021
Draft – August 2021
Search and Rescue

Calling all future Machal draftees:

What can you expect in the Machal pre- army mechina program?
What awaits you?
First of all, when you arrive you will be asked to take out your passport and give it in for the staff to check the expiration date and confirm that your name is on their roster. You will then be asked to fill out a series of documents (mostly in Hebrew), asking for your name, address, passport number, machal ID number, and some other basic information.

You will be ushered into a large room and told to sit down. Next, everyone in the Tzevet (staff team) will introduce themselves (and you most likely won’t remember any of their names because you will be overwhelmed). They will split you up into smaller groups (tzvatim) and then the head of the mechina will give a speech about how the month will be intense and everyone must be on their best behavior because anyone can be sent home for breaching the rules.

Pay attention because the instructors tend to speak quickly and don’t like repeating themselves. Be sharp, aware, and make sure to get a good nights sleep the night before.
You first day will be a long one consisting of documents, moving into your room and unpacking, and ice breaker activities. Be gentle with yourself, new places can be emotionally exhausting.

If you struggle with Hebrew try and make friends that understand the language and NEVER be afraid to ask questions if you don’t understand something. If you don’t understand, there are certainly others who don’t as well. Speak up and ask not just for you, but for those around you as well.

Tip: if you want to get the most out of the mechina in terms of learning Hebrew, walk around with a small notebook or keep your notes app open and write down the words you hear throughout the day that you don’t understand. Make sure that at the end of each day you sit down, translate them, and memorize them. Work hard, and it will pay off in the army when your commander barks orders and you understand them.

The month will be compromised of ulpan, physical fitness training (known as madasim in the IDF), and various trips around Israel to help you better understand the land you will be serving. In addition there will be various activities aimed to help inform on the history of the country and army culture. From the different aliyot, to learning the different colors of army berets and unit tags, during this month you will cover a lot of information about Israel.

You will meet people from around the world. In my tzevet I had 24 people, 12 of whom were from Russian speaking countries (Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarusian, Ukraine). I even had two Belarusian roommates and learned some Russian!

If you choose to come to the Machal mechina open to learning, meeting new people, and investing yourself in the program you will leave more prepared and aware of what awaits you during service. Remember the staff are there to help you and prepare you to become better soldiers. Even if it’s hard to adjust at first to the “drop and give me 10” mentality, remember it does get easier and that everything you do at the mechina is meant to prepare you for what lies ahead.

כולכם אלופים. לכו, תעבדו קשה, תשקיעו בכל מה שאתם עושים, ועל תשכחו לעשות חיים.

Daniella,

Suggested Packing List

⁃ Big luggage pack \ suitcase
⁃ Clothes for for weeks (plan that you might not have where to do laundry, and some clothes will get dirty. There may be hot weather and cold weather even rain):
⁃ Short sleeved shirts, which are not tank tops and cover the shoulders (to avoid sun burn)
⁃ Long sleeved shirts
⁃ Long pants
⁃ For girls – long skirts \ dresses, below the knees (for entrance to religious sites)
⁃ Hat, Mandatory!
⁃ Comfortable walking shoes (for hiking and tours)
⁃ Sports shoes
⁃ Sandals \ flip flops (for showers and water sites)
⁃ Comfortable evening clothes (and\or pajamas), modest
⁃ Underwear
⁃ Bras
⁃ Socks
⁃ Bathing suit
⁃ Shabbat and evening clothes (for nights out)
⁃ Sweater \ tunic \ light jacket
⁃ Belt if needed
⁃ Sleeping bag, Mandatory!
⁃ Field mattress if you have one (recommended)
⁃ Sunglasses
⁃ Glasses and\or contact lenses if needed
⁃ Hand watch
⁃ Umbrella
⁃ Flashlight
⁃ Bags for dirty clothers
⁃ Hygiene products and toiletries (recommended in a toiletries bag):
⁃ 2 large towels
⁃ Facial towel
⁃ Toilet paper (recommended)
⁃ Wet wipes (recommended)
⁃ Tooth paste and brush
⁃ Deodorant
⁃ Shampoo and Body soap
⁃ Mosquito repellent
⁃ Personal women’s hygiene products
⁃ Hand cleansing gel (recommended)
⁃ Q-tips (recommended)
⁃ Comfortable light bag \ backpack for tours and hiking
⁃ Locks for bags and luggage (recommended)
⁃ Israeli ID, or if not then passport
⁃ Cash money (recommended to not bring large sums)
⁃ Notebook, mandatory!
⁃ Pen, mandatory!
⁃ At least 3 big bottles of water (liter and a half each) or a water carrier if you have one
⁃ Personal medication and prescriptions if needed (enough for four weeks). If refrigeration is required you must let us know ahead of time! We must also be notified of any existent allergies you may have and\or if you cannot consume certain products.
⁃ General recommended medicines: for stomach aches and nausea, headaches and general pain killers, for fever and cold (recommended).
⁃ Vaseline and\or Aloe versa (recommended).
⁃ Band-Aids
⁃ Mosquito bite ointment and etc.
⁃ Sunscreen
⁃ A copy of your health and\or life insurance, mandatory!
⁃ Breakfast and lunch for the first day.
⁃ Cellphone and charger (not guaranteed that you will always be able to charge and if there will be reception).
⁃ Camera (recommended).
⁃ Ear\Headphones (recommended)
⁃ Reading book (recommended)
⁃ Cigarettes and lighter if needed
⁃ Any other thing you may think of that may be of use to you during the program.
⁃ You may not bring: Hot or cold weapons, alcohol and drugs, expensive items that may be ruined or lost.