The trainees of the mechinot (pre-military service educational facilities), in collaboration with KKL-JNF, the Israeli Ministry National Missions and the Ministry of Defense came to the aid of Israeli famers, who found themselves with a shortage of workers following the deadly terror attack in the Gaza Envelope and the fighting that followed in Southern and Northern Israel.

Many famers and their workers were murdered, kidnapped, injured, or declared missing. In addition, the fighting led many foreign workers to leave the country, in addition to the shortage of tens of thousands of workers that existed even before the war broke out.

About 50 trainees from “Midrashat HaShiluv” in Natur, a mechina that brings together secular and religious youth, joined the packing factory at Kibbutz Gilgal, where figs and other Israeli agricultural products are packed. 49 trainees from the “Rakia” mechina in Harish volunteer in the Kadima-Tzuran local council and work in preparing the fields for growing strawberries. 30 trainees of the “Yeshivat Hemdat” mechina help each day in growing figs, collecting trimmed foliage and planting at the Jordan Valley area. Farmers in the area are in need of helping hands due to the security guidelines that block the entrance of workers.

25 trainees from the “Tzahali” mechina for religious women who intend to serve at the IDF volunteer on a daily basis at Kibbutz Tzora, staying at the kindergartens and wake up early to work at the fields.

Each week sees more mechinot trainees joining the work in the fields, helping farmers across the country in the hope that the shortage of helping hands will not affect the amount of food that reaches the stores.

Mechinot chair Avishai Berman: “The mechinot have suspended their regular activities and their trainees fully committed themselves to civilian missions. Hundreds of trainees go to work each morning to keep the agricultural sector from collapsing. I am very proud of our trainees; we all understand that this time calls for volunteering and assistance wherever it is needed.”

KKL-JNF chair Ifat Ovadia-Luski: “The Israeli farmers are in need of our help, and we rise to the call. Many of them and their workers were murdered, kidnapped or injured, and their towns have been evacuated. Along with the wonderful mechinot trainees, KKL-JNF comes to the aid of Israel’s farmers in providing them with the working hands that they need so much.”

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