Dror Israels

Educators Kibbutz in Akko

All the deeds of men are

dreams at first, and become
dreams in the end.

Israels Modern-day Pioneers -

Theodor Herzl | Founder of Zionism

The Educators Kibbutz in Akko was established in 2005 in the periphery city of Akko.
Twenty young and energetic members of the Dror Israel Movement, upon completion of
their obligatory army service, moved to the city with the two-tiered mission of creating
change through education and establishing a vibrant cooperative community of educators.
Eleven years later, the Educators Kibbutz has grown to include 61 members. Its members,
all educators in various formal and informal educational projects, educate about 3,000
children, youth and adults throughout the city and region.

The Educators Kibbutz in Akko

Civil Society in Israel Dror Israel Movement

The Educators Kibbutz in Akko is part of the Dror Israel movement.
Dror Israel is a Jewish Zionist educational movement, consisting of 1,200 young
men and women, graduates of the Hanoar Haoved VeHalomed Youth Movement,
choosing to live according to the values of equality, peace, voluntarism and
Tikkun Olam and striving to create change in Israeli society. Dror Israel members
establish educators kibbutzim and guide and teach in a variety of formal and
informal educational frameworks. Dror Israel is an expansive and inclusive
movement, reaching over 100,000 children and youth, from every sector of Israeli
society and primarily throughout Israels social-geographical periphery. Each
year, over one hundred new members join preexisting Dror Israel Kibbutzim or
establish their own.

Dror Israel in numbers

Number of Educators Kibbutzim
Number of Dror Israel members
Number of participants in
educational programs per year

16
1,200
100,000

Percent of gap year program alumni that

continue to promote social justice matters

81%

Percent of non-Jewish participants in

educational programs

20%

Number of cities and towns we operate in

157

Akko
Akko is a city of 50,000 residents in Israels north. Alongside its beautiful location and rich history, Akko has many challenges today.
Its mixed population one-third Arab and two-thirds Jewish, including 10,000 immigrants from the former Soviet Union poses
a daily challenge for people who are different to one another to be able to coexist peacefully and enjoy the diversity instead of
it being a source of tensions. Another one of Akkos challenges, like other peripheral cities in Israel, is retaining its young adult
population, who often leave to seek opportunities in larger cities. We seek to provide meaningful programming for local youth and
young adults while promoting coexistence between Jews and Arabs, and also improving the image of the city and its residents
sense of self-worth.

To repair the world means

to repair education.
Dr. Janusz Korczak Humanitarian |
childrens author, pediatrician and educator

Education as a National Mission

In the 1990s, graduates of the Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed youth movement, who had
traditionally settled agricultural kibbutzim with the national mission of draining the
swamps and making the desert bloom, realized that those were no longer Israels essential
national needs. Instead, they propelled a new model of small urban kibbutzim focused
affecting change in Israeli society through education. These young people adapted the
original pioneers vision and values to a modern-day answer to the challenges facing Israel
today. Today, members of Dror Israel educate with and towards the belief that any person,
regardless of familial, academic, emotional or personal background, has a great deal to
contribute to their surroundings, their society and their own future, given the proper tools,
the guides and the support networks.

The Center for Coexistence

Akkos population of around 50,000 is about two-thirds Jewish and one-third Arab, and developing friendly coexistence and real partnership
in the city between Jews and Arabs is one of the primary goals of the Akko Educators Kibbutz.
The Center for Coexistence projects in the city include:
The Dufda Club seeks to create a positive, constructive and inclusive educational framework to prevent delinquency, violence and
vandalism prevalent in the free time of the afterschool hours, as well as serving as a center for coexistence in Akko for joint activities
between Jewish and Arab children
The Common Language project - This project aims to supplement Hebrew studies in Arab middle schools using fun and stimulating
methodology whilst using language studies as a catalyst to values-based discussions on the topic of coexistence in Israeli society.
The project takes place in three regular weekly classrooms with approximately 100 students.
Leadership groups of Jewish and Arab youth between the ages of 13-18 through experiential learning models, these youth discuss taking
responsibility for Israeli society in every sector, prevention of racism and violence, and general responsibility for coexistence in Israeli society.
The Akko Heritage Center - an educational center that educates towards the values of Democracy, Peace and Tolerance. The center operates
adult education programs that tell the history of multiculturalism in Akko and creates platforms for city residents to to be socially active and
encounter different populations.

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The Akko Jam

The Jam was established in order to provide a solution to the lack of cultural life in Akko and its environs by creating
a cultural center in Akko to meet the cultural needs of local population. The club also addresses the phenomenon of
the flight of young people from the city to more culturally central cities in Israel and shaping Akko as an attractive
location for young people to create their adult lives. The club provides a platform for local artists as well as affordable
performances by Israels leading musicians. It is operated mainly by volunteers who envision Akko to become a leading
cultural center in Israel.
The Jam is open twice a week and hosts large concerts and cultural events, monthly open mic nights, themed nights
for local bands, and much more.

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The Ogen Club after-school program for at-risk youth

Operates on a daily basis with 30 children between the ages of 12 and 15, most of whom have been referred by the citys welfare
department as they require significant intervention and support for various reasons. Activities at the club include a hot meal and
socialearning activities that are based around the idea of developing responsibility and autonomy. There are various interest groups
such as carpentry, English, and a bicycle club. In addition, there are committees that the club participants take part in that help them to
take responsibility for the clubhouse whether it be through a maintenance committee or even socially through their conflict resolution
committee. The club is operated by three counselors and one director four days a week. In the morning hours, these counselors spend
time in the schools of the children where they help with lessons, give extra guidance to the children who may need, speak with
teachers and educators about the progress of the children, and more. In this way the staff structure helps to fulfill the goal of taking full
responsibility for the lives of the participants.

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Zionism is a movement
to realize a utopian goal
through realistic means

The Educators Kibbutz in Akkos additional activities include:

Yigal Alon | Palmach Commander IDF General

The Man, Society and Nature high school in Carmiel

Israel Parliament Member and Minister

Informal education programs for thousands of children and teens in communities throughout the
Galilee in kibbutzim, moshavim, and Arab and Bedouin villages and towns

The Social High School in Haifa

Dozens of participants on Journeys to Poland to study the Holocaust and the roots of Zionism
Seminars and workshops in high schools on various topics, including leadership training, current
events, civics and holidays
Workshops and tours for IDF soldiers, police and border police on topics of tolerance, respect, and
equality
Afterschool clubhouses of HaNoar HaOved VeHalomed in Akko and communities throughout
the Galilee
Holocaust Memorial Day educational activities including the Rebellion of Hope exhibit, with
hundreds of participants

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Annual commemoration tent for Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin zl visited by hundreds of participants.

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Completing the Task

Since their arrival in the city in 2005 at the invitation of the
municipality, the Educators Kibbutz has lived in the Association
for the Wellbeing of Israels Soldiers building which had previously
been uninhabited for years. At this time, the condition of the
building has deteriorated significantly, and the city is exploring
other plans for the complex while assisting in finding a new home
for the Educators Kibbutz. We have located a former nursing home
building, currently uninhabited and requiring minimal renovations
to become our new home!
In addition to housing the Educators Kibbutz, we plan to host in
the building one of Dror Israels newest programs: The College for
Professional Leaderships Community Caregivers for Seniors course,
a seven-month interdisciplinary program developed together with
the Ministry of Economy and JDC-Eshel which trains young adults
to work with the growing population of Israels seniors.

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With your support, the Akko Educators Kibbutz will be able to:
Provide a home for educators and their activities
Open a new branch of the College for Professional Leadership in Akko
Further the development of Akko and its residents
Create a ground breaking, first-of-its-kind Educators Kibbutz structure
to revolutionize urban planning for communities in Israel
Project Costs
Item

Purchase

C

ost in USD

Planning

3,460,000
26,000

Infrastructure

600,000

Renovation

156,000

Taxes

190,000

Total

4,432,000

Invitation to Partnership
The project is a partnership of the Akko Municipality and Mayor, the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and
Galilee, Dror Israel and Dror Educational Centers.
Renovation of this building will enable the Educators Kibbutz to absorb more educators, more students and more projects.

Total weekly reach

2,000
Total daily reach
300

100

ip
sh

ssional L
Profe
e
for ents per ye ade
e
d
a
g
r r
e stu

Co
ll

We are seeking additional partners who believe in the power of education and in the power of people to make change in
society to join us in this endeavor.

Total yearly reach

4,000

Kibbutz
members

61

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Contact Information
Gilad Perry

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Email:

gilad@drorisrael.org.il

Mobile:

+972-54-6734410

Address:

120 Kibbutz Galuyot St., Tel-Aviv

Website:

www.drorisrael.org.il

The members of the Educators Kibbutz do amazing work in

Akko, and this is what I would like to see in all of Israeli
society. These young educators are trailblazers.
Shimon Lankri, Mayor of Akko