The Otzem Overseas Program
Live, learn and volunteer alongside Israelis your age—building Torah depth, fluent Hebrew, resilience and leadership for life in Israel.
Preparation with purpose
The quiet and serenity of Cholot Chalutza make it a perfect environment in which our students can build strong and healthy spiritual foundations in preparation for contributing productively to Israeli society and serving proudly and successfully in the IDF.
The pre-army yeshiva is designed for idealistic, religious young men who aspire to deepen their Torah knowledge, strengthen their spiritual convictions, and take responsibility for all aspects of their lives—during and after military service.
Otzem gives you the ultimate immersion experience in Israel: living, studying and volunteering in an Israeli mechina program with Israelis your age. Your experience becomes more personal and meaningful because you do it together with your Israeli peers.
The word mechina means “preparation.” Just as Israelis use their mechina year to launch into elite units and leadership positions, overseas students use it to develop the knowledge, character and confidence to build their future in Israel.
Integration, Torah and growth
Hebrew
Daily Hebrew classes build fluency, with the goal of enabling students to participate fully in the regular Hebrew program.
Israeli culture
Experience Israeli life directly—its people, responsibilities, challenges, history and culture.
Torah
Explore the meaning of Eretz Israel, Am Israel and a life of Torah in the modern Jewish state.
Yeshiva studies
A traditional curriculum: Talmud with Rishonim and Acharonim, classic Jewish philosophy, Mishna and Halacha.
Broader learning
Lectures, seminars and encounters with experts and leading figures in Israeli science, politics, military life and philosophy.
Israel in the field
Field trips and fact-finding missions throughout the country connect ideas learned in the beit midrash with the land itself.
Military preparation and lasting support
Many of our students enlist in the IDF after studying in the mechina. They may enlist in any IDF unit, alone or as a group, through Mahal or as new immigrants. A large portion of our students serve in special units.
Our rabbis provide guidance and counselling before service, with special attention to the needs of students from abroad. Students receive rigorous physical training, self-defence instruction, map-reading and both theoretical and practical field navigation. IDF representatives also brief them on opportunities and service needs.
Throughout military service, Otzem stays in close contact and remains ready to help. At any given time, roughly 600 Otzem graduates serve in the IDF—creating a genuine network of support. Because many staff members have served, and continue to serve in reserve duty in combat and command roles, they understand what students are experiencing and know how to guide them.
The overseas experience in pictures
Swipe or scroll through moments of learning, friendship, volunteering and preparation for life in Israel.
Life at Otzem
Leadership rooted in Torah and service
Rabbi Yaron Levy
Rabbi Levy studied at Bnei David before his military service. He served as an officer in the Golani infantry unit and continues to serve as an officer in reserve duty ever since. After completing his service, he returned to Bnei David and studied in the post-army yeshiva program. He then continued his studies under Rabbi Shlomo Aviner at Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim.
After spending a few years teaching in English-speaking yeshivot and at the Ateret Yerushalayim pre-army yeshiva, Rabbi Levy founded the overseas program at Otzem in 5774 [2014].
Rav Gilad Dror
Shana Alef Ra״m
Rav Gilad studied at Machon Meir and subsequently at Yeshivat Har HaMor in Jerusalem, under Rav Amiel Sternberg. Prior to his Torah studies, he served for three years as a combat soldier and commander in the elite Maglan unit, and he has continued to actively serve in the IDF reserves for the past ten years. He has been teaching in the overseas program at Mechinat Otzem for the past few years.
Rav Rafi Peretz
Rav Rafi is the founder of the mechina. He founded it in 1993 and served for years as a pilot in the Israel Air Force. Rav Rafi later served as Chief Rabbi of the IDF, Minister of Education and Minister of Jerusalem Affairs.
Rav Reei Peretz
Rabbi Reei taught in the mechina for a decade before being appointed its head. He serves as a company commander in a reserve armoured brigade with the rank of major.
English Torah lessons
Help the next generation lead
Your support helps overseas students build a life of Torah, contribution and service in Israel.
