Mechina
A mechina kdam-tzvait (Hebrew: מכינה קדם-צבאית, literally "pre-military preparatory"; plural mechinot, Hebrew: מכינות) is an Israeli residential gap year educational institution for high school graduates, operating in the period between the end of secondary schooling and mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The mechina year typically lasts ten months and emphasises non-formal and experiential learning, combining studies in Jewish identity, Zionism, Israeli society, ethics, and leadership, with community volunteering and physical preparation for army service.