The international youth civic service volunteers fly to Israel

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On Thursday, December 17th, 13 young people from all over France joined the associations and a kibbutz, where they are performing their civic service mission for the next 10 months.

Following a selection process, for which over 500 applications were received by the OSE through the National Civic Service Agency, a success in itself for this great citizen engagement program for OSE and for Israel, our 13 young people received training before their departure.

They were received Tuesday, December 15th at the Israeli Embassy in France, for an afternoon dedicated to a presentation of Israel, a Jewish and democratic state, its melting pot of society, geography and complex history by a young Israeli chosen by the Embassy. The young people had a taste of the falafel in Israel prepared by the cook of the Embassy, a nice surprise for all.

They also discovered OSE, and its implication in the medical and social fields and the protection of Jewish children, important both by its history, the scope of its activities and its openness to the values of ​​solidarity and professionalism.

During the evening organized by the OSE for donors at the Philharmonie de Paris around the Chagall exhibition The Triumph of Music, Her Excellency the Ambassador of Israel to France, Mrs. Aliza Bin-Nun, sent them her best wishes for the 4 missions that await them now: two missions in the kibbutzim with people with physical, sensory and mental disabilities, in partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Social Affairs; and two other missions in associations, one working on behalf of young children and mothers in precarious social circumstances and the other offering a therapeutic riding center for the disabled, in partnership with the Sherut Leumi organization of Israel Volunteer Association.

In order to best prepare for the human, cultural and civic experience that awaits them, the day before departure was devoted to training at OSE headquarters.  It consisted of a presentation on the concepts of civic engagement, secularism and international solidarity, an introduction to project management and intercultural awareness, in partnership with a specialized organization.

The approval of the OSE as operator and coordinator of international civic service in Israel was formally given on September 22th by Francois Chereque, President of the Civic Service Agency. The National Civic Service Agency aims to implement projects that facilitate civic engagement of young people, aged 16 to 25 years old. This is to offer them the opportunity to lead a mission of general interest in France or abroad, and with the approval of OSE, in Israel! OSE was selected jointly by France and the Embassy of Israel. Four missions and 13 positions have already been approved. For 2016 and 2017, OSE and its Israeli partners have made new proposals to extend this project for successful results.

OSE is proud to bring this great project to defend the values ​​of the French Republic to Israel!