Ezra

Ezra youth movement was founded in 5679 (1919) in Germany by a group of local students.

Ezra aims to educate a loyal generation with a strong torani foundation (torani education is an educational framework in which the main emphasis is on Jewish religious studies) and its integration in all areas of life, while striving for excellence and aspiring to build a torani society in the Land of Israel.

The youth movement currently has about 50 chapters.

Ezra youth movement activity takes place weekly. In addition, the members also participate in the youth movement’s national enterprises, among them a summer camp, trips, seminars for qualifying counselors and symposia.

Ezra views hagshama as unlimited (realization in Hebrew, a youth movement term referring to processes the members undergo in the aim of realizing their purpose, aspirations and values as they were educated in the youth movement, usually referring to the Service Year and Nahal tracks). An area in which one can contribute can be found everywhere. For the hagshama to be practical it was decided to concentrate on two main hagshama focal points – moadoniot (after-school clubs) and the Etzem (acronym in Hebrew – values, Zionism, heritage) project.

The moadoniot are operated by the youth movements magshimim (realizers), 10^th - 12^th grade youth movement members. The aim of the moadoniot is to help children ages 6 – 12 with their homework and to conduct value-based experiential activities. The magshimim come once a week for activity in a moadonit located in a distressed neighborhood, a community center or an absorption center. The magshimim also visit member homes and develop close relations with the families, an activity that contributes to deepening the assistance.