Diversity isn’t just a value; it is our DNA
Nitzana is an educational community and eco-village located in the western Negev desert in southern Israel, adjacent to the Egyptian border. It serves as an ecological field school and a unique social incubator for youth from diverse backgrounds, including new immigrants, at-risk students, and Bedouin teenagers. Jlife magazine caught up with Itai Divinsky to learn more about this unique program. Itai is the Chief Development Officer and Director of Resource Development at the Nitzana Educational Community. He is a former Shaliach (emissary) to JEWISHcolorado, he is a prominent figure in regional growth and has also served as a tank commander in the IDF Reserves.
1. When was Nitzana founded and what is its mission?
Nitzana was founded in 1986 by the legendary Arieh Eliav, a man who believed the Negev was not a desert to be feared, but a space to be blossomed. Our mission is to serve as a laboratory for the future of Israel—integrating environmental education, social cohesion, and Zionist pioneering. We aren’t just an educational community; we are a bridge between the different “tribes” of Israel and a gatekeeper of the Negev’s potential.”
2. How important is the diversity of students to your school?
Diversity isn’t just a value at Nitzana; it is our DNA. On any given day, you will see Jewish-Israeli teens, Bedouin youth from the surrounding villages, and new immigrants from the FSU all sharing the same campus. We believe that the challenges of the 21st century—be they ecological or social—cannot be solved in silos. By learning together in the desert, our students build a shared Israeli identity that is stronger than the headlines suggest.
3. How important is the village’s location in the Negev to its overall mission?
The Negev is 60% of Israel’s landmass but holds only a fraction of its population, it is literally Israel’s next frontier. Our location is our greatest educator; it fulfills Ben-Gurion’s vision that the future of Israel will be forged in the south. We are proving that the periphery can, and should, be the center of innovation.
Beyond the logistics, however, the desert is essential to the “Nitzana Experience” because of its silence. In a world of constant digital noise, the vastness of the Negev offers a rare space for deep reflection and a reconnection to one’s inner self. When our students go out into the dunes at night, they aren’t just learning geography; they are learning who they are. This connection to the land and to oneself creates a level of resilience and mental clarity that you simply cannot find in the city. We don’t just build the land; the land builds us.
4. The “Gap Year” (Mechina) is a crucial time. What does Nitzana offer in this respect?
The year between high school and military service is perhaps the most critical “fork in the road” for an Israeli young adult. At Nitzana, we recognize that for many of our students—most of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds and the social periphery—this year is about more than just preparation; it is about changing their life’s trajectory.
For a young person who may not have had the same starting line as those in the center of the country, Nitzana provides a radical shift in environment. We offer a “Mechina” (Pre-Military Academy) experience that builds the “soft skills” of leadership: discipline, self-efficacy, and a sense of belonging to the Zionist story. By the time they finish their year in the desert, they don’t just enter the IDF as more capable soldiers; they enter as young leaders who believe they can achieve anything. We aren’t just preparing them for the army; we are equipping them with the resilience and vision to break cycles and build successful lives productive adults and engaged citizens of a democratic state.
5. Tell us about your agricultural program and its role after October 7.
The aftermath of October 7 created an unprecedented crisis for Israeli agriculture, particularly in the south. When foreign workers and local laborers were forced to leave, Nitzana became a center of gravity for national mobilization. We hosted thousands of volunteers—from young students to older professionals, from Israel and around the world—who arrived at Nitzana to work the land and ensure that the farms remained alive. This collective effort was a testament to the Israeli spirit; we refused to let the desert retreat.
Building on that momentum, we are incredibly proud that in 2024, we opened a new school specifically dedicated to this mission. At Adam V’Adama Nitzana, students spend their days working directly on the farms and their evenings studying the science and philosophy of agriculture. It is a “work-study” model that addresses both the immediate labor needs of our region and the long-term need for a new generation of high-tech, resilient farmers who are deeply connected to the soil of the Negev.
6. You welcome Olim (new immigrants) in Nitzana, most from Russia and Ukraine. How do you prepare them for life in Israel? Do you focus on preparing them for military service?
At the end of the program we offer an optional intensive “sprint”. This month-long program is actually the culmination of our flagship Sela program, run in close partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel. Sela is an immersive, eight-month absorption framework designed for young adults aged 18 to 21 from the Former Soviet Union who have chosen to make Aliyah (immigrate to Israel) ahead of their families. For nearly a year, Nitzana becomes their first home in Israel. We provide them with a supportive ecosystem where they live on campus, study intensive Hebrew, explore the landscapes of the country, and build a deep, personal sense of Israeli identity. They arrive as teenagers from abroad, and through Sela, they transform into confident new citizens ready to fully integrate into Israeli society.
Once they complete the broader Sela framework, they transition into our specialized one-month pre-IDF track. This unique phase is designed to give these brave Olim Hadashim (new immigrants)—many of whom will serve as lone soldiers—a technical and mental “soft landing” into the military.
The preparation focuses on three essential pillars:
Technical Hebrew: We bridge the language barrier by teaching the specific military terminology, slang, and commands they will need to understand from day one.
Physical & Mental Readiness: They undergo rigorous physical conditioning to prepare their bodies for the demands of basic training, combined with workshops on mental resilience.
Real-World Orientation: We take them to visit active IDF bases and arrange direct meetings with military personnel. This allows them to ask questions and gain a realistic picture of what to expect, ensuring they enter their service not just as recruits, but as prepared, highly motivated soldiers who know Nitzana is always standing behind them as their adoptive home.
7. You mention that Bedouin youth are a core part of your student body. Looking at the demographics of the south, the Bedouin population is projected to constitute nearly 50% of the Negev’s population in the coming decade. How is Nitzana’s Neve Midbar program addressing the immense challenge of integrating this community into the broader Israeli fabric?
The demographic reality of the Negev means that the future of southern Israel is completely intertwined with the future of the Bedouin community. True integration is no longer just a moral ideal; it is a strategic necessity for the entire nation. At Nitzana, we believe that the continued prosperity of the State of Israel depends on the full, genuine integration of Arab society into all aspects of civic and economic life.
Our Neve Midbar Bedouin Youth Village addresses this head-on by serving roughly 150 Bedouin teens from across the south, many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds and unrecognized villages that lack basic resources. We offer a comprehensive residential high school framework where a diverse, collaborative staff of both Jewish and Arab educators guide these students through core academic subjects, high school matriculation, agriculture, and ecology.
Crucially, we do this in an environment that respects Bedouin culture while actively fostering shared civic responsibility and the values of equality and democracy. By living and learning on a shared campus alongside Jewish peers and new immigrants, these youth build the language skills, self-discipline, and social networks required to thrive in a modern economy. We aren’t just giving these teenagers an education; we are preparing them to become independent adults, pursue higher academic studies, and step into high-demand professions. In the coming decades, Neve Midbar alumni will form the local leadership needed to drive economic growth and social cohesion, proving that successful integration is the ultimate key to a secure and thriving Negev. We are very proud that out of last year’s graduating class 45% chose to enroll in meaningful volunteer service programs.
8. You have a shelter for farm animals, Where do you rescue them from and how are they cared for? How does an animal shelter fit in an educational community?
Our shelter is a sanctuary for farm animals—donkeys, goats, and others—that have often been abandoned or found in distress. These animals come to us from across the Negev, many from the surrounding Bedouin villages. We provide them with a dignified home, high-quality veterinary care, and a peaceful environment where they can thrive.
The care of these animals is a shared responsibility between our staff, volunteers, and, most importantly, our students. For a young person, there is no better way to develop deep empathy than by caring for a living creature that depends on them. Working in the shelter teaches our students patience and compassion; they see firsthand that even the most vulnerable have value. It’s a beautiful cycle where the animals find a new life, and our students find a new perspective on kindness.
9. What can youth and educators gain by visiting your village for ongoing education?
“The most unique thing about Nitzana—and what I believe is our most important contribution to the world right now—is that we are a living laboratory for a shared society. It is no secret that many modern democracies are currently struggling with polarization. The challenge of how to integrate different groups and build a unified, shared vision is a global crisis. Nitzana is a model of an educational community that aspires to solve that.
We don’t just talk about coexistence; we live it. By bringing together Jewish-Israeli youth, Bedouin communities, and new immigrants from the FSU within the quiet, demanding environment of the desert, we strip away the noise of the outside world. We prove that when you give people a common mission—like protecting the environment or building the Negev—the differences that seem insurmountable in a city or on social media begin to dissolve. We aren’t just educating students; we are prototyping a way for people to live together with a shared sense of purpose and a unified vision for the future.
10. When we speak of Nitzana as a “living laboratory” or a “center of gravity,” what is the actual scale of your reach? How many lives are you touching in the desert?
It is easy to think of a desert community as isolated, but the reality is that Nitzana is a high-volume powerhouse of human transformation. On any given day, we have close to 400 full-time participants living on our campus across our various long-term programs. This includes 150 Bedouin youth who call our Neve Midbar youth village home, alongside 120 Mechina participants, 35 young Olim (new immigrants), 35 students of agricultural high school and 35 gap year volunteers. Over our history, we’ve proudly absorbed more than 1,800 new immigrants into Israeli society and graduated over 580 visionary leaders from our gap-year tracks. But our footprint extends far beyond our full-time residents. Every single year, Nitzana welcomes over 17,000 visitors and youth from across Israel and around the globe to our education and recreation center. They come to touch the soil, learn modern climate resilience, and experience what it means to build a shared society in light of Zionist values. When you invest in Nitzana, you aren’t funding a quiet retreat; you are driving an ecosystem that touches thousands of lives annually, fundamentally reshaping the demographics, economy, and leadership of the Negev.
11. In what ways do your alumni still contribute to the school?
Our alumni are our most important ambassadors. Many return as mentors or “Madrichim” (guides), while others contribute to our strategic growth. We are currently developing an alumni network that acts as a professional “ecosystem,” where past students help current ones with career guidance and social initiatives, keeping the Nitzana spirit alive long after they’ve left the desert.
12. What kind of impact and legacy do you hope the school imparts?
We want our legacy to be a “Resilient Israel.” We hope every person who passes through Nitzana leaves with the “Desert Bloom” mindset—the belief that with enough grit, creativity, and community, you can make the most challenging environments thrive. Our goal is to graduate citizens who don’t just ask what Israel can do for them, but who are actively building the Israel of 2050.
13. Looking ahead to the Israel of 2050, what does Nitzana need right now to fully realize this vision, and how can communities like ours in North America partner with you?
When we think about our future, we are acutely aware that Nitzana is built on foundations of deep friendship. In fact, our connection to Orange County is incredibly personal. For decades, we have been blessed by the extraordinary, generational support of one specific family whose commitment has helped shape the very landscape of our community. One of the sisters, Roberta Trachten Zeve, is a cherished member of your local OC community. To Roberta and her family, we owe a debt of gratitude for decades of unwavering partnership—they have stood by us through thick and thin, and they embody the true spirit of what it means to build the Negev.
As we look to the post-October 7 reality and Israel’s long-term recovery, the biggest challenge Nitzana faces today is one of capacity—we need to do more, to reach more. To meet this moment, we are actively expanding. We need to build new housing, expand the campus of our Adam V’Adama agricultural school to train more pioneer-farmers, launch a robust alumni initiative to ensure our impact continues, upgrade our agricultural and climate-resilience education and much more.
We are inviting the broader Jewish community of Orange County to follow the inspiring example set by Roberta and her family—to roll up your sleeves and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us as co-founders of Israel’s next chapter. Whether through philanthropic investment in our physical expansion, sponsoring scholarships for youth from the social periphery, or sending your own young people to experience Nitzana firsthand, your partnership ensures that the desert continues to bloom, and that the promise of Israel remains unbreakable.
If you would like to visit Nitzana next time you are in Israel and see firsthand, or just want to learn more you can contact Itai at itaidi@jafi.org and for more information please visit https://nitzana.org.il/en/home/.