“Putting ideas immediately into practice“ Working on the orchards at Kibbutz Ravid

For the past few weeks an Australian leadership program has been spending time at the Mataim, the educational orchards run by Dror Israel on Kibbutz Ravid in northern Israel. Home to avocado, lychee and mango trees, the orchards are much more than a place to grow fruit. They are a living classroom where participants experience the values of Zionism through meaningful and hands on work.

Participants hard at work harvesting lychees.

As an educational kibbutz, Ravid uses the orchards to give young people the opportunity to learn about agriculture while actively contributing and connecting to the land. Depending on the season, participants take on a range of tasks, from harvesting fruit to planting trees. This month, with lychee season in full swing, the participants have spent their mornings picking and packing fruit for sale before taking part in discussions and educational activities exploring Labour Zionism, agriculture, and their place in Israeli society.

As Mataim coordinator and Dror Israel educator Assaf reflected, "This was the first time on their programme where they were able to learn about something and then apply and experience it the next day." By combining physical work with education, the orchards transform concepts into real life experiences and encourage participants to reflect on the enduring importance of agriculture and its role in maintaining a connection to the land of Israel.

At the orchards, physical work meets education.

Beyond the educational value, the work has also strengthened the Australian cohort itself. Days of physical labour challenged participants to support one another, work as a team, and grow together through shared responsibility. Assaf says he watched the participants push themselves physically and mentally while encouraging one another every day, building stronger relationships and learning more about themselves along the way. Each year, the educational orchards host dozens of groups who come to work and learn together, from schools, workplaces, and various programs. 

Agricultural work helps participants connect to the land and to one another

The orchards have also created meaningful connections with the wider Israeli community. While packing lychees alongside young Israelis from a wide range of backgrounds Assaf was reminded that agriculture has a unique way of bringing people together around a shared purpose. In a country where division can often dominate the headlines, these everyday moments of cooperation offer a powerful reminder of the communities that continue to grow through shared work.

The Mataim is a place of resilience, education and responsibility. By working the land, learning together and contributing to something larger than themselves, participants leave with a deeper understanding of Israel, Dror Israel, and the values that continue to shape both.