Young Adults Say It’s “Our Turn” to Support Israel’s Border Communities

Toreinu (“Our Turn”) is Dror Israel’s initiative placing young educators in communities on the Gaza and northern borders to support renewal and healing. 

Since its launch in 2024, Toreinu has become a powerful force for renewal in communities recovering from the trauma and disruption of October 7. The program which is run in partnership with Brothers and Sisters for Israel, brings together young adults who choose to live and work in Israel’s border regions, supporting the educational, social and community life while offering stability, energy, and hope.  This work is made possible thanks to the ongoing support of dedicated partners, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and the Jewish Federation Los Angeles, who stand alongside us in strengthening Israel’s most affected communities.

With the start of the new school year, Toreinu will be expanding, with four new groups preparing to move into additional communities in both the north and south. This builds on the groundwork laid by four pioneering groups last year: in the south, Kibbutz Miflasim and Kibbutz Re’im; and in the north, Galil Elyon and Kiryat Shmona. Two of those original groups will continue into a second year, while new cohorts are set to begin their work in the northern communities of Ma’aleh Yosef and Metula, and two more locations along the Gaza border. 

Since October 7th, eight groups of young adults have moved to communities on Israel’s northern border and in the Gaza border region to take part in the ongoing work of rebuilding, healing, and strengthening communal life. Photo credit: Alex Kolomoisky 

Toreinu was created in response to urgent needs. Since the war, towns and villages along Israel’s borders have endured deep trauma, displacement, and prolonged uncertainty. Formal and informal educational frameworks and community programs remain critically understaffed, and children are returning to communities without the educational and emotional support they need. Toreinu participants step into this gap, not only as professionals, but as neighbors, role models, and partners in rebuilding. 

Participants, many in their twenties and thirties, make the powerful decision to leave behind routine and comfort and move to the country’s hardest-hit areas. Most work in schools and informal education settings, volunteer locally, help organize cultural events, and bring new life to communities facing enormous challenges. Just as important, they build lasting connections, with children, families, and the broader community. 

Young adults find new meaning during an uncertain and tragic reality. Photo credit: Alex Kolomoisky

The long-term potential of this model is already clear. In the Western Negev, 100% of the first cohort members chose to stay in the region after their first year. Many are continuing in Toreinu for a second year, while others have completed their term but decided to remain, build a life, and contribute to the area. This was a core goal of Toreinu from the beginning: not only to meet short-term needs, but to strengthen the long-term social fabric of Israel’s periphery by helping young adults put down roots.

Toreinu groups take part in local trips, learning together and sharing the challenges and questions that arise from their diverse roles in the communities where they live and work. 

As the Eshkol Regional Council shared in a message to one of the groups: 

“They came to us in our most difficult moments with a sense of mission, strong values, and a desire to take part in the recovery process. They fell in love with what’s happening here and stayed. 

They are already living in our communities, taking on meaningful roles in education, therapy, and community life, and have become an inseparable part of daily life in Eshkol. And they say themselves: they are receiving no less than they give. 

Members of the Toreinu group — we are so glad you joined us. We’re happy you’re here.” 

For participants, the experience is deeply personal. Maya, one of the first educators and now a leader in the Eshkol region, shared: “I had a comfortable life in Tel Aviv. But I couldn’t imagine turning away from this moment. I knew I had to stay and help rebuild.” 

Toreinu is about young people stepping into real responsibility, bringing energy, optimism, and presence to places that need them most. They are helping reopen community programs, support families, and take part in rebuilding daily life alongside the communities they now call home. In the north and in the south, we’re proud of their commitment, and proud of the communities that are welcoming them as full partners in shaping what comes next.

 After their first year in Toreinu, participants can choose to continue in the program, remain living in their border community independently, or move on to new life paths.