History Tsevet Lohamim was founded in 2010 by a former lone soldier, Bernardo, with the aim of strengthening the security of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. Bernardo was born and raised in Mexico and was drafted at the age of 19. Thanks to the advice of dedicated mentors, Bernardo understood what it meant to serve the State of Israel, the danger, and the monumental risks he would take. He did not take his decision lightly. Many draftees, both new immigrants and native born, are not so lucky. To fully prepare Israel’s future soldiers, Bernardo knew he must act, and thus founded Tsevet Lohamim. To date Tsevet Lohamim has created a strong community of over a 1,000 alumni, community members, and partners who have strengthened Israel's security through their unshakeable commitment and sacrifice for the country. Approximately 90 percent of all alumni have been drafted into elite and special units, with many of them becoming decorated warriors and commanders. Today, Tsevet Lohamim Alumni are community and industry leaders who continue to strengthen Israel leading by example.

Mission To prepare future combat soldiers to become leaders in the military and society as a whole, thus building the next generation of warriors and leaders to strengthen the State of Israel.

Vision Tsevet Lohamim is a community of warriors dedicated to strengthening Israel and the Jewish people.

The Need There is an increasing gap in Israeli society with regards to community and military service resulting in decreased motivation for combat draft. Simultaneously, social cohesion is fraying and fragmentation is on the rise. Tsevet Lohamim addresses both of these threats by leveraging skills acquired in Special Forces service to build a cadre of new immigrants and sabra warriors that understand sacrifice and leadership as part of this shared goal of strengthening Israel and the Jewish people. They are the next generation of leaders who will become key figures in the military and later in Israeli society, helping Israel become more united and self-determining. The impact of Tsevet Lohamim ripples from each of our cadets through every echelon of Israeli society. 

Program Activities Our dynamic program includes three main pillars that support future combat soldiers (both Olim and Sabras), including Military Leadership Training, Personal Mentorship, and Community Service.

OUR SUCCESS

Name: A

Place of Birth: South America

Army Unit: Special Forces

“Soon after I made Aliyah, I heard about Tsevet Lohamim from a friend of mine. I was very excited and some days later I signed up for my first session with Tsevet Lohamim.

That session was one of the hardest experiences of my life. In the middle of the sprints, grueling physical, mental and verbal trials, it took me a while to understand that my mind was my greatest enemy and to either succeed or fail was entirely up to me, not the level of hardship that came at my way.

That session was the stepping stone. Over the course of more than a year, through unimaginable difficult trainings, seminars, Special Forces simulations, martial art trainings, Special Forces tryouts and other occasions, Tsevet Lohamim helped me build resilience, mental toughness, leadership qualities and skills fundamental to my success in being the best soldier, citizen and person possible.

From the most simple tasks - doing missions on time, to more complicated tasks - Tsevet Lohamim helped me build and incorporate responsibility and team work together with the inevitable outcome of every training and lesson, at a supreme fitness level.

Core values were forged into my training: Discipline, leadership, brotherhood, responsibility, honor, and respect were just some of the features consolidated in me today as an Warrior. I learned that warriors are not always the fastest or strongest people. Strength and speed can be developed through training. Warriors are those who choose to stand between their enemy and all they love and hold sacred.

A large number of my ancestors and of the Jewish people were decimated by guns and gas chambers not more than seventy years ago. They were exterminated and almost none of them fought back. There was no one to protect them. Today is different. Today there is Israel, there is the IDF, and there are warriors ready to sacrifice their lives so that what happened not long ago will not happen again. Even though I was not born in Israel, I saw that I had a moral obligation to come and serve.

I came to Israel with a mission: to serve my people - the Jewish People - and my country - The State of Israel- in the best way possible. Recently, I had the honor to fulfill this life long dream and to be accepted to serve in one of the Special Forces units of the IDF. It is clear for me that without Tsevet Lohamim, I wouldn’t be able to be where I stand today.

God's help and blessing, my supportive family, the help of the friends I made throughout this journey on Tsevet, the professional training of the instructors and the tireless hours and dedication of the whole Tsevet Lohamim group all made a huge impact in the success of my journey.

At the end of the day, we all just have one home, one State, Israel. Tsevet Lohamim helped me grow and rise to the level where I can proudly and boldly defend this small land of ours.”

Name: Miriam

Place of Birth: USA

Unit: Aryot Hayarden

At age 21 I made Aliyah to join the IDF. But as exciting as it had all seemed in the comfort of my parents home in Baltimore, MD, once here I found myself at a loss. My first time in a new country, a language I couldn't speak and a culture I hardly understood. I hardly knew anyone and had no idea what I was getting myself into. While there are organizations that provide help with organizing a place to stay or eat or even explanations on military service I was looking for someone to help me prepare mentally and physically for my service. Someone who could show me what the next 3 years of my life would be like and help prepare me to do my best. I heard about Tsevet Lohamim and went to try out a training session. The quality of the training was amazing. The trainers pushed us to do our best and even more then that. They let us know what we were really capable of. They showed us what it means to be a real soldier. And best of all when training was over they were there to answer our questions, to help us and to guide us with our drafting process.

My draft was more complicated than I had planned for, as a girl over the normal drafting age I had to fight to draft. And then fight again to get into combat, but all along the staff and trainers at Tsevet were there supporting and rooting me on. When I finally did draft to combat and began my service as a combat soldier in Arayot Hayarden they were still there anytime I came back for help and to cheer for me each time I succeeded. I finished 7 months of training successfully and continued to a commander's course. All the time hearing my trainers from Tsevet in my head. "You can do this. Be the best. Dont stop."

What I learned from my training in Tsevet about myself, about hard work and about teamwork are things that have not only helped me in my military service but will stay with me as a work ethic for the rest of my life.