About the Kibbutz
What is Kibbutz Ulpan?
Ulpan in Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan
What to bring with you?
Information for Olim Hadashim (new immigrants)
Dates of the Ulpans
Time arrivals for new students
How to get from Ben Gurion Airport to the Ulpan?
Contact us
Photos of the Ulpan rooms and area
Photos from former Ulpans on Flickr

About the Kibbutz

Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan is situated in Northern Israel in the Zevulun Valley (a plain stretching the length of the Haifa Bay area and bordered by Mount Carmel, the hills of Lower Galilee and the Mediterranean Sea). The Kibbutz is 2 kilometers from the town of Kiryat Ata and 20 kilometers from Haifa and is a safe and calm place to stay. With its close proximity to urban centers, Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan has very good public transport connections, especially to Haifa. This is particularly convenient as many major learning institutions such as The Technion University, Haifa University, the "Gordon" College, Dvir Hotel School and the Oranim College of Education are in Haifa. In addition, many vocational training centers, technical colleges, nursing and medical schools are close by.

Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan was established in 1931 by graduates of the agricultural colleges Nahalal and Mikve Israel and pioneers from the United States. Ramat Yochanan is named after Jan (Yochanan in Hebrew) Smuts, the former Prime Minister of South Africa, who was a fervent supporter of Zionism. The Kibbutz is a unique Jewish invention – the world's only successful system of democratic communes. The Kibbutz is based on mutual responsibility: the members are expected to work for the benefit of the Kibbutz, in return the Kibbutz meets their basic needs. Each of the 270 kibbutzim (plural of Kibbutz) is independent and democratic, although there are wide variations within this basic definition.

Today Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan has an estimated 800 person population (this is members, non-members & children ). Amongst its members are people from the U.S.A., Britain, Russia, the Ukraine, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Hungary, Venezuela, South Africa, etc. Within the confines of the Kibbutz, kindergartens and day care centers cater to the needs of the families'. A primary school adjoins the Kibbutz. There is a medical clinic and pharmacy and a small hospital for the elderly. Other facilities include playgrounds, libraries (including an English library), a heated swimming pool for use by ulpanists only on select weekends, basketball, Ping-Pong Table and tennis courts, and a discotheque/pub. The Kibbutz also has its own supermarket. There is a laundry that services all members and Ulpan students.
Many wonderful community activities take place on the Kibbutz, such as the ceremonies accompanying all the religious holidays and, of course, each Friday evening, Kabalat Shabbat in the communal dining room. Cultural evenings with theatre, dance and song occur regularly and the many seminars, lectures, workshops and field trips are well-attended. A synagogue is a short walk away in the neighboring Kibbutz Kfar Hamaccabi.

The Kibbutz is financially supported by agriculture and industry. Among the many crops grown are citrus fruit, wheat and corn, cotton, avocado, olive, mango and lychee. Dairy and beef cattle are raised as are poultry. "Palram" and "Paltough" manufacture PVC and polycarbonate products.

What is Kibbutz Ulpan?

Kibbutz Ulpan offers a low-cost, easy way for young adults to really get to know a unique aspect of Israeli society (Aliyah is not a requirement). Kibbutz Ulpan combines intensive language instruction with work and life in the safe environment of the Kibbutz.
During the course of the Ulpan, there are many field trips to historic sites in Jerusalem, Akko and Tel Aviv.
Trips are also made to places such as Messada, Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea along with educational tours to museums and monuments. Sochnut sponsors excellent cultural evenings where Ulpan students from all over Israel have the opportunity to meet.

For those wishing to stay in Israel, the ulpan provides excellent preparation for life here - you will have time to acclimatize; learn the language, find a place to live, make contacts for work/further education and make new friends. The people who work in the Ulpan have vast experience with new immigrants and can provide invaluable assistance and direction.

Ulpan in Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan

Ulpan students may participate in many of the Kibbutz activities and use most of the facilities listed above.
For Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan Ulpan students, breakfast and lunch are provided in the communal dining room. The evening meal is eaten in the Ulpan club/dining room. The club has a place to sit and watch TV, the club is open all day with coffee, tea and milk available. The food served in the dining room is kosher but the cooking is non-kosher.
Accommodation is within the Ulpan area. Each apartment accommodates 2-3 people and consists of a bed-sitting room with a separate bathroom. All of the rooms are fully-furnished with bed linen provided.
A refrigerator, kettle, air conditioner is also part of the equipment to be found in every room. Cable television can be watched in the Ulpan club and Internet, e-mail and scanner facilities are available to the Ulpan students upon request ulpanistim with a laptop can have wireless access to the internet both in the ulpan club,, as well as in the upper ulpan area (near the computer room and bomb shelter entrance A). And as of Ulpan 71, this service is now free of charge.

What to bring with you?

As a rule, bring all necessary personal documentation such as your birth certificate, passport and driver's license. Any relevant medical records, vaccination certificates and medications you are currently on are definitely necessary. A letter from your Doctor basicly stating: "A Clean bill of health" This will come in handy for 2+ day trips. Educational records, degrees and certificates are a must if you intend to stay or pursue further education. See below regarding the extra documentation required if you intend to immigrate.
Bring warm clothes as well as clothes for a hot climate - it can get very cold in Israel during the winter months (from November through to April a usual evening temp in the winter is 39-42 degrees F). Work clothes are provided by the Kibbutz.
If you would like, please feel free to bring a few personal effects to decorate your room to allow you to feel more "at home" during your stay at the Ulpan (e.g. tablecloths, a small carpet, pictures, etc.).

Each participant has his own locker in the room which can be locked, therefore please bring a lock.

Information for Olim Hadashim (new immigrants)

You will be requested to present to the Ministry of the Interior documentation proving your parents and grandparents Jewish origin. Please check the current requirements before departing with the Shaliah at your nearest branch of Sochnut. During the ulpan you will receive information about the requirements and procedures for Olim Hadashim (new immigrants).

Upcoming Dates of Sessions in our Ulpan

There are two Ulpans per year that run for 5 months each. One commences at the middle of February and finishes at the beginning of July, the other from the end of August to the end of January.

Transportation; the closest main train and bus stations, which are next to one another are in Lev Hamifratz (CheckPost Juction). From there, there are buses to the closest town, Kiriat Ata, buses No. 61, 62, 63. From there it is easy taxi trip of 5 minutes (15 shekels) into the Kibbutz.
Contact us:
Ulpan Kibbutz Ramat Yochanan 30035, Israel

PLEASE NOTE – The numbers listed here are for use from OUTSIDE Israel. To dial from within the country, use 0 instead of 972. When dailing from INSIDE Israel replace 972 with 0.

Time arrivals for new students

Sunday-Thursday: 7:00 AM-11:00 PM
Friday : 7:00 AM-12:00 PM (Noon)
It would not be possible to arrive on Saturday

How to get from Ben Gurion Airport to the Ulpan?

Go to the airport train station and go on the train to "Lev Hamifratz" station.
The train's schedule can be found at www.rail.co.il
From "Lev Hamifratz" you can either get a taxi (the Ramat Yohanan Hebrew Ulpan is 15 minutes away),
Or if you want to save some money, you can go to the central bus station which is right beside "Lev Hamifratz".
In the bus station, take bus number 62 or 63 to central Kiryat Ata.
Once you are in central Kiryat Ata, take a taxi to the Hebrew Ulpan in Ramat Yohanan.

Contact us

Ulpan Office: +972-4-8459219
Ulpan Director Keren Shahar: mobile +972-52-3662219
Ulpan Housefather Gonen Shtepanski: mobile +972-52-3662497
Ulpan Dining Room: +972-4-8459509
Public Phone: +972-4-8459662
Fax Ulpan: +972-4-8459705
E-Mail: ulpan@ry.org.il
Web Page: http://www.ramat-yohanan.com/ulpan
More information For Russian Speakers:
Sasha Don home: +972-4-8459345
Sasha Don mobile phone +972-523-662949
For Russian correspondence sashadon@ry.org.il or mailto:kgribnikova@yahoo.com
For Spanish speakers Elena: +972-54-6940323

New in the Ulpan

Wireless internet – it will be easy to use your laptops!

Air conditioning!!! Cold in the summer, hot in the winter – always comfortable!

There is a DIRECT (and cheap) bus line to Jerusalem (#999) as well as newly added night trains on the Israel Railway, both of which are close to the kibbutz.