
Aardvark Israel
Program Overview
Duration: 4-5 months or 9 months
Fall Semester: September-December
Spring Semester: January-May
Year Program: September-May
Living in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, our participants take full advantage of the cultural enrichment, night life, and convenience of the two most popular cities in Israel for today’s young adults. Designed for post-high school (gap year) students, current college students, and working young men and women ages 17-21, Aardvark Israel brings together a diverse group of students from around the world for:
- Urban living
- Professional internships and volunteering
- Weekly field trips throughout the country
- College-accredited courses
- Countless enrichment opportunities
- Optional add-ons allowing you to customize the experience with special interest tracks and international trips
Daily Life on Aardvark Israel
- Jerusalem students live downtown next to Machane Yehuda, the famous outdoor market
- Tel Aviv students live in the trendy Florentine neighborhood surrounded by young Israelis
Our modern, comfortable apartments are shared only by participants in the program. All the apartments are fully furnished and equipped with kitchen appliances and utensils, and of course WiFi. With the guidance of a qualified counselor, participants will learn to cook, clean, budget, do laundry, and live together with roommates. Understanding that this will be the first time most of the students are living on their own, staff will work with the participants in each apartment to ensure a positive group dynamic and the health and welfare of the participants. Throughout the program, the counselors hold weekly apartment meetings to facilitate and solve any issues which may arise. They will also pay friendly, regular visits to the apartments. As the year progresses, the participants will be encouraged to be more independent in their problem-solving in order to foster growth and maturity.
You will be surrounded by opportunities to learn throughout your time in Israel. The educational component of the program is woven into exciting field trips, dynamic guest speakers, and stimulating activities. In addition, students will participate in a Hebrew Ulpan. Whether you are a beginner or quite advanced, you will expand your vocabulary and become more comfortable in a Hebrew-speaking environment. Students may also enroll in other academic courses covering a range of Jewish and Zionist topics. Extracurricular activities and workshops are also available to students, such as yoga, spoken Arabic, and Jewish art.
Up to a year of college credit is also available for successful completion of academic courses through our partnership with Portland State University.
The following are examples of the academic courses typically offered on Aardvark Israel. Please note, minimum enrollment is required for a class to open and class offerings vary between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
- Hebrew
- History of Zionism and Israeli Society
- Women in the Zionist Movement
- Eternal Jerusalem – The Religions of the Holy Land
- Middle East Politics: A Microcosms
- Introduction to Service Learning
- The Art of Reading and Writing
- Midrash and Fantasy – Introduction to Midrash
- The Arab Israeli Conflict
- Jewish Medical Ethics
- Contemporary Israeli Politics
- Modern Israel Geography of the Land of Israel
- Gender and Judaism
Students will also be able to take full advantage of their free time to visit friends and family, enjoy the local nightlife, travel around Israel, or enjoy relaxing time in their apartment with their roommates.




























