
Special Interest Add-Ons
In addition to the core program, Aardvark Israel offers add-on options to further enhance your experience. These give you the opportunity to customize your experience by essentially building your own program from the menu of choices offered. Several options are available, including semester-long special interest programming and individual world travel opportunities. Add-ons require an additional fee for participation.
Fall Semester | Spring Semester | |
Jerusalem | Selah | Aardvark Extreme |
Tel Aviv | Sea Sports | |
Jerusalem / Tel Aviv | Marva |
Special Interest Programs

Nepal Cultural Exchange – As part of a global community, Jews share a responsibility to be involved in making the world a better place. In order to best fulfill this mission, we need to both educate ourselves about and contribute to communities in need – both locally and globally. While in Israel you will engage with organizations working in the field of social justice, and through our partnership with Tevel b’Tzedek, you will have the unique opportunity for a cultural exchange and volunteer experience in Nepal, a country with immense poverty and hardships, but also a thriving culture and natural beauty. On a two week trip abroad, you will live with a Nepalese family, volunteer in a rural village, trek in the Himalayas, explore interesting sites in the nation’s capital and participate in an educational seminar in Katmandu. Click here for more…

Marva – Offered during the Fall Semester in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, this program will expose you to the Israeli Defense Forces as a tool to help you better understand Israeli society. Students will participate in the army’s Marva program, an 8-week basic training simulation, during which you’ll live on an army base, wear uniforms, learn to shoot and more. You will meet officers in the Israeli army and speak with war heroes. Click here for more…

Sea Sports – Offered in Tel Aviv during the Fall semester, you will stay in shape and enjoy the wide variety of fitness activities that the Tel Aviv coastline has to offer! Taking part in a wide range of water sports and beach activities, as well as studying about Israel’s chronic water problem, you will learn to truly appreciate Israel’s water resources. Sports will include, sailing, parasailing, surfing, windsurfing, kayaking, kite surfing, beach volleyball, and jogging. Through the Sea Sports track, you will get your endorphins pumping and have a great time! Click here for more…

Entrepreneurship – Offered in Tel Aviv during both Semesters, this program recognizes Israel as the vanguard of the entrepreneurial marketplace. In this special interest program, you will learn about the Israeli economy from a variety of perspectives: creating a company, project management, writing a business plan, creativity, finances, and more. Through meeting successful Israeli entrepreneurs, you will learn from their experiences and gain a better understanding of Israeli commerce and the economic forecast. Click here for more…

Magen David Adom (MADA) – Offered both semesters (without Mind-Body) in Tel Aviv. This program is perfect for students interested in physical and mental health. Included is the option to enroll in the Magen David Adom (Israeli Red Cross) training course, which will teach you the skills required to volunteer on an ambulance. Through enrichment programs, you will meet doctors and mental health professionals and learn about the field of health in Israel. The program also includes workshops in Chinese medicine, acupuncture, meditation, art therapy, reflexology, homeopathy, and nutrition. Guided discussions are held to synthesize your learning and experiences into a better understanding of the mind-body connection. Click here for more…

Aardvark Extreme – Take your Israel experience to the EXTREME! Offered in Jerusalem during the Spring Semester, Aardvark Extreme provides exhilarating activities which will challenge the student physically, build character and provide a platform for leadership development. Activities will include skydiving, rappelling, scuba diving course, 2 week volunteer trip to Nepal, sea to sea hike in the north of Israel along with navigation training, and much more! Click here for more…