Blog - Aardvark Israel Gap Year Program

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Jerusalem Weekly – Jan 28, 2021

January 30, 2021 Weekly Updates

Dear parents and students, This week, despite the lockdown in Israel, we felt the need to give back to the community, so we offered our students options for volunteering in the community. Some of our students went to OneFamily to volunteer. OneFamily is a nonprofit organization that deals with thousands ...

Student of the Week – Danya Dubrow-Compaine

January 18, 2021 Student of the Week

Shalom everyone! My name’s Danya, and I’m from Weston, Massachusetts (for those who know Jews in the Boston area, I live right next to Newton or “Jewton” as it’s affectionately called). Last semester, I had the amazing opportunity to live in Jerusalem right next to Shuk Machne Yehuda. A week ...

Jerusalem Weekly – Jan 14, 2021

January 14, 2021 Weekly Updates

In our short time in Jerusalem, my 5 roommates and I have made the best of our time here – even during lockdown. From making elaborate meals to going on runs in Gan Sacher, and even bonding with our awesome counselor Nitzan, we have begun to make a home for ...

Weekly Letter TLV – Jan 14, 2021

January 14, 2021 Weekly Updates

It was a busy first week of our Spring semester! After everyone arrived on Monday, the rest of the week was dedicated to getting to know the new apartments, neighborhood, and staff. We also dedicated time to setting goals for the upcoming semster and talking about what we learned ...

Couch to 5K

January 12, 2021 Student Blog

by Tiffany Salzberg A large part of my life is health and fitness. This passion goes beyond working out, and is more than just a “diet.” I put great emphasis on physical activity. I do plyometric workouts six days a week. I prefer circuits and functional workouts. Through this passion, ...

The Aardvark Monthly – December 2020

January 9, 2021 Aardvark Israel Monthly

Dear Future Aardvarkians, Thank you for choosing Aardvark Israel for your Gap Year experience! Welcome to our monthly newsletter. We want to keep you informed on the day to day happenings, Add-Ons, Weekly trips, Internships and Volunteering, and so much more! Here you can find more information to help you ...

Israel Packing List

January 4, 2021 Student Blog

Clothing Hiking boots (broken in!!). Preferably waterproof Water shoes with firm bottoms and straps (Keens, Tevas…) Hat for hiking (a must!!) T-shirts Long sleeve shirts Sweaters/Sweatshirts Jeans/pants/leggings Shorts/skirts Underwear Socks (high, full length— a must when wearing hiking boots!) Dress shoes that are comfortable for walking Flip flops or shower ...

Student of the Week – Ash Swidler

January 4, 2021 Student of the Week

Greetings, readers of the world. My name is Ash Swidler and, like many people on the programme, I live in New York. Shocker! However, all sarcasm aside, having spent my entire life until recently in the UK, my reasons for participating in Aardvark Israel are far from simple… My brother, ...

Hebrew Slang

December 30, 2020 Student of the Week

My name is Josh Glucksman and I am an 18-year-old Chicagoan living in Jerusalem in Aardvark Israel. Although I have only lived here for a few months, I have quickly realized that knowing basic Hebrew is life-or-death. Okay, not in the literal sense, but it can definitely save you from ...

Jerusalem Weekly Letter – November 26, 2020

December 27, 2020 Weekly Updates

This past Tuesday, we listened to a guest lecture from Charlotte Korchak, a member of Standwithus. For me, these past two weeks have been eye-opening: hearing Palestinian and Jewish Settlers talk sbout living in Judea and Samaria, learning about the politics around the terms “occupation” and “Palestinian” and the struggles ...

The Aardvark Monthly – November 2020

December 27, 2020 Aardvark Israel Monthly

Adventure Is Out There by Ryan Neutel, Irvine, CaliforniaEver since arriving in Israel and completing the 14 day quarantine, I knew I never wanted to waste any time that I had free. From Thursday afternoons to Saturday nights we are free to do as we please. Last weekend, I had ...

Jerusalem Weekly – November 26, 2020

December 27, 2020 Weekly Updates

This week, my Israeli politics class went to the President’s Residence! We were able to see “The room where it happens,” as our teacher kept saying, which was filled with so many different aspects of Israeli life and culture. We learned about the president’s role here in Israel, and how ...

“He who wants to be wise, should go to the south” – TLV

December 27, 2020 Weekly Updates

The sentence on the top of this email belongs to Rabbi Yitzhak, and is taken from the Talmud. The south of Israel is a very special area with lots of history, scenery, and culture. This week we had two different trips, both to southern destinations.One of our groups drove down ...

Student of the Week – Howie Scharlin

December 27, 2020 Student of the Week

Hello, my name is Howie Scharlin and I’m from Miami, Florida. Next year I am starting at Tufts University in the fall. I am in the Aardvark Israel Big Idea program, and since the beginning of September, I’ve been living in Jerusalem. I am so excited that I will be ...

Weekly Letter TLV December 10, 2020

December 27, 2020 Weekly Updates

It was a great week here in Tel Aviv. Like last week, half of the community went to Yeruham and the other drove to Kiryat Gat. Both of the trips focused on Israeli marginalized communities in the periphery of Israel, the struggles they faced in the past, as well as ...

Jerusalem Weekly December 10

December 27, 2020 Weekly Updates

This week on Tuesday, half of the group traveled to Hebron, an extremely controversial yet holy city that houses M’arat Hamachpela (The Cave of the Patriarchs), located in the disputed West Bank territory. Prior to the trip, we learned about the rich history, both biblical and recent, as well as ...

Student of the Week – Carly Schain

December 27, 2020 Student of the Week

Mountains of maroon-hued spices line the streets and the yells from sellers and buyers bargaining in Hebrew pierce the air- it’s Friday afternoon at Shuk HaCarmel in Tel Aviv. Throngs of locals rush past me, and it seems as if the entire city is shopping for the upcoming Shabbat. My ...

Weekly Letter TLV December 17, 2020

December 27, 2020 Weekly Updates

This week our students got to visit two very special places. Half of the community drove up to Beit She’an National Park, which houses the spectacular ruins of the glory that was the Roman and Byzantine city of Bet She’an. Rising above them is the high mound on which Biblical ...

Jerusalem Weekly December 17

December 27, 2020 Weekly Updates

on, red slanted roofs facing towards us in a uniform arrangement. As we entered Hebron, the largest Arab city in the West Bank, we began to learn about the religious history of the city, said to be the second most important city in Judaism. The city was home to the ...

Student of the Week – Dani Starr

December 27, 2020 Student of the Week

Hi there! My name is Dani Starr and I’m from San Diego, California. I have spent the past four months in Jerusalem, and I have loved every moment! Next fall, I will be attending Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of the Performing Arts, studying for a BFA in Musical Theatre with ...