gap year in israel

My name is Benji Abrahams, I’m from Johannesburg, South Africa 🇿🇦 and I am spending the semester in Tel Aviv! Afterwards, I am planning to study Performance Arts at Wits University in Johannesburg.

I heard about Aardvark Israel from close friends and people that have already been on the program and I jumped at the opportunity to join. I chose to come to come on Aardvark to experience the land of Israel in its entirety as well as to challenge myself in ways that I never thought I would.

My favorite part of the program so far was visiting an Ethiopian community where we were exposed to their culture and way of life in Israel. It was such an eye opening and learning experience.

What really surprised me the most about Aardvark is the amount of autonomy that each individual on the program gets, and how much work takes place to educate students about different cultures and point of views. I have met people on the program from Brazil, Chile, Canada, the United States, England, and that’s just a few! I have only been here for a little over a month, and I’ve already learned so much and I know this is just the beginning!

For my internship, I work at an elementary school in Ramat Gan where I teach English to grades 4 through to 6. This has been a rewarding experience for me, as I can slowly see the impact that I am making and I am realizing how fulfilling it is to educate those who want to learn more about the world that we live in.

For future Aardvarkians, I urge you to get involved and to not hold back. It might seem daunting at first but over time the friends you make become family and everything starts to fall in to place.

I am so appreciative to my family for allowing me to spend this semester in Israel, as well as preparing me for life as an ‘adult’ as I start my journey into independence and life beyond home. I am thankful to be surrounded by people who began as strangers and who have transformed into lifelong friends as well as an international family.

If you are looking for a productive and exciting way to spend your gap year, then Aardvark Israel is definitely the place where you should be!! 🇿🇦 🇮🇱