Kibbutz Ketura Reflection
by Josh Glucksman “From desert to garden” is a phrase often used to describe the unique and arguably miraculous climatic condition of Israel. Through ingenious agricultural innovation, strong environmental values and policies, and,—if it’s your cup of tea—the will of the man upstairs, Israel has truly become a garden. However, if anything from our three […]
Yom Kippur Student Blog
I watched the sky turn from a light blue to a pale pink as I stood on the steps facing the Leonardo Plaza. The clock slowly ticking away the minutes until my friends and I could gorge on a break-fast meal. I took it all in with a few deep breaths— the captivating chants from […]
An Open Letter to Covid-19
by Danielle Dear Coronavirus, When you abruptly took the world on by storm, unannounced with a complete disregard for the seemingly momentous and transitional period of life I was entering, I resented you. I have lost unquantifiable memories and experiences due to the global pandemic that succeeded in quieting the city that never sleeps, and […]
An open letter to the Aardvark Israel community
by Sara Goldstein Since March 12th, when the legislators of the Greater Los Angeles area declared my hometown was to undergo a mandatory shut-down due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I have felt overwhelmingly stagnant. Given that I am a sociable extravert who thrives on deep interpersonal connection, a pandemic which forces the global community into […]
The things I learned in quarantine
by Judah Huberman-Shlaes Quarantine, especially one mandated by the government, seems daunting at worst, and at best, is an incredible nuisance, especially with four strangers. Having quarantined with my family (whom I love very much), I knew how banal and frustrating it could get. Add in the fact that I had never met my four […]
Rosh Hashana and Hair Donation
by Yael Schwartz from Rockville, Maryland After growing out my hair for several years, one of the first things I did out of quarantine was get it all chopped off. I’ve donated my hair before, so this wasn’t a new concept. But when you’ve spent so long trying to grow it out, it can be […]
Alumni of the Month – Betsy Weill
My name is Betsy Weill and I’m from Deerfield, Illinois. I took a gap semester with Aardvark Israel in Jerusalem during the Fall of 2019 and started college at New York University in January of 2020. The cliché of a life-changing gap year is a cliché for a reason. After my four months of living […]
Student of the Week – Leena Demers
Hi, my name is Leena Demers and I was born and raised in New York City! I’ve spent my spring and summer semesters in Florentine, Tel Aviv. In the fall, I will be in Montreal where I will be attending McGill University and majoring in Art History. Funny story, this isn’t even really my gap […]
Student of the Week – Alexa Narunsky
Hi, my name is Alexa Narunsky and I am from Sydney, Australia. During Aardvark’s spring semester, I was lucky enough to live in Florentine, Tel Aviv and now, in the new summer semester, I am able to stay another 2 and a half months! In February 2021, I will attend the University of Technology in […]
Student of the Week – Asher Grynberg
Hi my name is Asher Grynberg, and I’ve left Sydney, Australia to spend a semester (or two now) in Tel Aviv. In Sydney, there is a large Jewish community; going to a Jewish school while growing up, I had many friends who were going on a gap year and I had always planned to travel […]