gap year in israel

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 […]

Reflections on the first week out of quarantine

by Ben Rubinstein from Los Altos, California The first week out of quarantine has been very eventful: from hikes to workshops to finally meeting everyone face-to-face, there’s a lot to speak about. However, this week has made me recall a story I was told in Day School: When Jews would make Aliyah to Israel, I […]