gap year in israel

Check out our social media to see what our students have been up to this past week!

Gap year in israel - aardvarkisrael

Shalom Parents and Students!

This has become a habit, so here is our Israeli weather report! This week was pretty cloudy in Israel. No rain, but cloudy weather indeed, with some sunshine here and there, and higher temperatures on some days. Scroll down to see what our students have been up to >>

Levontin community at a shabbaton with mechinat aderet
Levontin community at a Shabbaton with Mechinat Aderet
Hettie, zehava, and robby from florentin in a group activity
Hettie, Zehava, and Robby from Florentin in a group activity

Our Levontin community spent Shabbat at Mechinat Aderet, in Kfar Silver. They were warmly hosted by the Israeli Mechina students, and they participated in workshops and sessions, trying to answer questions like: What is my Jewish identity, and how does it relate to my Israeli identity? Which identity do I feel more connected to? The students had some free time to bond with each other and with the Israeli students at the Mechina, experienced Kabbalat Shabbat, and played some board games, in a chill, relaxed Shabbat away from the city.

Florentin students traveled south to Ein Avdat, where they visited Ben Gurion’s grave and learned about the man who was one of Israel’s most well-known founding fathers and its first prime minister.
Earlier this week, they seized one of the sunny days and went to Charles Clore Park, right by the beach. Don’t forget to invite us next time! 😊

Adin, daniel, mathew, sam, matt, and evan from jerusalem at nahal talkid
Adin, Daniel, Mathew, Sam, Matt, and Evan from Jerusalem at Nahal Talkid
Is this the winning team?
Is this the winning team?

Jerusalem students hiked in Nahal Talkid, in the Jordan Valley. This hike includes rivers, high cliffs, and small climbing ladders which turn this hike into an incredible adventure.

From the other side of the country, Levontin and Rothschild communities traveled north to the beautiful, magical city of Zefat. They learned about the city’s unique atmosphere, visited famous synagogues, and sensed the holiness of Zefat, one of the most sacred Jewish cities in Israel.
Rothchild community had their own Master Chef competition, where each student showed their talent in the kitchen! The students were split into groups of three and received the same box of ingredients. Then, each group prepared its own special dish, served to our honorable judges (our madrichim, of course). Which team do you think won? We have a guess 😉

And now, we know you have been waiting for our Spotlight on internships and volunteering! Meet Joel Schapira, from London, UK, who interns for Amsterdam Cookies, in the heart of Tel Aviv: “AMS Cookies is an incredible experience with an amazing vibe and lots of different variety of work, including rolling the cookies, working at the till, making boxes, and the marketing part of the work trying to boost their social media. I really enjoy working there and I look forward to the days I come to work every week.”

Joel schapira and zeke having a special treat after a busy day!
Joel Schapira and Zeke having a special treat after a busy day!
Looking good, joel!
Looking good, Joel!
Gap year in israel - aardvarkisrael

Last but not least, here’s a picture of our Yam L’Yam (Sea to Sea) group, who just finished their four-day trip in the north. The students traveled on one of Israel’s well-known hikes, which goes all the way from the Kinneret to Achziv Beach on the Mediterranean coast. They slept in tents, cooked, bonded by the bonfire, and walked along with one of Israel’s most beautiful trails.

Next week, there will be no newsletter due to Passover vacation, but don’t miss us too much! We will be back the following week. 😀 Have a wonderful Shabbat and a Happy Passover!