ERETZ
To Be Young, Jewish and in Israel
During a hike near Ketura.
A gap year — even in the pandemic — is time well spent. AMIR SHOAM CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A hike in the Ein Avdat National Park.
I
f you know what animal Arthur Read is, then you have heard the name of a gap year program that might change your life. Maddie Katz, 19, of Farmington Hills had already known she wanted to take a gap year when she heard about Aardvark Israel in 2019. Having visited Israel the year before, she was excited to live in it for nine months, which became slightly longer due to the pandemic. Moving from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and back, Katz shared two-bedroom apartments with three or four roommates at a time. Participants are divided into apartments based on gender and kashrut observance.
(Groceries are not included.) In addition to mandatory Hebrew classes, participants choose from a variety of classes dealing with Israel’s society and politics, Judaism and general subjects. The classes take place in Aardvark’s offices, are administered through the American Jewish University and grant academic credit. Now a student at Michigan State University, Katz said that the program’s classes were not as time-consuming as college classes: “Because it’s a gap year program, they made the classes very easy. There wasn’t much work we had to do. It was very discussion-based.” Living in Israel, which held
two elections during Katz’s time in it, has seemingly taught her just as much. “From being there a long time, I really got to dive into how complex the society is,” she said. “There are a lot of political issues that are similar to the U.S. — a lot of division between groups, or a lot of cooperation that’s interesting. I got a little bit of a standpoint on the conflict.” During the program, Katz interned in jewelry photography, photo editing, deal-making for documentary productions, the Tower of David Museum and even a coffee shop’s private garden. Katz also had the opportunity to explore the Volunteering at an orchard near Netanya.
country, from Tzfat and Akko in the north to Ketura in the south. “They really did a good job getting us to a lot of different parts of Israel,” she said. “I think my favorite ones were in the Negev. I love the desert, and I love hiking.” In their spare time, Katz and her friends from the program explored the cities in which they lived: “When I was in Tel Aviv, we loved to hang out by the beach,” she said. “I checked out different museums and saw different events in the city. I’d go to the market in Jaffa and the Carmel Market.” When the pandemic arrived, most of the program’s 120 participants returned home, but Katz chose not to. “I thought I would still be able to make better use of my time staying in Israel,” she said. LIFE IN LOCKDOWN In March 2020, Israel’s first lockdown marked a turning continued on page 32 APRIL 1 • 2021
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