APRIL 1 • 2021 | 31

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ERETZ

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 

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 

A gap year — even in the
pandemic — is time well spent.
A gap year — even in the

To Be Young,
Jewish and
in Israel

AMIR SHOAM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

During a hike 
near Ketura. 

A hike in the 
Ein Avdat 
National Park.

Volunteering at 
an orchard near 
Netanya.

