The Nativ College Leadership Program in Israel
To see the official Nativ website, click here.
Twenty Excellent Reasons to Go on Nativ
1. 9 months in Israel between high school and the rest of your life is the best preparation for anything that you will face.
2. People who care about friends, Judaism, identity, community, Israel, and themselves choose to go on Nativ, and the participants distinguish Nativ from other gap year programs.
3. There's just the right amount of structure: we are independent for the most part, but we go on a few awesome trips with the group and we are encouraged to check out different things around Israel.
4. Free weekends in Israel are awesome, and we get a lot of them.
5. Having the option to study first semester at Hebrew University at the Rothberg International School, at an Ulpan, or at the Conservative Yeshiva means that everyone can find something interesting to learn about.
6. We're not in USY anymore! But we're still kind of in USY, only this time, boys are allowed in girls' rooms.
7. We live on our own second semester, in apartments in Yerucham or caravans on kibbutz, and staff is a short walk away.
8. We're set up with host families second semester, and they are the best. people. ever.
9. Food in Israel is so much better than food in places that are not Israel.
10. People really actually legitimately like you for who you are. I've worn a t-shirt and jeans, not even tight jeans, almost every day this year. And when I'm not wearing jeans, I'm probably wearing sweatpants. It's an amazing phenomenon.
11. You don't miss out on the "freshman experience" at college. It will be there when you get back!!
12. A year off gives you time to get your priorities straight, change if you want, figure out where you're going, reapply or apply for the first time to college. It gives you perspective and maturity that doesn't come from high school.
13. The weather is AMAZING, and it totally affects your mood, in the best way.
14. It's really easy to be Jewish here - to walk places on Shabbat, to not be bored on Shabbat because all your friends live with you, to eat kosher food because there are tons of kosher restaurants, to keep Passover, to wear a kippah, to find a place to pray that fits your style or has a kiddush worth tasting every week. There's a lot of room for questioning the religion and also for different levels of observance.
15. When people hear you speaking English and ask if you're on Birthright, it's soooo much cooler to say, "oh, actually no. I LIVE here."
16. If you're thinking about making alliyah, or not, it's really great to "test out" the place before you make the commitment to live here or join the army.
17. There's a lot of time second semester (since there's no homework) so you can catch up on pleasure reading, working out, talking to friends from home, or movies. It feels great to live without the stress of homework. Wake up in the morning, go to work and help people out, come home and do whatever you feel like doing. Perfect.
18. Living in a Hebrew speaking country does wonders for your Hebrew. If you've never learned Hebrew before, you'll be amazed by how much you learn during the first semester at school and at work second semester. If you've gone to Jewish day school and are already a pro, you'll be amazed by how much better you get!
19. If you have family in Israel, you get to visit them a lot if you want. If you don't have family in Israel, everyone who does is totally willing to share. You end up meeting a lot of really cool people that way, too.
20. Bottom line: the program is run really well and professionally, the people are incredible-amazing-love-you-forever kind of friends, the food is delicious, the weather is gorgeous, the country has countless adventures to offer, and having no stress for an entire year can really do wonders for your happiness and life outlook. Do it.
Twenty Excellent Reasons to Go on Nativ
1. 9 months in Israel between high school and the rest of your life is the best preparation for anything that you will face.
2. People who care about friends, Judaism, identity, community, Israel, and themselves choose to go on Nativ, and the participants distinguish Nativ from other gap year programs.
3. There's just the right amount of structure: we are independent for the most part, but we go on a few awesome trips with the group and we are encouraged to check out different things around Israel.
4. Free weekends in Israel are awesome, and we get a lot of them.
5. Having the option to study first semester at Hebrew University at the Rothberg International School, at an Ulpan, or at the Conservative Yeshiva means that everyone can find something interesting to learn about.
6. We're not in USY anymore! But we're still kind of in USY, only this time, boys are allowed in girls' rooms.
7. We live on our own second semester, in apartments in Yerucham or caravans on kibbutz, and staff is a short walk away.
8. We're set up with host families second semester, and they are the best. people. ever.
9. Food in Israel is so much better than food in places that are not Israel.
10. People really actually legitimately like you for who you are. I've worn a t-shirt and jeans, not even tight jeans, almost every day this year. And when I'm not wearing jeans, I'm probably wearing sweatpants. It's an amazing phenomenon.
11. You don't miss out on the "freshman experience" at college. It will be there when you get back!!
12. A year off gives you time to get your priorities straight, change if you want, figure out where you're going, reapply or apply for the first time to college. It gives you perspective and maturity that doesn't come from high school.
13. The weather is AMAZING, and it totally affects your mood, in the best way.
14. It's really easy to be Jewish here - to walk places on Shabbat, to not be bored on Shabbat because all your friends live with you, to eat kosher food because there are tons of kosher restaurants, to keep Passover, to wear a kippah, to find a place to pray that fits your style or has a kiddush worth tasting every week. There's a lot of room for questioning the religion and also for different levels of observance.
15. When people hear you speaking English and ask if you're on Birthright, it's soooo much cooler to say, "oh, actually no. I LIVE here."
16. If you're thinking about making alliyah, or not, it's really great to "test out" the place before you make the commitment to live here or join the army.
17. There's a lot of time second semester (since there's no homework) so you can catch up on pleasure reading, working out, talking to friends from home, or movies. It feels great to live without the stress of homework. Wake up in the morning, go to work and help people out, come home and do whatever you feel like doing. Perfect.
18. Living in a Hebrew speaking country does wonders for your Hebrew. If you've never learned Hebrew before, you'll be amazed by how much you learn during the first semester at school and at work second semester. If you've gone to Jewish day school and are already a pro, you'll be amazed by how much better you get!
19. If you have family in Israel, you get to visit them a lot if you want. If you don't have family in Israel, everyone who does is totally willing to share. You end up meeting a lot of really cool people that way, too.
20. Bottom line: the program is run really well and professionally, the people are incredible-amazing-love-you-forever kind of friends, the food is delicious, the weather is gorgeous, the country has countless adventures to offer, and having no stress for an entire year can really do wonders for your happiness and life outlook. Do it.
"For those of you who are considering Nativ or having trouble deciding to go there is no question on what you should do. Nativ is your best option yet! Most young adults today are not given the opportunity to study in another country and to completely immerse themselves in the culture. As Yossi Garr, our director, has said, "Living in Israel as a Nativer means you are no longer a tourist." Yossi is absolutely positively right! Living in Israel on the Nativ program, you learn about yourself as a Jewish individual, and you grow to be a more confident and mature individual, who can face any issue in the world with the leadership tools that Nativ provides you with. Nativ is an opportunity of a life time, if you have the chance take it, don't let it pass you by!"
-Ally Turkheimer
-Ally Turkheimer