Written by Flora Levy

Just over one month ago, nine of us returned to the UK from the Shnat Netzer gap year programme run by Netzer Olami – the international Progressive Zionist youth movement that LJY-Netzer is a part of.

Writing this article with hindsight, I can say that only now do I fully understand and appreciate the experiences I had and the things I learned during that year away. Starting out as a northern hemisphere group of 33 – including Brits, Americans, Spaniards and a German – we spent our first six weeks living and working as a community on the Reform Kibbutz Yahel.

After this, we split into different options from November to February. Two members of the group chose to carry on living the Kibbutz life, though this time on the Israel’s other Reform collective at Kibbutz Lotan. Fifteen went to stay and work in Karmiel, a small Israeli city where they volunteered, lived, learned and embraced the community.

The rest of us, myself included, embarked on Shvil Yisrael – a famous hiking trail stretching from the most northern to the most southern points of Israel. For three months we established a routine of hiking and camping through the week, having weekends to travel and relax. We also enjoyed a day of volunteering in Jerusalem and received informal education sessions from the Netzer staff on everything from Hebrew to festivals to ideology.

At the beginning of February we neared our destination. We had formed a community so strong and supportive, that it was hard to separate. Reaching the sea at the border crossing between Israel and Egypt, near Elait, was incredibly overwhelming. I finished this part of my year totally satisfied. I felt as though I had truly explored and come to understand this country physically and personally, whilst also learning about myself and the community that I was living in.

Moving onto the second half of the programme, I chose the option to participate in Machon, a well-known and long-running programme for Jewish leaders abroad. I lived and studied with 85 other young people in East Jerusalem. It was a pluralist environment, as we learned each other’s ideologies and beliefs, which ranged across the whole political and religious spectrum.

This intense four months of debate, learning and understanding – which provided an in-depth exploration into our Jewish and Zionist identities – saw me challenge all of my beliefs. I also made some amazing friends and received great leadership experience. The very concept of 85 young, passionate, involved Jewish leaders from around the world coming together is something very special.

Whilst I was on Machon, some of the others simultaneously participated on the Etgar programme – which is run exclusively by Netzer in Jerusalem. The group lived in Beit Shmuel, cooking, cleaning and living together in a Progressive environment, engaging in education around our ideology, Jewish and Israeli history, Zionism and leadership.

I can wholeheartedly say that for me, and the other eight LJY-Netzer Shnatties, this was the best year of our lives, with memories, lessons and a relationship with Israel that we will treasure forever.