My experience as a Masa Israel Teaching Fellow with Israel Experience has been incredibly rewarding. I went from working 50-60 hours a week in corporate America to teaching young children English. I moved halfway around the world to fulfill a dream of living in Israel. Below are some highlights of my experiences so far:
First Day of MITF
The day we arrived, we met the other 45 participants from Petach Tikva and Rishon Lezion and were immediately bussed to a kibbutz for a 3-day introduction to the program. During this retreat, we learned about program regulations, expectations, and procedures. Within 72 hours we chose our roommates for the year and bonded immediately. My roommates, Rachael, Lara, Annie, Mollie, Becky, and I are from all over the US and UK and have become like family.
First Day of School
The first day of school was a complete balagan (chaos in Hebrew). Israeli school systems are very different than American ones. They are a lot less formal, teachers get called by their first names, kids give teachers hugs all the time, and kids yell back at teachers during class. Despite this, I absolutely loved the first day. The kids were very excited to meet us and learn English from Americans. After a few days we started getting hugs from the kids and now I get at least 10 hugs every day from my students.
Free Time Activities
After school and on the weekends my roommates and I enjoy spending time outdoors in Rishon or Tel Aviv, trying a variety of different restaurants, and spending time in the parks in Rishon. Rishon is close enough to Tel Aviv to go on a frequent basis. Having an unlimited Rav Kav (Israeli bus pass) makes it easy to get around without a car. The buses frequently run late, but they are convenient when you need to get around Tel Aviv. On some of our long weekends, we’ve had the opportunity to explore other cities in Israel such as Caesaria, Jerusalem, Haifa, and the Negev desert, both on our own and with Israel Experience programming. Some of my favorite places in Tel Aviv/Jaffa to explore are Old Man and the Sea, Banana Beach, the boardwalk, Anastasia, Hayarkon Park, Har Carmel Shuk, and Rothschild street. Some of my favorite things to do in Rishon are: relaxing in the Music Park or the Park by City Hall, eating at Soho in the Industrial area, seeing a movie at Cinema City, and swimming at Palmahim Beach.
Free Time Activities
After school and on the weekends my roommates and I enjoy spending time outdoors in Rishon or Tel Aviv, trying a variety of different restaurants, and spending time in the parks in Rishon. Rishon is close enough to Tel Aviv to go on a frequent basis. Having an unlimited Rav Kav (Israeli bus pass) makes it easy to get around without a car. The buses frequently run late, but they are convenient when you need to get around Tel Aviv. On some of our long weekends, we’ve had the opportunity to explore other cities in Israel such as Caesaria, Jerusalem, Haifa, and the Negev desert, both on our own and with Israel Experience programming. Some of my favorite places in Tel Aviv/Jaffa to explore are Old Man and the Sea, Banana Beach, the boardwalk, Anastasia, Hayarkon Park, Har Carmel Shuk, and Rothschild street. Some of my favorite things to do in Rishon are: relaxing in the Music Park or the Park by City Hall, eating at Soho in the Industrial area, seeing a movie at Cinema City, and swimming at Palmahim Beach.
Israelis (in General)
Israelis are very blunt, forward, and occasionally pushy people. But also they are warm, kind, and generous. The secretary at my school, Merav, treats me like her own daughter and has invited me over to her house for Shabbat dinner on countless occasions. Israelis go out of their way to make you feel warm and welcome in a foreign country. It feels like my home away from home.
