Year Course Update from Natalie
Shalom Everyone!
I thought I'd start the new year with a brief update of what Maccabi Year course has been up to in Israel so far. Tanya Geller, James Haftel and myself are here for 8-10 months choosing three different options along the way. James and Tanya have begun with a three month course called Machon. (including a variety of education relating to leadership, israel, judaism, hebrew.. the list goes on!)
I decided to take a different route to begin with and decided to study at 'ha'oniversita ha'eevrit, b'yerushaliyim' or in english, The Hebrew University in Jerusalem. The Hebrew University was opened in 1925 - before the modern state of Israel as we know it. It has over 24,000 students, 800 of which belong the the overseas school in which i study. I have just completed a two month intensive ulpan (hebrew course) which is the course followed by most hebrew language education world wide. Which, all official jargon aside, means really great hebrew, really fast!
During these past two months it has been a real experience interacting with Israeli students on a daily basis, having Rosh Hashanah on the beach in Herzeliya and the complete silence on the streets of Yom Kippur when all the children cycle in the streets for hours on end.
I'll end my brief update here for now and wish everyone Shana Tova and if anyone wishing to participate on Year course in the future has any questions, then Tanya, James and I are easily contactable through the Maccabi GB office phone number- 020 8457 2333.
Natalie Prettyman