Change of plans
The Australasian Union Of Jewish Students (AUJS) has announced a reengineering of its popular Aviv Israel program.
Based on feedback from previous participants and working with leading organisations both in Australia and Israel, AUJS has designed the ultimate five-month program for people aged 18 to 21 wanting to experience Israel for an extended period of time. AUJS’s Israel Programs Director, Hagar Shely explains, “Aviv presents a unique opportunity for young Jewish individuals to explore Israel and become familiar with modern Israeli society.”
AUJS is providing a wide variety of social, political, religious, educational and cultural activities on and off university campuses around Australia and New Zealand and has been sending student groups to Israel for more than 50 years. Shely explains, “because AUJS is based in Australia it is able to use its connections with the local community, as well as with leading Israeli organisations to provide an intimate understanding of Israeli life from an Australian perspective.” When participants return home, AUJS also organizes activities and support as well as leadership opportunities on Campus.
Some of the program elements that will be introduced to Aviv in 2016 include: S’veevah (environment)
Students will experience the amazing advances that Israel has made to deal with the challenges of living in an often-harsh environment. They will see (and taste) how Israel has managed to grow beautiful fruit and vegetables in the desert, learn the importance of Israel’s forests and the revolutionary steps taken to deal with climate change.
Start Up Nation
For the first time, Aviv will provide a rare insight into how Israel has become the Innovation Nation. With more than 5,000 startups, Israel is now home to some of the world’s leading IT companies including Apple, Intel, and Google. Participants will see some of the amazing, life-changing innovations such as the Pill Cam, the ReWalk robotic exoskeleton and the micro-USB and meet the people who invented them.
Israel On Campus seminar
This seminar is designed to prepare students for the type of situations they might face on campus in relation to Israel, Judaism and confronting antisemitism and informs them of the best responses. Aviv participants will be enthralled by a fascinating program featuring internationally acclaimed experts in the fields of Middle East politics, Israel advocacy and effective communication. Students will be located within one of Israel’s leading Universities and mix with students from Israel and other countries.
Extension options
For the first time in 2016, Aviv will also be offering a range of exciting extension options for students wanting to spend longer experiencing life in Israel including Maarava where participants can volunteer with the IDF, Magen David Adom, volunteering with Israeli’s First Aid and Ambulance Service, Shvil Yisrael, hiking the entire country from top to bottom in 8 weeks and volunteering on kibbutz or with a community organization.
AUJS will be holding information sessions at schools and in the community over the next few months. For more information, please register your details
at www.aujs.com.au/programs, email [email protected], or call AUJS on
(02) 9381 4292.
About AUJS
Active at major university campuses across Australasia and with thousands of Jewish students currently enrolled at university, AUJS is the crucial link connecting Jewish students on campus, and with their peers at other universities.
AUJS has also been running Israel programs for more than 50 years and each year sends hundreds of students to Israel on AUJS Aviv, AUJS Academy Onward and AUJS Taglit Birthright.
