Tali 

Why I chose Shvilim?

I wanted to go to Israel for a year, not just on holiday and also not just to work or study, and therefore I chose to participate in Shvilim after high school. 

I loved the variety of the program. The balance of studying, volunteering, social activities and leisure time gave me so many different experiences, but I still felt like I was independent and in charge of my own everyday life. Through the different parts of the program I saw and learnt so much; Personally, the most important thing I gained from Shvilim was getting to know Israel from the inside. Growing up, I always felt I “knew” Israel by going there with my parents to visit relatives, but in retrospect, it was always with a rental car and I never met new people. After Shvilim I feel more at home there, having Israeli friends, being able to converse in Hebrew and having seen and learnt about all kinds of places all over the country.