Meet some young Aussies weathering war during their gap year

A gap year for most Australians might involve travelling to Europe with friends, working to save up money or backpacking in Asia. But for the approximately 150 gap year participants from Australia, their year after high school is less straightforward and glamorous.

Shnat Hachshara, which translates to “year of preparation”, is a youth movement gap year for Jewish students in Israel who want to prepare to become a leader in their specific youth movement when they return home.

The year’s program broadly consists of educational classes, volunteering, sightseeing around Israel, social activities, a trip to Poland, and more. This year there are over 30 participants from Habonim Dror, 100 from Bnei Akiva and 10 from Hineni Youth & Welfare.

Yet since arriving in Israel at the end of January, nearly half of the participants’ gap year has been spent running in and out of shelters, constant updates to loved ones, and grappling with war on a personal and collective level.

Shnat Hachashara programs have been running every year since their inception in the early 20th century, and have never ceased, even during Israel’s conflicts.  Despite the risks of war, participants and their parents bravely chose to continue Jewish education and building future community leadership despite the war.

Here are four of those participants and their experiences:

James Degan, Melbourne, a participant Habonim Dror Shnat on a Kibbutz in the North

Eden Zilka, Sydney, also on Habonim Dror Shnat on kibbutz in the north