With less than one week to go until the departure of Fall 2018, our staff in Israel are hard at work getting ready for the arrival of our newest students. Three of those staff are our wonderful Fall 2018 Madrichim (counselors)–Nitzan, Mili, and Omri. Our Heller High Madrichim play a crucial role in the success of a semester. They are the staff who interact the most with our students–planning programs, accompanying them on all trips, and serving as mentors and advisors to them during their four months in Israel.
Get to know the Fall 2018 Madrichim:
Nitzan is 23 years old, from Pardes-Hanna, Israel. Between high school and the beginning of her army service, she volunteered in a boarding school where she worked with at-risk children. She served in the IDF (Israeli army) for 3 years, where her job was similar to that of a social worker; a big part of her job was helping lone soldiers (soldiers who do not have family living in Israel). After the army, Nitzan traveled to Ethiopia where she volunteered for three months helping to develop the local agriculture. She then worked at camp JCA Shalom in Malibu, California as a horseback riding specialist. After camp, she traveled in Southeast Asia for six months. Nitzan can’t wait to meet the students of Fall 2018 and create unforgettable experiences together!
Omri is 22 years old, from Nir Tzvi, a small village in the center of Israel. During high school, he was active in the Israeli Scouts and eventually became a counselor. In the IDF, he served as a combat soldier and was a commander in a special unit. In his free time, he likes to play the guitar–his favorite genres are Rock and Blues, especially from the 70’s! Omri also loves to travel, and is excited to travel around Israel with Fall 2018 and see which part of Israel they like the best.
Mili is 22 years old and lives in Jerusalem, not far from Kibbutz Tzuba. In between finishing high school and starting the army, she spent a year learning and volunteering at the pre-army academy in Lakhish, Bet Guvrin. When Mili was in the IDF, she served as a commander of soldiers who had just made Aliyah to Israel. She was responsible for teaching them about Israel, the army, and how to speak Hebrew. After she finished her army service, she lived in Atlanta, Georgia for three months where she worked at a JCC camp. After working as a shlicha at camp, she traveled throughout the Far East for three months. Mili is very excited to meet the students, learn new things together and have a great time!