FZY Year Course chanichim have the opportunity to live in a number of different places throughout Israel. Each place has its own unique character and style and by living in the place for three months, Year Course chanichim really get to see completely different aspects of Israeli Society
Jerusalem is the capital of the state of Israel. From the old city to the modern streets it is a unique blend of the modern and ancient. Chanichim living here get to feel the 2000 years of history whilst living in today’s capital The chanichim live in the young and trendy neighbourhood of Baka; a 2 minute walk from Emek Refaim, 15 minutes from town and the old city and within walking distance of every type of synagogue imaginable!
Bat Yam is a town on the beach, just south of Tel Aviv. With a mix of veteran Israelis and new Olim (immigrants) the town is a microcosm of Israeli society. Over the last number of years the city has begun undergoing a regeneration and the standard of living has begun to climb. There are still many socio-economic issues in the town and the Year Course chanichim will be volunteering in many different projects across the city. During spare time there are the stunning beaches, a number of cafes and bars and chanichim are only 15 minutes from Tel Aviv.
Year Course chanichim also spend time in a development town more on the periphery, both geographically and socio-economically, of Israeli society. Here the chanichim have the chance to get to know a part of Israel that most tourists do not get to see. The development towns were mainly established in the 1950s in the Negev and North of Israel in order to ease the overcrowding in the centre of the country. Year Course chanichim will live in apartments and volunteer throughout the city whilst also studying topics relevant and linked to the towns that they are living in.
Accommodation
All members of Year Course live in apartment style living throughout the year.
During the Jerusalem section, chanichim live in apartments or in our new Bet Ar-El centre in the Baka neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Throughout the rest of the year chanichim live in apartments in the neighbourhoods in which they are volunteering and studying. Whether in apartments or living in the Bet Ar-El centre itself, all chanichim have access to the classrooms, common spaces and outdoor areas of the Bet Ar-El centre.
Living in apartments, shopping, cooking and cleaning for themselves, chanichim learn to be independent and gain important experiences and skills that they will use later in life, particularly at university. By living in the areas where chanichim will volunteer and study, the interaction with the community becomes deeper and more meaningful.
Ulpan
In order to improve the ability of our chanichim to communicate in the variety of placements, ulpan (Hebrew classes) is provided in every section. The classes are provided at many different levels two to three times a week. The willingness of Year Coursers to improve their language skills will impact their ability to be effective in the different volunteer placements.
Siyurim
A fundamental principle of FZY Year Course is that our chanichim should get to know and love the country that they are living in for their year. Therefore once a week throughout the entire year, we provide a weekly siyur. A siyur is an educational field trip that provides the opportunity for Year Course chanichim to see different places of educational and cultural interest and to see them form a new and different perspective. Places visited include the old city of Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, the underground fighters museum, Israel museum, the Ruben Gallery, Masada, the Golan Heights, and many many other places.
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