Gap Year

A few weeks ago, I spoke at my mom’s shul about my experiences as an AVODAH corps member and as an employee of Tivnu. I spoke some about my own Jewish journey: about my childhood in the Jewish community of the Greater Chicago Area, about my early interest in social change, including my role as my high school youth group’s Social Action Vice President….

I am learning many new things at Tivnu. I am learning a lot about wealth and poverty in the U.S. through all of our educational sessions. For example, I got to tour Dignity Village, a community for people experiencing homeless….

After building a beautiful sukkah in our backyard using lumber lent to us by the ReBuilding Center and helping both Havurah Shalom (Portland’s Reconstructionist Synagogue) and Chabad build their sukkot, we dumped our stuff in the trunk and piled into the van….

Here are five things I’ve learned in these first few months of the Tivnu gap year program. They range from pretty concrete tips to bigger life lessons – and I’m surprised by how often the two are related….

Tivnu has had a fun and busy two weeks! We had our first full work week. I started off my week by going to Saint André Bessette, a homeless shelter that provides food, clothes, blankets, and sanitary supplies to people experiencing homelessness- all done with a smile….

Hey! My name is Nadav, I’m from Newton Massachusetts, and I’ve spent the past four weeks living the Tivnu life! Friendships have been formed, beds have been built, and the great outdoors have been explored. …

Saying my goodbyes is an increasing phenomenon as the program nears its end. I want to share a few of these goodbyes here, to thank those who have impacted me these past few months….

I enjoy the fact that its something new to what we did earlier in the program which was four days a week at Habitat. There is a lot of variety for Wednesday programming, which makes me, look forward to each week and the new activates that we have. …

As a group, we planned an exciting yet relaxing weekend to Seattle. Upon arriving to to the city, first thing I noticed was how much more urban it was in comparison to Portland….

On Sunday of this week Tivnu went to a play called The Ministry of Special Cases, put on by the Jewish Theatre Collaborative, which is set in Argentina in the 1970’s….