A once in a lifetime experience that I will cherish forever.

I did the Yahel Social Change fellowship last year, as part of the 2021-2022 Cohort. I lived in Lod, and volunteered at several schools as an English teacher and English Teaching assistant, worked at an NGO, and more. Before Yahel, I had never been to Israel before, and living there for 9 months seemed like a long time to be away from home. Now, around 5 months after the program ended, I am living in Tel Aviv on a work visa teaching English, something I had never done before Yahel.
The Yahel Social Change Fellowship is for people who are not interested in a brief tourist-stint in Israel. It is for people who are dedicated to serving a community that values them and the work they put into helping their community. The YSCF perfectly encompasses the phrase "Be a traveler, not a tourist." You'll really feel like part of whatever community you are a part of (Lod, Rishon Letzion, or Haifa), which was maybe the most beautiful part of the whole experience. I even had an amazing host family that the fellowship staff connected me with that I ate with every Friday for Shabbat. Beyond the meaningful work placements, the staff was great, helpful, and caring. Beyond the service work, the 4 or 5 seminars that you will take with the program will be fun, interesting, and educational. You'll travel to places most Israelis would never even think about going, like the Druze village in Rameh or an unrecognized Bedouin village in the Negev. Having these experiences will teach you more about the complexities of Israel in ways a traditional classroom never could. And since the cohorts are usually a little over 20 people, the group becomes very close and the friends I made there are friends for life. If you're looking to be part of a big family, learn a lot about Israel, and do meaningful volunteer work, Yahel is for you. The YSCF is not meant for people who cannot handle hearing perspectives other than their own. During the learning days and seminars, you'll hear from people with very different perspectives and views on Israel and the conflict at large. During my year, there were a few people that ended up leaving the fellowship. Most of those that left the program were not able truly to empathize with the perspectives of others and left as a result of that as well as being more interested in living in Israel for a year for free than actually serving a community through volunteer placements. Don't let the negative reviews you may see on this site dismay you. If you're someone who cares about understanding different perspectives, wants to serve a cause above yourself, make tons of friends and connections, and learn about Israel in a unique and interesting way, then Yahel is for you. One of the best years of my life. -Josh