It’s hard to believe how much time has passed since I first stepped foot in the village. I was only 14 and a half, with no big dreams or aspirations, arriving in a relatively lost state, with no chance of matriculation – at least that’s what my previous school had decided. The village, counselors, administrators, and even my National Service friends truly saw me, and gave me love, education, culture, circles of friendship, and most importantly, opportunity. That opportunity helped me develop myself and understand what I wanted to do with my life, whether through the running group where I discovered I could run 10km without stopping, or in the music room where I had space for myself and everything I wanted to create. I was always given a stage – theater, Poyke nights, “Acharai” field programs, and the list goes on and on.
Life in the village gave me tools to deal with everything I would encounter in life. They never gave up on me and never let me give up for a moment. In this place, I knew that if I fell, someone would always be there to catch me, even today. Even now, eight years after graduating, the village still embraces me and continues to see me. Shortly after we left, they created a WhatsApp group where Aliza sends daily messages about job openings, possible scholarships, and regular updates. They update our details in the system every year or two, and even just call to check how I’m doing. I’ve never known such a supportive framework – even after we’ve supposedly finished our role in the village, the village hasn’t finished its role with us.
AYANOT is truly home. I want to thank from the bottom of my heart, Aliza, for all the good you do for us, the alumni. Many thanks to Mr. David Yativ, CEO of Python Company, who donates every year to village graduates and helps promote success! And thanks to Noam, who is even available on WhatsApp for his graduates. Of course, by 12th grade this wasn’t enough for me, and I continued to the “Gal” pre-military academy in Acre, where I also served as National Service volunteer at Manof Youth Village. From there, I enlisted in the army, serving as a basic training commander in the Air Force. I dove a bit deeper into getting to know the diverse and complex population we have here in Israel.
