A Different Path for a High School Graduate
Hanah Barg is postponing colleged to spend a year in Isreal.
I needed to do something different. After eighteen years of following the standard American path, I felt an intense desire to break it and take a gap year before college. A gap year, although not part of the typical American teenage trajectory, is gaining popularity—especially among Jewish teenagers. I am thankful that a large amount of gap year programs exist for the Jewish teen that desires to learn and volunteer in Israel; however, those programs were never right for me. I could not grasp the idea of living in a foreign country with people exactly like me, from similar families, cities, communities. There is much more to learn from those who come from different backgrounds.
The purpose of the gap year is to push oneself, and to make it the most meaningful experience possible. For me, it was the opportune time to challenge myself. I wanted to acquire the most real experience. However, in order to do that I had to completely step out of my comfort zone and embrace a new country, culture, and language.
I took a small leap. I veered in a different direction, and decided to participate in a Mechina program in a city that bares no similarities to my hometown. The literal translation of Mechina is “preparation.” Essentially, it is an Israeli form of a gap year before the army. Those who choose Mechinot are a very self-selecting group, for they come with the understanding that they will undergo an incredible amount of personal growth. Within every Mechina participant is the intense desire to learn. Everything we do is a learning experience, but in no formal manner.
The basic structure of the program, which includes classes, volunteering, and group living, lends an incredible amount of valuable life experience. We spend the first half of the day in classes learning about prayer, Talmud, yoga, identity, and psychology; while the second half of the day is spent volunteering with the true populations of Jaffa, and trying to understand the complex situations from which they come.
Over the past two months we began the process of learning how to function independently, live in a group, how to interact with others in volunteering, and mostly, how to be tolerant and patient. I am patient with this process for, after two months, it still feels unbelievably new to me. And the group shows me unending patience as well, while we all adjust to our new home, city, program, and the barriers that stand between us (they continue to diminish). At moments, the Mechina can be intense, frustrating, amazingly fun, refreshing, intriguing, difficult—but always rewarding.
Nothing in the Mechina is static. The program and its obstacles, answers, activities, as well as the group dynamic, are constantly in flux. I feel lucky to be spending my year in a framework that forces my mind and beliefs to perpetually stretch; for I will leave this year far more mature, capable, and prepared than when I arrived.
Hannah Barg,18, was born and raised in Saint Louis. She spent nine years at Solomon Schechter Day School, and recently graduated from Ladue Horton Watkins High School. During high school, she was extremely involved in the Saint Louis Jewish community.
She participated with many Jewish groups, including: USY, Nishmah, Student-to-Student, iTag, b’nai mitzvah tutoring, and B’nai Amoona Religious School.
Hannah is also interested in all types of art, but specifically photography and ceramics. She is currently spending a gap year in Israel, in a Mechina program.
This essay was originally posted on jewishinstlouise.org
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