# Michael Olshin: Reimagining the Gap Year in Israel [Israel & Diaspora II 2/4]

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/18forty-podcast-586374/michael-olshin-reimagining-the-gap-year-in-israel-israel-diaspora-ii-2-4
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/18forty-podcast-586374/michael-olshin-reimagining-the-gap-year-in-israel-israel-diaspora-ii-2-4.md
Podcast: [18Forty Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/18forty-podcast-586374)
Published: 2026-04-28T22:32:41+00:00
Episode link: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/michael-olshin-reimagining-the-gap-year-in-israel-israel-diaspora-ii-2-4--71716944
Audio file: https://api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71716944/18forty_israeldiaspora2026_michaelolshin.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/18forty-podcast-586374/episodes/michael-olshin-reimagining-the-gap-year-in-israel-israel-diaspora-ii-2-4
Duration seconds: 4410

## Resource

This episode is sponsored by Brett and Susan Nadritch, who support creative initiatives that strengthen our love for and connection to the People and Land of Israel, in honor of all the lone soldiers in the most recent Hesder draft, the class of Nisan 5786. In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast , we talk to Michael Olshin, educational director of Yeshivat Torat Shraga in Jerusalem, about the purpose of the gap year in Israel. In this episode we discuss: —What should our hopes and expectations be for the gap year in Israel? —How can we improve students’ Hebrew proficiency? —Is it time to reimagine what the gap year in Israel could be, with a focus on contributing to the State of Israel in addition to Torah learning? Tune in to hear a conversation about our responsibility to create a Yiddishkeit that touches the lives of the wider world. Interview begins at 14:40. Rabbi Michael Olshin is the Educational Director of Yeshivat Torat Shraga in Jerusalem, bringing over 25 years of teaching and leadership experience from roles at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim, Yeshivat Shaalvim, Bet Midrash L'Torah, and youth programs including NCSY, NCSY Kollel, and Camp Mesorah. He also serves as an educator and guide with Jroots, leading educational journeys across Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Austria, and Ukraine. He lives in Bet Shemesh with his family, and his children have served in elite commando units of the Israel Defense Forces. References: If You're Reading These Words by Shlomo Kavas and Racheli Palant-Rozen A Dreamer and A Fighter: Reflections and Journal Entries by Capt Amitai Zvi Granot For more 18Forty: NEWSLETTER: 18forty.org/join CALL: (212) 582-1840 EMAIL: info@18forty.org WEBSITE: 18forty.org IG: @18forty X: @18_forty WhatsApp: join here Become a supporter of t…

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