My name is Maya Schane, and I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area and now living in Cleveland, Ohio. I am currently studying Public Health and International Development at Tulane University in New Orleans.
This was my first-time visiting Israel, but I knew I wanted to experience it through more of a local perspective by interning, rather than just seeing all of the tourist attractions. Working in WIZO’s External Relations Division really allowed me to get that perspective, because I was able to witness everything the organization does for Israeli society.
I learned so much through my work at WIZO, and really enjoyed my internship. Every day was filled with different tasks and assignments, where I felt like I was improving my professional knowledge on report writing and fundraising while also doing work that truly changes the lives of many in Israel.
WIZO has a huge number of projects that they fund throughout Israel, and over the course of my internship I was able to witness many of these projects in action. I visited 4 different youth villages (Gan Vanof, Nachlat Yehuda, Ahuzat Yeladim, and CHW Hadassim), and it was amazing to see how much they all help Israeli youth. My favorite visit was to Ahuzat Yeladim for their graduation ceremony. Many of these teens came from extremely difficult backgrounds and were referred to the village by social services. Ahuzat Yeladim helps them turn their lives around so they can become valued members of society. The ceremony I attended was to celebrate all the accomplishments of the graduating class as they depart for the IDF, national service, or vocational training. It was really incredible to witness how far they had come in comparison to some of the newer students, and it felt so special to be a part of this event.
My internship at WIZO has been an incredibly rewarding experience and gave me so much professional knowledge that I’m sure will benefit me throughout my career. I learned so much about international fundraising and report writing thanks to Annette Crandell and the rest of the External Relations Division, and also about all of the amazing things WIZO does for the world. I can’t wait to share with my community in the U.S. everything I worked on and learned about during my time here.
