It was an August Friday afternoon, when a plane carrying very special passengers landed at DTW airport: Lahav Hyitner and Danielle Or Lev, Ann Arbor’s first ShinShinim (Israeli gap year volunteers) finally landed!
Concluding a long journey bringing them to Ann Arbor, which included a 7-month selection and training process and an 18-hour plane flight from their homes in Israel, they have arrived in Ann Arbor and are settling in to their new homes.
Danielle and Lahav, both 18 years old, have decided to dedicate a year of their life to volunteering immediately after high school, postponing their military service and academic studies for a year, to come serve the greater Ann Arbor Jewish community through the ShinShinim program of the Jewish Agency for Israel. While Ann Arbor has previously benefitted from the work of ShinShinim who were based in Metro Detroit, this is the first time these elite volunteers will be based in Washtenaw County.
Danielle and Lahav during this summer’s ShinShinim training
ShinShinim are carefully chosen from thousands of applicants for their creativity, interpersonal skills, knowledge of Israeli culture, and much more. They bring their energy and love of Israel to Jewish communities worldwide, providing an authentic Israeli perspective through creative programs and challenging discussions. They also aim to establish lasting connections between greater Ann Arbor and Israel through meaningful personal relationships.
Danielle and Lahav have already started their volunteering at the Hebrew Day School of Ann Arbor and the Ann Arbor JCC. They look forward to meeting children and teens in the religious schools of Temple Beth Emeth and Beth Israel Congregation, as well as getting to know the community in general.
Danielle and Lahav are pleased to introduce themselves to the community below.
To stay up to date on the ShinShinim this year, follow them on Instagram @shinshinim_annarbor. For more information, contact the Federation’s Israel and Overseas Programs Manager Amichay Findling at amichay@jewishannarbor.org.
Danielle Or Lev
My name is Danielle, and I’m from Holon, Israel. I’ve just turned 18 in August, and I’m thrilled to be joining you in Ann Arbor for the coming year as one of the first Ann Arbor ShinShinim of the Jewish Agency for Israel.
A bit about me: I grew up in a loving family with my three younger sisters, Ophir, Noa, and Maya and my adorable dog Louis. My mom Yael is an elementary school teacher, and my father Nir is a software architect.
My family is incredibly important to me! We love traveling together, both exploring the beautiful landscapes of Israel and venturing to new destinations around the world.
One of our favorite family activities is solving escape rooms. We’ve played over 100 escape rooms together, both in Israel and abroad, and we always enjoy the challenge and excitement they bring.
I’m very passionate about the Scouts, which have been a significant part of my life for the past nine years. (Known as Tzofim in Israel, the Scouts visited Ann Arbor this past July.) I started as a young participant in my 4th grade, then became a counselor, a group leader, and eventually a coordinator, co-heading the entire tribe of 1,000 Scouts. These experiences have shaped me to who I am today and taught me the importance of community and leadership.
Music is another passion of mine. I enjoy playing the piano, dancing, and singing. I also enjoy cooking and love experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen. I’m a big fan of Asian cuisine in general, and my favorite food is sushi, which we often make at home as a family activity.
I’m also a sports enthusiast and enjoy staying active. Whether it’s running, playing team sports, or simply spending time outdoors, I love keeping fit and healthy.
I recently graduated high school where I specialized in Biology, Chemistry, and Math. I studied in a specialized leadership program, where I gained a lot of important skills that I hope would prove useful during my time in Ann Arbor.
I’m really looking forward to getting to know the Ann Arbor Jewish community and contributing in any way I can. Thank you for welcoming me into your community. I can’t wait to meet everyone and start this exciting journey together!
Lahav Hytiner
Hello Ann Arbor!!!
I’m Lahav, and together with Danielle, we’ll be the first Shinshinim of the Jewish Agency in Ann Arbor. I’m very, very excited for this upcoming year, working in the community. I can’t wait to meet everyone and start this amazing year. So a bit about myself:
I’m 18 years old and from Mazkeret Batya, in the “Keshet” community, where I study in one of six high schools in Israel where secular and religious people learn and live together. My father, Alon, is Director of Operations at an engineering company. My mom, Dorit, moved from “high tech” to education, and now she is a kindergarten teacher in the community. She comes from a family of educators and Shlichim (Israeli emissaries to the diaspora), which is what first inspired me to go on shlichut. I have an 8 year old sister, Shaked, who loves acrobatics, and a puppy called Laika.
Following my family’s values, I deeply believe in the importance of education, Zionism, and Jewish tradition, which is why we are a part of this special Keshet community. As for working with youth and kids, I have been a counselor for two years in “Noam,” the youth movement of Conservative Judaism in Israel, and also a counselor for two months at Bnei Akiva summer camp “Moshava” Wisconsin and a counselor in a summer camp for gifted kids. Empowering and educating kids to instill values and independence is my way of making an impact that matters.
In school, I’m majoring in math, chemistry, physics, social science, history and Jewish thought. I completed one third of a BA degree during high school, majoring in political science and late Jewish history. I completed a two-year research position at Ben Gurion University, investigating color-changing damselflies. With this research, I represented Israel and competed in “Regeneron ISEF” in Los Angeles. My first encounter with Judaism in America was over a year ago, when I competed with my friends in the “Maimonides Moot Court” in the US. It was a fascinating experience for all of us.
In my free time, I play the piano, engage in various crafts, XC mountain bike (which I used to compete in), swim, and I like to make a mess in the kitchen. 😉 Every Friday night, I meet with my friends. I really love traveling the world—I travel every year with my grandma alone, or in delegations, getting to meet youth from the international community.
Thank you for welcoming me into your community. I hope I’ll be able to bring added value to your kids and the community.