MEET MAYA
My name is Maya Aviad, I was born in Sydney, Australia. I lived in Tokyo, Japan till age 4
and then in Sydney for 7 years. When I was almost 12 years old I moved to Israel and
now enjoy the life on a moshav 40 minutes south of Tel Aviv. My neighbors are my grand-
parents and my mum’s three sisters and my cousins. It’s a lot of fun living so close to my
family. My mum, Efrat, grew up in the house I live in today. My dad, Yair, grew up in Tel
Aviv. I have two siblings, Mika (19) and Guy (13). My family and I love traveling together all
over the world. I also like travelling in Israel; my favorite place is the Kinneret. The long
drive to the Kinneret is worth it because of the relaxed feeling you get when you get
there, you’ll always find peace and quiet there.
I have been in the Tzofim, scouts, since 6th grade, when I moved to Israel. Since then I’ve
been taking part and attending many different programs and trips. Last year I was a 4th
grade counselor and this year I am a 9th grade counselor. I really enjoy the Tzofim; it’s a
very big part of my life. My parents know that if I'm not home, I'm probably in the shevet
(tribe) and I still find the time to fit my hobbies in my day-to-day schedule as much as I can.
I play the piano; I enjoy listening to music and playing different types of instruments. I also enjoy doing sports, in Australia I played
soccer and competed in athletics and swimming. Last year I started swimming again; it’s the best place to relax after a stressful
day or week. I love baking and decorating cakes, for me, every special occasion comes with a special cake!
I go to Brenner high school with my friends from the moshav. I chose two electives, chemistry and art. I hope you got to know a
little about me, and I can’t wait to meet you!
MEET GAL
Hi, my name is Gal Zamir. I am 16 and a half years old, in the 11th grade, and I live in a small, central located town called Yehud. I am
the oldest brother of three, I have two little sisters: Ori (12) and Noga (8). I love my two parents, Nir and Ifat, very much. They are
really supportive, and we often do camping trips together – I have a cool family.
I have been a scout since I was in the 4th grade. I mentored a small group of fifth graders in my first year as a mentor. As for now, I
am a guide for a large group of eighth graders. ). The experience of guiding a group of children cannot be matched – It is fun, teaches
you responsibility, leadership, and how to take care and consider someone else, and to put them first instead of yourself.
I am a surfer, and I love surfing, even in the winter. I like nice clothing, delicious and
exciting foods, and I enjoy good music (Mumford and Sons, Kings of Leon) from every
genre: I have a phonograph, and a lot of vinyl records, I go to concerts of Israeli artists
(Hatikva 6, Mosh Ben Ari) now and then, and I play the guitar. I like old cartoons, old TV
shows, old movies, etc. Moreover, I a fan of fiction books, especially Lord of the Rings
and the Hobbit – I know every story well, and I try to finish every day with reading.
I’ve participated in a program called Young Ambassadors. I had the honor to bring this
program to Yehud and it lasted for two years. We have learned how to bridge gaps such
as religion, place of birth, and language between different people. We also learned how
to deliver a speech, and overcome our fears. In the end of the process, we flew as a
delegation to Slovakia. The Slovaks were great, and we learned a lot from them, and
immediately saw that our differences weren’t so big. We became good friends with the
teen Slovaks, and kept in touch with them even after the delegation through social
media such as Facebook and e-mail. We shared the Israeli story with the Slovaks –
Youngsters and adults as one, and I would like to believe we made a change in the
conception of Israel in the world for the better. I hope you enjoyed meeting me on pa-
per, because I’m thrilled to meet you in person!