Australian immigrant on aliyah, IDF service, and Israeli journalism

Chani Kaplan, an Australian immigrant, moved to Israel in 2019, joining her siblings and parents who also made aliyah. Her decision was influenced by a sense of not belonging in Australia, her grandparents' Holocaust survival stories, and a transformative trip to Poland during her gap year, where she visited Holocaust sites. She recalls, "This tragedy solidified my desire to move to Israel: I cried a lot."

• Kaplan served in the IDF, where immersion in an all-Hebrew environment significantly improved her language skills and taught her to "speak up and fight for things."
• After her military service, she studied communications at Reichman University, where she discovered an interest in journalism, leading to her current role as a staff writer, editorial assistant, and social media manager at The Jerusalem Report.
• She also played for the Israel Women's National Flag Football team for two years, navigating the demands of training, studies, and reserve duty.
• Kaplan advises patience for those settling in Israel, stating, "You have to be patient because it is a difficult country. That is the adventure though."