Chani Kaplan: Finding her place in Israel, from Sydney to Jerusalem

Chani Kaplan, originally from Sydney, Australia, moved to Israel in 2019, joining her siblings and parents who followed a year later. Despite initial thoughts of moving to the US or London, a gap year program, particularly a traumatic trip to Poland visiting Holocaust sites, solidified her desire to make aliyah. She stated, "This tragedy solidified my desire to move to Israel: I cried a lot."

• Kaplan served in the IDF, where immersion in an all-Hebrew unit significantly improved her language skills.
• She pursued communications at Reichman University, adding a journalism course that led to her current role at The Jerusalem Report as a staff writer, editorial assistant, and social media manager.
• Kaplan also played for the Israel Women's National Flag Football team for two years.
• She advises patience for those settling in Israel, noting, "You have to be patient because it is a difficult country. That is the adventure though."