Shaked is an Israeli alum from Giv’atayim who approached her time at Younited as an opportunity to step out of a uniform environment. While she naturally dislikes personal conflict, she actively chose to lean into complex political discussions on campus. Today, she uses the cross-cultural communication skills and deep empathy she developed at Younited to engage with diverse communities internationally.

• Now and next steps: Shaked spent the academic year 2025/2026 based in Brooklyn, New York, serving as a ShinShin (gap year volunteer) through the Jewish Agency. She volunteers within both Jewish and non-Jewish communities, navigating distinct cultural environments daily.
• Holding space for disagreement: A major realization for Shaked at Younited was learning how to navigate political tension. Through intense conversations with peers from different backgrounds, she discovered that she could fundamentally disagree with someone’s political views while still maintaining a deep, genuine friendship with them as a person.
• Breaking the track: Shaked felt that her life in her hometown followed a highly predictable track, attending school with the same social circle for years. She chose Younited specifically to experience a broader diversity of people and ideas that her local bubble could not provide.
• The tools of dialogue: Shaked credits Younited with giving her the communication tools and social confidence necessary to facilitate tough discussions, a skillset she relies on directly during her gap year in New York.