When Amit Palti joined Elul’s Shnat Sherut 50 Plus program, he didn’t come looking for a pre-packaged role. Instead, he came with a mindset of exploration – ready to test, adapt, and build his own path. His year of service has been a dynamic mix of projects, some lasting only a short time, others growing into steady commitments. What ties them all together is Amit’s clarity of purpose: to bring meaningful educational value wherever it fits – and to walk away from what doesn’t.
Building as He Goes
Amit describes his year as “a collection of projects.” Without an official placement body guiding his day-to-day, he carved out his own space through initiative. Early on, he took on a full-time teaching role, stepping in for a missing math teacher at Nofei HaBsor. Later, he worked one-on-one with a student who had returned from captivity, helping him prepare for his matriculation exams until he could rejoin the classroom.
By Tu B’Shvat, Amit was running cyber and escape rooms for 5th and 6th graders and offering sporadic teacher training sessions in AI. He also became part of a newly formed group of lead teachers exploring the integration of AI into classrooms, although that initiative is not currently active.
In a nearby club for the elderly in Tzohar, Amit gave lectures on artificial intelligence. The sessions were lively, thought-provoking, and left the audience eager for more.
And when “Adam and Earth,” a local educational startup in the Eshkol region, lost its math teacher for the 5-unit matriculation track, they turned to Amit. He now teaches there twice a week in the afternoons, officially registered and paid through the Ministry of Education.
When It Doesn’t Fit
Amit has also shown the wisdom to stop when something isn’t right. He tried volunteering at Noam Netzarim, but found the environment – lacking basic tech resources and unsuited to his approach – too challenging. Similarly, he explored a role with Grubtech but felt it wasn’t a good match.
“I’m not the poster boy of the program,” he says, without hesitation. He repeats it more than once – not from cynicism, but from clarity. He’s here to contribute where his strengths make a difference, not simply to fill time.
Challenges in Absorption
Unlike some of the program’s volunteers who integrate into existing teams, Amit has remained largely independent. It took six months before he was added to the teachers’ WhatsApp group at Nofei HaBsor. While the school principal has been friendly, there’s no deeper connection.
For weeks, Amit reached out to the regional education director, hoping to share his ideas and explore new opportunities. The meeting eventually happened – pleasant, yes, but inconclusive. For someone bringing a deep skill set and innovative outlook, it’s been a slow and sometimes lonely road.
A Complex Status
Amit, unlike most of the other volunteers on Elul’s program, isn’t a retiree, and that adds another layer of complexity. He holds paid teaching posts at Eshel HaNasi and Ein HaShofet to maintain his rights in the Ministry of Education, while also giving time as a volunteer. The hybrid status creates logistical and bureaucratic questions the program is still learning how to navigate.
A Solution Looking for a Problem
That’s how Amit defines himself: “a solution looking for a problem.” He’s not looking to fill up every hour of the day or join every opportunity on offer. He brings with him decades of knowledge, curiosity, and drive – and uses them intentionally.
His experience offers a valuable insight: Shnat Sherut 50 Plus thrives not only in structured placements, but also in the spaces where independent thinkers can experiment, pivot, and leave a mark on their own terms.
Amit Palti reminds us that innovation doesn’t always fit neatly into a job description – but it can change a system all the same.
