Allie Levin

Participant in Eco 12

Which Eco program did you do? And at what point in your life did you do Eco?

I did Eco 12: February 2014 – July 2014 I was 21. I finished my ungrad in Visual Storytelling a semester early. I decided to skip my college graduation and go to Israel for the first time.

What did you learn on the farm which you still practice in your life today?

It’s a little difficult to explain but what I learned on the farm changed my whole life philosophy. The concept of social permaculture vastly widened by understanding for my job. I better understand how to communicate with others in all respects. Any community can flourish with the help of permaculture. Whether it be your works peers or clients or any less uniform relationship.

What are you doing now?

In three weeks I’m moving from Cleveland to Los Angeles. I got accepted to live in an intentional community called Synchronicity LA. I’ll live downtown and work on feature films, commercials and TV shows. I’ll use my spare time to travel the west coast.

How did your experience on the Eco program impact the direction of your life?

Hava & Adam made me happy and healthy. One isn’t distracted on the farm. There is time to work hard, earn a hearty meal, and meet others who share those ideals. I loved being so immersed in my local food community.

What was the most important thing you took away from the Eco program?

I can’t pick one thing, there are too many elements to Eco. Eco taught me how to live with others, how to forgo ego, how to be more independent then ever before, how to rely on others.

What is your fondest memory of the Eco experience?

I absolutely can’t name 1. I guess one of my favorite moments was all the times I’d do sundown yoga on the stage overlooking the mandala garden by the shinshin house. Many other favorite memories involved skinny-dipping in the Mediterranean, medium rare chickpeas, ripping open a warm loaf of bread, capture the flag at night with the entire farm, going into town to buy groceries, shabbattiyuls to TLV or a festival or maybe better yet a quiet shabbat on the farm with a more intimate dinner.