You’ve probably heard the statistics before: approximately 70% of college students study abroad. But you probably also have a lot of questions. Where should I study? Is it worth the money? Are the schools abroad as good as the one I’m already at? The answer: Yes, you should study abroad, and you can do it on a Masa Israel program where you’ll have the option of a wide variety of programs at top universities and access to grants and funding.
But why Israel? Here are 10 reasons:
Amazing Academics. Whether you’re studying the arts, the sciences, or are interested in research, Israel has dozens of competitive programs. Israel is home to 9 accredited universities. Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Technion-Israel Institution of Technology were ranked in the top 100 universities in the world. The Scientist magazine voted The Weizmann Institute of Science the best university in the world for life scientists to conduct research and this year Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design celebrated 100 years of excellence in art and design education.
Meet Israelis. From living in the dorms to participating in campus activities, you’ll be surrounded by Israeli students. And Israelis love to show other’s their homeland so don’t be shy! Ask them to show you the real Israel!
Learn Hebrew. It’s hard to become fluent in a new language in just a month or two, but after a semester or year even the taxi drivers will be complimenting your accent. Even if your program is in English, you’ll be surrounded by Israelis and are bound to pick up a word or two.
International Friends. Each of Israel’s universities host a diverse student body. Spending a full semester or year abroad gives you the chance to build friendships with other students from around the world.
Avoiding Tourists. Whether you’ve been to Israel during the frenzy of summer or not, take it from us, Israel is not like that all the time. Being in Israel during the fall and spring lets you escape the throngs of tourists that come over the summer. Prices of food and souvenirs usually drop during the year too.
Travel. Spending an entire semester or year here gives you plenty of time to travel across Israel. Additionally, with access to the discount European airlines like Easy Jet and Ryan air, as well as being just a boat ride away from other Mediterranean destinations, you can easily use your school breaks as travel opportunities.
Jewish holidays. A major part of living in Israel is experiencing the chagim (holidays). If you come to Israel for a semester or year, you’ll get to experience the high holidays, Hannukah and Pesach. There is nothing like being in Israel for Yom Kippur and not seeing a single car driving or having the sweet smell of fresh sufganyiot pouring out of the bakeries during Hannukah.
“The Yoms.” What better way to feel like a part of Israeli society than to be there for Yom Ha’atzmaut, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Yerushaliyim and Yom HaShoah? Many study abroad alumni name this as the most memorable part of their semester or year, plus there are ceremonies and festivals for each holiday all over the country.
Festivals. All the biggest festivals like Yom Hastudentim, Boombamella, Leila Lavan (White Night) and the all-night Yom Ha’atzmaut concerts happen during the year. Don’t miss out on these amazing events buy cutting your study abroad time short.
The Masa Israel Family Each year thousands of young Jewish students from around the world embark on Masa Israel Journeys to study in Israel. We help you develop your global network, your knowledge base, and your life skills together with thousands of other young Jewish adults (18-30).
You get: A life changing Journey; a lifelong professional and social network; and a generous subsidy.
Yalla! Find out what you’re made of and apply today!
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