Israel Trips 101 | Other than Birthright
Long Term Programs | 2 to 12 Months
Onward Israel
When you grow, so do your opportunities. Global experience gives you that extra competitive edge. Our programs take you Onward – personally and professionally – and allow you an authentic taste of modern day Israel while gaining experience and knowledge through an internship opportunity. Onward Israel is designed with the beginning in mind: The beginning of your success story.
Trip Options:
- Jerusalem – Develop your professional future and build your resume through a high-level internship side by side with Israeli peers. This tailor-made Jerusalem-based internship program provides you with work experience based on your skills, interests and future plans. Hillel Onward Israel in Jerusalem is an immersive internship program offering resume-building placements in a wide variety of opportunities in the greater Jerusalem area. Click here for more details.
- Tel Aviv: Live, work, and play on the Mediterranean! The Hillel Onward Israel program in the bustling start-up city of Tel Aviv offers you the opportunity to develop your professional future and build your resume through a high-level internship tailor-made to you! The heart of our program is a resume-building work experience based on your skills, interests and future plans. You will also have the chance to connect with Israeli peers through Hillel’s vast Israel network. Click here for more details.
Click here to learn more about Onward Israel or contact Lauren Levinson.
Masa Israel Journey
Masa Israel Journey is the leader in immersive international experiences in Israel for young adults (18-30). Our diverse portfolio of study abroad, internship, service learning, or Jewish studies programs help you grow—as a person, a professional, and a leader— while also developing a robust global professional network. Since its founding in 2004 by the Prime Minister’s Office of the Government of Israel, together with The Jewish Agency for Israel, over 120,000 young people from more than 60 countries have participated in Masa Israel programs.
Masa Israel Journey offers over 200 study, internship, volunteer opportunities all over Israel, lasting between five and twelve months:
- Gap Year
- Study Aborad
- Intern
- Volunteer
- Jewish Studies
Click here more about Masa Israel or contact Lauren Levinson (a Masa Alum!) for more information.
Short Term Programs | 3 Weeks &Less
Hasbara Fellowships
The Hasbara Fellowships Israel Program is an exclusive 16-day Israel advocacy training program focused on offering pro-Israel student leaders the opportunity to gain leadership skills, network with their peers, meet Israelis and Palestinians from all sides of the political spectrum, and travel to strategic locations throughout the country.
On the program you will:
- Tour strategic points throughout Israel, such as the Syrian border, the Gaza border, key Jerusalem landmarks, and Palestinian towns.
- Visit Israeli humanitarian organizations, hi-tech companies, the Knesset and Supreme Court
- Meet with Israeli leaders and influencers including journalists, diplomats, military leaders, and academics
- Receive practical training in public speaking, social media content creation and management, and other effective ways to defeat anti-Israel campaigns.
- Learn how to create strategic impact plans; effectively communicate about Israel, build relationships with other student groups, plan and host campus initiatives, and answer the difficult questions about Israel.
Only highly recommended and engaged students (with at least two semesters remaining on campus) will be accepted to the program. Apply to spend YOUR winter break in Israel here!
Volunteers For Israel
There are 4 main ways for college students to volunteer with us:
- Individual Trip: Volunteers for Israel is a program for anyone looking to experience Israel like an insider. VFI is the exclusive representative of Sar-El in the United States, which places volunteers year round on IDF bases doing civilian work for 1-3 weeks. I recommend it to all of my students who are looking for a fun and meaningful way to see Israel. VFI is a way to experience Israel through an insider’s look rather than just through a tour. Individuals can volunteer at any time of the year – just check out the schedule at here.
- General Birthright Extension: Volunteers for Israel is the perfect extension to a Birthright trip! Not only is the program completely free, but participants are also provided with housing and food and may have access to a youth hostel on the weekends at no cost. Trips run from Sunday morning through Thursday evening and volunteers get the weekend free to spend off the base. Interested participants should look up the scheduled volunteer trip dates on the VFI website and apply for the dates closest to the end of their Birthright trip. For birthright extension, they can start on any Sunday immediately following the end of birthright trip. Questions? Contact Ariel at ariel.scheer@vfi-usa.org. Application can be found here.
- Alternative Break Program & Special Grants exclusively for Hillel: We are partnering with Hillels across the country to organize private trips of 10 -12 students to volunteer through VFI for 1, 2, or 3 weeks over your winter or spring break or summer vacation. VFI will subsidize the airfare cost to Israel by offering $500 per student – up to a total of $6,000. More on that below!
- International Youth Program: Are you 17-25? This IDF base summer program is specially designed for you! You will live, work, socialize, and have fun with young Israeli soldiers and other volunteers from around the world during one or both of the 3-week sessions. Click here to check out the VFI website to see descriptions of the programs, the schedule for 2015-16, testimonials, photos and more.
++ VFI offers a generous grant program exclusively for Hillel students. VFI will subsidize the airfare cost to Israel by offering $500 per student – up to a total of $6,000. VFI also offers a customized extension option for students who go on the Penn State Hillel Birthright trip.
Zionist Organization of American Leadership Mission
The ZOA Student Leadership Mission to Israel is a fun and intense two weeks of education and advocacy training in Israel. Students will have the opportunity to travel throughout the Jewish state, including Jerusalem, Judea & Samaria, and many strategic border regions (Western Negev, Galilee, Jordan Valley, and Golan Heights). Students will also meet with Knesset Members, journalists, policy experts, military experts, and much more. This trip is intended for students who are Israel activists on their campuses or are planning to become Israel activists in the near future. The trip will arm you with the facts and unique personal experiences you need to be a strong Zionist activist on campus.
- Trip (A) will commence on December 24th, 2017 and end on January 7th, 2018.
- Trip (B) will commence on December 31st, 2017 and end on January 14th, 2018.
Applications are available here
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Dan Yosipovitch 
Alon Sidel 
Ariel Sagie
