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PortugueseChoosing a college is no small matter, so why are more and more American students going abroad to Israel for their studies?
In recent years, pro-Israel students have been pioneering a new, more comprehensive way of showing their support – by spending their college years in Israel. What’s behind this trend?
Actually, the answer is fairly complex, as the reasoning includes more than just an interest in helping Israel.
There has been a sharp, across-the-board increase in the number of overseas students studying in Israel over the past few years. As the cost of college in America soars, American students increasingly seek out high-quality, lower-cost alternatives abroad. Israel, with a high concentration of highly ranked institutions of higher learning and comparatively low tuition, is a natural choice.
The fact that more Israeli colleges now offer programs taught in English has made the country an even more attractive destination. As demand for Israeli programs oriented towards overseas students has risen, new networks dedicated entirely to studies for English speakers in Israel have emerged, such as University in Israel.
Even high-profile institutions – the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, for example – have added dedicated English-language degree tracks marketed primarily to students from abroad.
Some schools offer studies in Israel with an international focus, such the College of Law and Business, which opened two new tracks: the first, a three-year Bachelor in Business (BA) focusing on Global Management, including practical professional internships in startups in the Tel-Aviv area and international study tours; and the second, a dual-language 3.5-year Bachelor of Law (LLB), whose graduates are eligible to sit for the New York State bar exams.
For Israel supporters in the US, studying at Israeli colleges is a natural extension of the more traditional expressions of support. For youth raised in actively pro-Israel homes, visiting Israel to show support has created the foundation for a longer stay as university students. They see it as another way of lending moral support and bolstering Israel’s economy. The fact that Israeli schools offer cheaper, high-quality alternatives to American schools help make this a viable option.
Connecting with Israel
(Courtesy)
An additional reason for the increasing interest among Israel supporters to study at Israeli institutions is often lost on observers who see the cause as simply political. For many, if not most, of America’s Israel boosters, their support for the Jewish state transcends politics and is tightly intertwined with their faith and an emotional attachment or affection for Israel.
There’s a strong desire to connect with Israelis on a personal level – something that is difficult to attain during a typical, five-day tour of Israel.
For students, their college years – while they’re still unencumbered by the demands of career and family – are the ideal time to immerse themselves in Israeli culture and forge friendships with native Israelis. And, of course, it’s also an opportunity to see and explore the Holy Land far more extensively than the constraints of a guided tour would permit.
For more information about academic programs available in Israel, see www.universityinisrael.com
By: Shlomo (Momo) Lifshitz
www.universityinisrael.com
(This article contains promotional content)
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