<p>All experienced parents. D wants summer in Israel for 08’, would like info on programs that you felt were great with supervision and comfort level of security( if that is possible) She is particularly interested in science as well.</p>
<p>Anyone familiar with InnovationsIsrael, all suggestions welcome.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Of the classic Israel programs for high school students, Young Judaea, Ramah Seminar (typically but not exclusively for kids who have attended one of the Camps Ramah), USY Pilgrimage programs, and Shoreshim are all well run. I know families who have sent their kids on each of these, and I would feel confident about sending my kid on any of them. (My child is currently in Israel on one of these programs. PM me if you’d like more info.) </p>
<p>If your child is artsy, I’ve heard good things about Nesiya.</p>
<p>The only science-related Israel program I know of is the Legacy Heritage Fund’s Internship for Young Scientists, a highly selective scholarship program. It’s possible that the Weitzmann Institute or Technion may have summer programs as well. That would be worth investigating.</p>
<p>Sorry, I’ve never heard of InnovationsIsrael.</p>
<p>4Giggles, you don’t mention if your D is in HS or college…for HS, the very best is Alexander Muss Institute. My D spent 6 weeks there summer 2006, and was 10 miles from the border (Lebanon) when major attacks began. AMI immediately took the kids back to their home base (near Tel Aviv), got them packed and went as far South as possible (Eilat). Over the 6 weeks, D learned so much (much more than a “social” time), and saw nearly every corner of Israel. They even included some host family Shabbat weekends, which was very special. AMI sent out weekly e-mail diaries with incredible details of what our kids were doing.</p>
<p>Here’s their website…<a href=“http://www.amiie.org/[/url]”>http://www.amiie.org/</a></p>
<p>You can PM for more info, and I’ll even send you a link to the photo album AMI put together during the experience.</p>
<p>If your D is in college…I would highly suggest looking into Keren Kolot Educational Institute…here’s their website:
<a href=“http://www.keren-kolot-israel.co.il/html/about.html[/url]”>http://www.keren-kolot-israel.co.il/html/about.html</a></p>
<p>Check out Passport to Israel: <a href=“http://passport2israel.org/[/url]”>http://passport2israel.org/</a> It is a BBYO program, but you don’t need to be a member to attend. The main program is three weeks and you can add on extensions if you like. My S was also near Lebanon last year when the attacks began, so “Just”, I can totally relate to your experience last summer. This program is not an academic program (although they do learn so much), but I thought I’d put it out there for those interested.</p>
<p>I’m in Israel right now 
I am staying for the summer after an amazing spring semester doing the Jerusalem Ulpan, run by Hebrew University of Jerusalem. While you haven’t mentioned where your D is in education, there are many, many great volunteer programs, particularly Sar-El, which exposes her to the life of the Army, literally the backbone of this country. She will certainy learn so much from interacting with the soldiers and Israelis than any other programs that are essentially “bubbles.” It’s definitely open to high school students as one of my roommates just graduated and did it two years ago (presumbly between her sophomore-junior year of high school).</p>
<p>Has your D ever visited Israel before? It might help to figure out which program works the best for her. The supervision between all the program vary very widely but in general, they do have strong policies against visiting the territories and into more perlious areas of Israel. Israelis do NOT joke when it comes to this issue since anything can happen at any time- my program will automatically throw anyone out if it discovers anyone visiting the territories without their knowledge. Security is the number one priority here and is part of the daily life so ensure that your D will be in very good hands even when she is off on her own, particularly in cities like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa.</p>
<p>Additionally, it would be a plus if she picked up a little bit of tourist Hebrew as it will benefit her a LOT, especially save a bit of money.</p>
<p>PM me if you want any deeper insight of living in Israel. It took my parents a long, long time to get over the fact that I wanted to go to Israel, to stay here, and to live here. Just a year ago, they said “absolutely NOT.” Now they’re absolutely fine with me going to graduate school here after I graduate. Security or wars are no longer problems for them as they understand from their week long visit and my blog that Israelis take every measure they can to keep their country free and safe. Now the only problem they had but are willing to deal with it is the distance. While your D is younger and less mature than I am at age 21, I think her instinct will serve her well to realize what’s okay and what’s not anyway. </p>
<p>Nevertheless, she will have a GREAT time in Israel as long she keeps a very open minded to realize that this is a VERY different culture and atmosphere than the States. Israel may be “Amercanizing” and more modern than you’d expect, it’s still largely a third world country fighting to keep its independence.</p>
<p>Okay, I can totally talk forever about all this… :D</p>
<p>Thank you all so much! D is currently going into junior year in HS. We visited Israel as a family 3 years ago, so tickleme I understand how you can go on and on, it was a life changing experience for all.</p>
<p>I will look into all those programs mentioned. wjb- The Legacy Heratige fund sounds interesting as she is passionate about science.</p>
<p>Did anyone check into semester abroad study in Israel during the college search process?</p>
<p>There are so many great summer programs. If the student is l8, look up “Taglit Birthright” to see if there’s eligibility. That tour can be tacked on to any other program you wish. (EDIT: oops, I see you’ve already travelled there as a family, and the Taglit is for first-timers, so sorry; I’ll leave it up for other readers, however.)</p>
<p>For SCIENCE: see if they’ll let her come to volunteer at Kibbutz Lotan, the “green” kibbutz. It’s a reform kibbutz in the southern part of Israel, the Negev. Look at its ARAVA program for their important work in desert ecology, environmentally sound irrigation, and their bird sanctuary. Many international residents and volunteers, including from English speaking countries.
Liberal in its approach to religious practice. </p>
<p>HIGH SCHOOL TOUR, a Reform approach: (URJ – Union for Reform Judaism), summer 6-weeks tours with National Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY). They travel the kids around and are GREAT with supervision. Not sure if you must already belong to a temple or not. </p>
<p>HIGH SCHOOL study: I’ve also heard from a nephew who spent a year there that the Alexander Muss program is exceptional! But I think it’s for the school year, not a summertime thing as the OP asked. Please correct me if I’m wrong. </p>
<p>Just for those reading and curious: At Muss, they study an ancient text, then visit the modern location, exactly where it occurred. He described animatedly the debate there among students who favor Conservative/nearly Orthodox ways versus (gender)egalitarian-Conservative ways. </p>
<p>Another serious program of school-year study is run by the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) is Eisendrath Institute (or International?) Education (EIE).</p>
<p>EDIT: URJ also has a new Reform yeshiva for school-year study, (edit: after h.s. graduation as a gap year before college), somewhere in the mountains of Carmel overlooking Haifa. See the URJ website for more.</p>
<p>If I start listing Orthodox yeshivot, I’ll be here all week.</p>
<p>Re: your appropriate concern for tour safety/security. While nobdoy can speak for every tour program, I do know one from the parent perspective, as our eldest studied on a h.s. 4-month study program during his junior fall semester, at age 16. He noticed that every time their tour bus went anywhere, within half a mile they picked up an Israeli soldier hitchhiking along the highway. (Sidenote: that’s how soldiers travel, informally, when not on duty. Coming home weekends to do laundry, they also carry their weapons by their side, it’s normal there). What he and we didn’t know until long after that program was that the hitchiking soldier was actually on-duty, sent there by the Israeli army to meet, ride with and protect that particular bus. This program did not choose to excite kids or parents by saying “your tour bus is individually protected at all times with an armed Israeli soldier!!” but in fact it was. So now, I must wonder how many other safeguards were in place that he/we never know. Considering the large numbers of students traveling and studying in Israel, an infinitesimal small number of foreign students were hurt there in the past decade. When they were, I recall, it was not while with a program, but they were hurt alongside others in random violence. </p>
<p>Another memory of security precaustions on our S’s program: kids weren’t allowed to board public busses or wait at stations. They had to walk in groups and never alone. The group, as well as individuals, never ventured went into territories (despite what Jimmy Carter says) and stayed in mainland Israel at all times. If I could talk to Jimmy, I’d say: these kids are in h.s. and can’t be expected to make any safety judgment calls themselves. What about the risk-ready students who experimented and broke program rules? In my S’s program, they were grounded for many weeks to their dorms and campus. Second violations: a plane ticket home, charged to their parents. Nobody was fooling around. I think you want to seek programs that handle security messages to students with a tone of utmost seriousness because those kids understood and will follow the rules when there are consequences. Here’s the problem: if they told you every detail of how they safeguard your kid, you’d be too scared to send the kid. But perhaps it’s okay to believe that everyone is as concerned as you are and should be, so therefore it is okay to send your kid to a program that expresses things with a combination of reassurance and seriousness to you. </p>
<p>The Israeli government is exceptionally protective of American students touring and studying in their country. Sometimes it’s a bit much for the Israeli-born students to see all this for age-mates, but that’s just the way it is.</p>
<p>If by science, this might include medical interest:</p>
<p>(What’s in quotations can be googled)</p>
<p>“Magen David Adom” (Israel’s ambulance first-responder program, now finally admitted into the International Red Cross)…</p>
<p>will train volunteers ages 18-65 to serve as assistants on ambulances to their emergency medical team. Funding support is available by “MASA.” The training is in Israel in your own language. Each ambulance has two languages, depending on which is the second-language of the ambulance driver, so he can bark out orders in two languages. The program assigns you to a city or town (you can’t choose it). THere are Israeli host families, and the website makes the case that while it’s more exciting to live in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, sometimes the host family relationships are closest in the smaller town assignments.</p>
<p>Actually, Taglit is open to everyone as long you haven’t gone on a program… if you went on a business or a family travel or a competition, they don’t count against you… so if your D still hasn’t gone to Israel by the time she’s 18, free feel to send her at no cost…</p>
<p>^^thanks for that correction re: Taglit-Birthright.</p>
<p>The trips also require that one parent, of either gender, be Jewish. I think the student age range is 18-26. It’s a flight and 2-week tour. Can be tacked on to any other program for a longer stay.</p>
<p>I am not sure by what definition Israel can possibly count as a “third world country”, but this has nothing to do with OP’s question…</p>
<p>A few years ago, I visited the Reform movement’s EIE program on a Kibutz outside of Jerusalem. Was very impressed. It is a semester long program, however. I don’t think they have it for the summer only.</p>
<p>^^yes, EIE, Alex Muss and the Carmel Mts. programs are all for during the school year…but at the very end of her post #6, the OP opened up the discussion to this so we’re still on-topic to be discussing either summertime or semester-long options for her! </p>
<p>OP’s post #6 … “Did anyone check into semester abroad study in Israel during the college search process?”</p>
<p>Momofgrowingkids, I appreciate how you were alert to staying on topic :)</p>
<p>So, who knows some more cool programs, either for summertime or semesterlong? And she had expressed interest in science, if possible…</p>
<p>Hebrew University (Jerusalem):
<a href=“http://overseas.huji.ac.il/academics.asp?cat=35&in=18[/url]”>http://overseas.huji.ac.il/academics.asp?cat=35&in=18</a></p>
<p>Ben Gurion University (Beer-Sheva) has a College Preparatory Program (CPP) offered through the Overseas Student Program. It is basically a gap year program for HS graduates:
<a href=“http://www.jafi.org.il/education/highed/10.html[/url]”>http://www.jafi.org.il/education/highed/10.html</a></p>
<p>Various programs for college students:
<a href=“http://www.jafi.org.il/education/highed/undergraduates.html[/url]”>http://www.jafi.org.il/education/highed/undergraduates.html</a></p>
<p>^^awesome list, nngmm</p>
<p>Alexander Muss also offers summer programs for 8 weeks (my D participated in one last summer), not just school year.</p>
<p>From their website: …8-week, non-denominational, academic adventure in Israel with 5 amazing sessions throughout the year!</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amiie.org/programs/highschool.php[/url]”>http://www.amiie.org/programs/highschool.php</a></p>
<p>nngmm- thanks so, I have begun looking into Hebrew University and the Ben Gurion University looks very interesting!</p>
<p>All great info-thanks</p>
<p>I just got back from the Muss program.</p>
<p>DONT DO IT.</p>
<p>Its totally non - religious. the counselors are awesome but I would not do it threw MUSS</p>
<p>Mike89- Could you give me a little more feedback? Do they observe shabbat at all? Do they do any family visits? Was it all english or was there also hebrew?</p>
<p>for my senior year, my school sends the class to the Alexander Muss Institute in Hod Hasharon. We spend 3 months living in the dorms. Muss is considered our home campus. We spend a lot of time there, but also we went on a lot of overnight trips and stayed at Hostiles. </p>
<p>I think the administration on the campus is terrible. Many of my peers think the same thing. </p>
<p>I would consider it a Reform style campus. Shabbat is not preformed properly if preformed at all</p>
<p>If you are in Hod Hasharon (everyone calls it Hod) im sure they will let you visit.</p>
<p>The Computer lab on campus is still 56/k. Really slow computers… really irritating. </p>
<p>I believe all the classes are in english, unless of course its a Hebrew class.
I did not take any classes because I was already graduated when I was there.</p>
<p>I stayed in the nicest and newest dorm on campus…it was nice…5 people per room, and a lounge area. It was pretty nice. </p>
<p>The athletic facilities on campus are pretty nice also, good place to run, play basketball, soccer, and workout as well.</p>
<p>I can answer any more specific questions, happily</p>