Israel Study Abroad

Jerusalem is one of the founding cities of Western civilization. Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people and one of the most economically dynamic and strategically important nations in the modern world. Our students will be required to spend meaningful time in Israel, immersing themselves in the great ideas, key places, and living history of the Jewish state. Students will have the option to study in Israel for a single semester or for a full academic year.

Our Israel program focuses on five educational pillars:

1. The Hebrew Bible, Jerusalem, and the Birth of Jewish Civilization
   We believe it is essential for our students to understand how the great texts and ideas of the Hebrew Bible and the ancient Israelite people have shaped Western civilization in profound ways: our moral ideals, our theological vision, our art and culture, and our civilizational history. In Jerusalem, our students will immerse themselves in the ancient foundations of the Jewish people and the remarkable continuity of Jewish civilization into the modern age: book by book, story by story, stone by stone.
2. The Zionist Movement and the Political History of Israel
   The re-birth of Israel as a nation is a remarkable civilizational story. Our students will study the political, cultural, and religious history of Zionism; the founding figures (such as Herzl, Ben Gurion, and Jabotinsky) and key moments in the creation of modern Israel; and the broader lessons about statesmanship and strategy that the Israeli story can teach the world.
3. Israel and the Future of the Middle East: A Strategic Assessment
   Since the founding of Israel, the Jewish state has lived through political, military, and cultural conflicts with various nation-states and ideological movements. Our students need to understand the political and strategic challenges shaping the modern Middle East—past, present, and future. This includes studying the aims and ideologies of the Arab and Islamic world, the key moments and great leaders that have shaped the modern Middle East, the relationship between Israel and the great powers (especially America), and the prospects for achieving stability in the current age.
4. Start-Up-Nation: The Economic Dynamism of the Jewish State
   In recent decades, Israel has emerged as one of the most dynamic economies in the world. Our students will study the sources of Israeli innovation in key fields such as agriculture, information technology, weapons technology, cyber-security, and artificial intelligence. We will explore how one of the most ancient peoples in the world has become one of the most innovative and entrepreneurial cultures in the modern age.
5. Modern Hebrew: Language and Literature
   Hebrew is the gateway to Israeli culture. Our students will have the opportunity to develop greater mastery of Hebrew language in the native land of the Jewish people—including both the immersive study of speaking and writing skills and the more advanced exploration of modern Jewish literature. Our students will be encouraged to participate in the full academic, civic, and cultural life of Israel in the native language.