What a Rainy Winter it Was - 02/20/2020
by Ilan Wagner
Onward Israel President/CEO
While Israel has enjoyed one of its rainiest seasons on record (accompanied by worries about climate change as well), at Onward Israel we are enjoying the variety and scope of our winter programs. Although programs continue into mid-March and one of them has not yet begun, we are anticipating preserving our 2019 winter size of just over 400 participants, including impressive growth in the Wintership program and the Latin America Hillel program.
One of the Winternship participants, Shiran Chai from USC, active in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, interned at the Malenki Theater Company in Tel Aviv. Shiran was the focus of an interview on Radio 103 in Israel, part of our efforts to expand awareness about the value of interns from abroad for Israeli companies. This value is readily apparent through the efforts of the 106 participants from Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina who comprise the Latin America Hillel program.
In addition to internships, these participants benefit from a unique program that includes company visits, an academic course, and participation in the Our Crowd conference at the end of February. We have also completed another successful round of the Tav Tech program, a coding course for North American students, in conjunction with the Bronfman Center at NYU. Our commitment to the winter season, and our aspirations of reaching 500 participants in 2021, remain steadfast.