Academic Programs
Onward Israel academic programs offer opportunities involving course work at Israeli academic institutions in selected fields combined with exposure to and education about Israeli society.
Onward Israel academic programs offer opportunities involving course work at Israeli academic institutions in selected fields combined with exposure to and education about Israeli society.
A collaboration between Washington University in St. Louis’ Olin Business School and the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel, ISBA launched in the summer of 2014. The academy is designed for students of all faiths, beliefs, and academic backgrounds who want to learn about Israeli business firsthand – and immerse themselves in the country’s entrepreneurial environment.
The program is open to young adults, interested in the world of Education and Jewish Education.
The Melton Centre for Jewish Education at Hebrew University offers a unique MA degree in Education with a specialization in Jewish Education. This program is a blended learning experience, which includes two semesters of online courses and an intensive summer semester in Jerusalem. The program is conducted in English and can be completed in a single calendar year. The courses deal comprehensively with the theory and practice of Jewish education at a high academic level and are delivered by scholars from the Melton Centre for Jewish Education, which has been a Centre for research and postgraduate study for over 50 years. This program provides students with the opportunity to obtain an accredited degree from Hebrew University, one of the top hundred universities in the world.
Since its inception, Onward Israel has employed rigorous pre and post-program evaluation, designed to empirically assess the program's impact. The results are clear: Onward Israel works.
Number of Onward Israel participants in its most recent cohort in 2022.
Number of Onward Israel participants in the first cohort in 2012.
Birthright Israel Onward applicants interested in interning in one of the following internship fields – STEM, Finance, Law, and Medicine – must meet the following criteria:
The applicant must be in their sophomore year of studies or beyond while applying for the Onward program
The applicant must have prior exposure to the field outside of academic studies
Prior professional experience/internship experience in the specific field of interest is desirable but not required*
*Applicants interested in an internship in the legal field must demonstrate internship and/or work experience related to the field
The applicant must have completed at least 4 courses relevant to the internship field of interest or be enrolled in said courses that will be completed by the time the Onward program begins
If the applicant is applying for a computer science or computer engineering internship, they must meet the criteria above AND must be proficient in at least in one computer programming language.
Applicants meeting all criteria have the strongest chance of securing an internship in the desired field
Applicants meeting two or fewer criteria:
Theme Based Programs: Applicants can be waitlisted or can be transitioned to a different Theme Based Program depending on availability
Hillel/Community Programs: Applicants will need to take under consideration that it is unlikely that an internship match will be made in their desired field or a related field if they do not meet the above criteria based on available internships and the applicants skills and experience and should therefore seek internships in other fields.
Onward Israel applicants interested in interning in one of the following internship fields – STEM, Finance, Law, and Medicine – must meet the following criteria:
The applicant must be in their sophomore year of studies or beyond while applying for the Onward Israel program
The applicant must have prior exposure to the field outside of academic studies
Prior professional experience/internship experience in the specific field of interest is desirable but not required*
*Applicants interested in an internship in the legal field must demonstrate internship and/or work experience related to the field
The applicant must have completed at least 4 courses relevant to the internship field of interest or be enrolled in said courses that will be completed by the time the Onward Israel program begins
If the applicant is applying for a computer science or computer engineering internship, they must meet the criteria above AND must be proficient in at least in one computer programming language.
Applicants meeting all criteria have the strongest chance of securing an internship in the desired field
Applicants meeting two or fewer criteria:
Theme Based Programs: Applicants can be waitlisted or can be transitioned to a different Theme Based Program depending on availability
Hillel/Community Programs: Applicants will need to take under consideration that it is unlikely that an internship match will be made in their desired field or a related field based on available internships and the applicants skills and experience and should therefore seek internships in other fields.
Entry & Quarantine Requirements
Currently, in accordance with the State of Israel regulations, only participants that fall into one of the following categories will be granted entrance to Israel.
Please note that these policies are subject to change.
In both of the above cases, certain entry and quarantine requirements will apply. Participants must refer to our Onward Israel Masa Programs – Entry & Quarantine Requirements for more information.
Prior to arrival in Israel, participants will receive detailed information regarding all COVID-19 protocols & policies in respect of their trip.
For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact inquiries@onwardisrael.org
Entry & Quarantine Requirements
Currently, in accordance with the State of Israel regulations, only participants that fall into one of the following categories will be granted entrance to Israel.
Please note that these policies are subject to change.
In both of the above cases, certain entry and quarantine requirements will apply. Participants must refer to our Onward Israel Programs – Entry & Quarantine Requirements for more information.
Prior to arrival in Israel, participants will receive detailed information regarding all COVID-19 protocols & policies in respect of their trip.
For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact inquiries@onwardisrael.org
Updated: July 27, 2021
In recent days, and despite the high rate of vaccinations in Israel, there has been a resurgence of COVID-19 transmissions in Israel, stemming from the Delta Variant. In response, the Ministry of Health has restored the obligation to wear facemasks in indoor locations and is considering limitations on entry to certain venues for only vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 individuals. The list of countries that Israelis cannot travel to is begin updated and additional restrictions and regulations at the airport are being considered. Onward Israel obliges all of its participants to wear masks at indoor activities and is now limiting participation in future programs to only vaccinated and COVID-19 recovered participants.
Today, the US Embassy in Israel published a Level 3 Health notice about travel to Israel. It can be found here:
https://il.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
Onward Israel’s policy is to allow early departure from our 2021 summer programs because of anxiety or worries connected to COVID-19. In such cases there is no financial penalties for participants, although costs connected with changes to flight tickets as well as the required PCR test within 72 hours of departure remains the responsibility of each participant.
Onward Israel remains steadfastly committed to providing a meaningful, impactful, summer experience to each and every participant on all of our summer 2021 programs. We have planned the summer with the well-being of our participants as a cardinal concern.
If you have any other questions, please contact us at inquiries@onwardisrael.org and visit our website periodically for important updates.
Updated July 19, 2021
On May 20th, a cease fire went to effect on Israel’s southern border with the Gaza Strip. The cease fire has been upheld since then. Due to the complexity and dynamism of the issues involved we are carefully monitoring the situation on a daily basis, and making any adjustments to our programs due to changes in the security situation.
In general, we prioritize the safety, health and security of our participants while also striving to facilitate their immersion into Israeli life and society and their exploration of the country, as key elements of the Onward Israel Experience.
Our security protocols rest on the following important elements:
| Armenia | Australia | Austria | Azerbaijan |
| Belarus | Belgium | Brazil | Bulgaria |
| Canada | China | Croatia | Czech Republic |
| Denmark | Estonia | Ethiopia | Finland |
| France | Georgia | Germany | Greece |
| Hungary | India | Ireland | Italy |
| Jamaica | Japan | Latvia | Lithuania |
| Luxembourg | Malta | Mexico | Moldova |
| Netherlands | North Macedonia | Norway | Panama |
| Philippines | Poland | Portugal | Romania |
| Russia | Serbia | Singapore | Slovakia |
| Slovenia | South Africa | South Korea | Spain |
| Sweden | Switzerland | Taiwan | Thailand |
| Turkey | Ukraine | United Kingdom |
United States of America
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| Uzbekistan | Vietnam |