What started in the 1920’s as an agricultural village has become today one of the leading business communities in the Middle East. Not only does the city boast having one of the largest diamond exchanges in the world, but Ramat Gan is also known for its superior schools and well-maintained and lush neighborhood parks with bike and running paths. Ganei Yehoshua, a beautiful and expansive park, is also located in the neighborhood. But don’t let the tranquil nature of the neighborhood fool you, the city still has a full range of shopping and services, including gyms, malls, and pools with both mixed (men and women) and separate hours. The Arts and Culture Department also organizes approximately 150 cultural events monthly in theater, music, dance, lectures, films and adult education
Culture
Ayalon Mall
Ayalon Mall is one of the largest and upscale shopping complexes in Israel. One could get lost in this endless indoor/outdoor complex teeming with brand names, local joints, quick eats, and bars. Definitely the place to go if you have the shopping bug
The Israel Diamond Exchange has been the world’s leading diamond exporter and is still one of the world’s largest diamond and gem trade centers. Hundreds of offices and thousands of employees are split between the four buildings of the stock exchange located in the hear of Ramat Gan. The TASE buildings are considered one of the safest and most high-tech places in Israel
A piece of nature in the middle of the urban surroundings. This park is perfect for those morning runs or lazy weekend strolls. There are also plenty of BBQ stations so picnics in the park on Shabbat are always a go-to! There is also a small museum, horse farm, cafes, and coffee shops located throughout the park
Safari is a captive breeding center for a number of rare and endangered species. The center participates in many international projects to protect and return animals to their habitat. In total, there are about 1600 animals from around the world, including 68 species of mammals, 130 species of birds and 25 species of reptiles. In the fully recreated habitat of the African savanna, animals freely move around the territory in small herds
This joint is extremely popular amongst the locals – this hole in the wall serves up some of the best sabich in Israel. Come hungry, but also prepare to wait in a line of hungry customers, depending on the time of day of course
Looking for that perfect outdoor brunch spot after a busy week of work? Take a stroll through Ramat Gan’s beautiful national park and you will stumble upon this amazing indoor/outdoor cafe right on the water! Gorgeous views, yummy food and mimosas make visiting this restaurant a must
For those who believe Kosher food is boring, let Sumesa prove you wrong! The menu is extensive and the wine list is to die for! Aside from the tasty kosher fare, the classy, tasteful design and the pleasant background music give Sumesa a very pleasant and relaxing ambiance and keep the locals coming back for more
It’s a simple burger joint, run by the same family for at least 12 years. Though the place may be simple, their food is far from it. Burger combos are varied, unusual, but always straight up delicious. It’s no wonder locals hail this place as the best burger spot in the city
Easy access by foot or public transportation to any Tel Aviv area beach of your choosing – Gordon Beach, Banana Beach, Frishman Beach, Hilton Beach…the list is endless! Due to Ramat Gan’s perfect location right on the outskirt of downtown Tel Aviv you get all the perks of having a beach nearby without having to deal with all the downtown crowds or hassle once you get back home
Nightlife
Though you have the entire wealth of Tel Aviv nightlife just a short walk away, below are some favorite local neighborhood spots
Frug & Co.
Funky bar with even funkier drinks, food (italian fare and nachos?!?) and plenty of seating outdoors and in. This spot is definitely one of the busiest for late night fun in Ramat Gan
Be transported to the streets of Cuba at this expansive bar/restaurant/club with live music and dancing all night long – don’t forget to try on their cuban inspired drinks
Hear what our past participants have to say about their experience!
Alana S.
“We’ve been in Israel for now 7 weeks which is crazy. Time has flown by! While we’ve been here I’ve loved being able to intern in Ramat Gan doing marketing and get hands-on experience in my field of interest. Meanwhile, it’s been amazing getting to see my friends here thrive in the rich environment of Ramat Gan and see their internships whether that be working with bats or even doing cancer research in a lab.”
Emily S.
“Hey everyone, my name is Emily S. I’m currently interning at a jewelry store in Ramat Gan. The coolest part of my experience is learning about how business varies between different countries. However, the most fun I’ve had this summer is with all the new friends I made throughout the trip and discovering all the cool places this area has to offer. Living here and really having the chance to immerse in the culture has been a wild experience so far, especially the trips and tours and getting to explore Israel. I’m so thankful there are programs like Onward Israel to give us these opportunities and the chance to make these amazing memories.”
Apply Now!
Apply now for an Onward Israel program based in Ramat Gan to explore everything the city has to offer
Marketing, Business & Technology (Tracks 1,2,3) - Theme Based Program
Israel has become a hub for fresh and interesting marketing strategies, innovative technologies, and start-up businesses. Through this program, participants will be placed in a variety of positions where they will be able to gain first-hand experience at the center of these booming industries.
Learn from experts in the field of finance and economics through this combined internship and mentorship experience. This global experience will help participants distinguish themselves and gain a competitive edge by connecting coursework with real world experience in prestigious organizations.
Set your ambitions apart from your peers with an internship in the Israeli legal field. This is your opportunity to expand your interests and gain new perspectives with a hands on internship. Participants will be placed in law firms in a variety of positions including legal tech, legal marketing and assisting lawyers with day to day tasks and long term projects.
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.
3200
Number of Onward Israel participants in its most recent cohort in 2022.
265
Number of Onward Israel participants in the first cohort in 2012.
Onward Israel applicants interested in interning in one of the following internship fields – Engineering, STEM, Green Energy Computer Science, 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.
Vaccinated individuals*: individuals must have received at least two doses of the vaccination (with the exception of Johnson & Johnson which requires only one). * Please be aware that additional conditions may apply depending on each individual’s specific status.
Recovered individuals*: individuals must have been recovered within one year of the program start date. *Please be aware that additional conditions may apply depending on each individual’s specific status.
Please note that these policies are subject to change.
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.
Vaccinated individuals*: individuals must have received at least two doses of the vaccination (with the exception of Johnson & Johnson which requires only one). * Please be aware that additional conditions may apply depending on each individual’s specific status.
Recovered individuals*: individuals must have been recovered within one year of the program start date. *Please be aware that additional conditions may apply depending on each individual’s specific status.
Please note that these policies are subject to change.
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:
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:
All participants receive a detailed safety and security orientation at the very beginning of the program. This orientation is repeated as a refresher during the program itself. This orientation also includes training about how to use conduct oneself in public spaces if there is an air raid siren
All housing units have immediate and quick access to safe spaces in the event of air raid sirens. These spaces include “safe rooms” within apartments, shelters or reinforced stairwells
Participants are shown these spaces and taken to them physically as part of the safety and security orientation
The initial orientation at each internship site includes learning about and practicing access to the safe space at the worksite
All educational trips and activity are vetted on the day of implementation by the Israeli Ministry of Education’s “Moked Teva”- which approves every itinerary based on updated security developments and dictates what additional security measures must be taken for each itinerary, if applicable
All participants are part of a Whattsapp group, run by their group counselor, through which all pertinent security information is clearly communicated to participants. In addition, participants are part of a wider Onward Israel Whattsapp group as an additional source of information
Onward Israel is in daily coordination with Masa Israel Journey, The Jewish Agency for Israel and Birthright Israel for safety and security updates
Participants are instructed to share individual travel plans with their program staff in order to get directions about safe and secure ways to travel in their free time
Please see our “Contact Us” page should you have additional questions. We are happy to answer further questions (including those security related), however, ask that you direct non-emergency inquiries or those in regard to participants who are not currently in Israel to our general inquiries phone line and email address. While these avenues are only staffed during North American working hours, we will do our best to respond as quickly as possible. We have an Emergency Helpline available for urgent/immediate problems related to participants who are currently in Israel.