Amitai Z. – Education & Social Services, Summer 2018

“Working as an intern with the Jerusalem Innovation Team within Jerusalem’s municipal government has given me the opportunity to put my graduate degree in Community and Regional Planning into practice and make a real difference in the future of the city and the quality of life of Jerusalemites. JLM i-team is really small (only 5 of us!), and I feel valued for the skills I bring to the table; the rest of the team gives me a lot of responsibility while also making me feel very supported and helping me practice my Hebrew. I never would have thought that I would be directly managing one of the Municipality’s highest profile marketing stunts of the year: an Airbnb contest to spend a night in a prototype co-living apartment in Safra Square outside City Hall! I’ve also learned a lot on the many “field trips” my supervisors have taken me on around town, whether it’s a meeting at the Ministry of Economy, networking at the Israel Land Authority, or giving a project update at the municipal public health department. It’s been an amazing experience learning about my field of urban planning in a different culture and in a city with many complex and unique issues.”