Living in an absorption center allowed me to improve my Hebrew as well as observe how a new Oleh lives. I made a lot of new friends from all over the world, who were in the same situation as I. The camaraderie that was built fostered by the sympathy that we had for one another was incredible.

The program honestly gave me all the insights I would need in order to prepare myself to make Aliyah. I recommend this program to all those who have even pondered once about living in Israel.

David (from Paris, worked at “Infoprod”)

I arrived in Israel May 2000. During my six-month stay, I participated in the Professional Internship Program. I worked for a company called Infoprod in Ramat Gan and lived in an Absorption Center in Kfar Saba. The company I was working for specialized in market researching and helps match up businesses and investors in the Middle East marketplace. Inprod offers assistance in the strategic and tactical planning of companies which focus on the Middle East Market, including market analyses, pricing, advertising, choosing distributors, logistics, legislation and regulation.

I worked on a project, which was designed to strengthen the commercial relationship between Israel and Europe. There were people from all over the world working with me, and each of us was in charge of a specific area in the world. French is my mother tongue; therefore I was placed in charged of developing contacts with European countries, where French is the predominate language (France, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands).

The work consisted of several parts including creating tools, which facilitate the development of e-commerce, such as implementing a marketplace or a store online. The second part of my work included research on the Internet about private and public French speaking institutions. I would contact them by mail or by phone, in order to propose our services, and help them to create joint ventures with Middle Eastern companies.

In Israel, and specifically in the high-tech sector, we work a lot. The minimum workday is 9 to 10 hours. It is often necessary to stay up to 12 hours at work per day. People here are judged on the basis of their merit.

This means it is important to finish the work at the highest standard, even if the only way to do so is to stay until 9 pm. It is the people who worked the hardest that always received the greatest responsibilities and most projects to look after. The work world is often a rude place, however it is also a fair world where good workers are immediately located and promoted to what they deserve.

After my internship experience at Infoprod, I was offered a contract to work full time there. This meant to me that the company appreciated my work, which made me very proud. Although I often had to work until 8 or 9 in the evening it was well worth it. I had a good relationship with my co-workers and over all a great experience with my Internship.

Oded Salomy, Israel/USA

Ten years ago, Tnuat Aliyah found me an internship with an Israeli law firm. Seven years later, I moved here, worked for the same firm, and now I am a happily licensed Israeli lawyer!"

Emily Miller, England

"Volunteering in Israel gave me a unique insight into the people, the country, and the religion. It was an unforgettable experience!"

Mark Schulman, USA

Working at the International Relations Division at the Israeli Ministry of Environment gave me a better understanding of the field, and contacts for the future."

Daphna Bowman, USA

"This program is different from all other programs because it gives you space to try and survive on your own in Israel. I feel as though I am on my own, but not completely deserted."

Avi Krawitz

For many that are thinking about making Aliyah, ideologically we may be ready to take that big step, however practically there are many unknown factors involved.

Personally, having visited Israel many times before as a tourist, my experiences were limited to the exciting Biblical and Zionist history that I was exposed to, the tragedy and revival of the Jewish people and the beautiful variety of the landscape. While these all strengthened my desire to live in Israel and make a contribution to the Jewish people, I had little interaction with Israeli society that would equip me with the skills necessary to survive there.

Seeking to satisfy my desire to make an educated decision about Aliyah, I was informed about the Professional Internship program run by Tnuat Aliyah. I subsequently signed up for what would turn out to be a completely worthwhile experience.

In short, the Internship (Stagerim) programme gives the participant as comprehensive an Aliyah experience without actually putting pen to paper. I was afforded the opportunity of working in Israel in my chosen field as well as living in an Absorption Centre with Olim from all over the world. These two aspects of my experience were particularly beneficial.

I was placed at the Ministry of Industry and Trade. My work there exposed me to the dynamic developments and culture of industry in Israel. My task primarily involved preparing marketing material on the Biotechnology industry (of which Israel has become a world leader) for the economic Attaches overseas and to promote Israeli companies. Through this I gained insight into how I would cope and fit into the Israeli work place, while making invaluable contacts and contributing to the country during its time of crisis.

I feel particularly fortunate for having been on this program as I was able to gather information on a grassroots level. All the questions that I had, and my concerns about succeeding in Israel were answered through everyday occurrences. The flexibilty of my working hours also allowed me to pursue other personal interests, such as learning Hebrew, touring (certain events which were arranged by Tnuat Aliyah) or socializing etc.

The Stagerim Program caters to Young Jewish adults who want an all-round Israeli experience geared to their individual needs. The 2 - 6 months spent as an intern not only provided me with the tools to thrive in Israel, but also made my future Aliyah infinitely easier. For this I am very grateful.

Ester, Santa Fe, Argentina

In Buenos Aires I finished a BA in International Relationships. When I arrived to Israel almost 5 months ago I met Vered and handed her my CV telling her: “I would like to work in something international and helpful at the same time.” She understood immediately what kind of internship I was looking for and 2 weeks after that I started working in the Amnesty International office in Tel Aviv.

One month later that I decided I wanted to stay. I’ve made Aliyah recognizing that the current situation in the country is not an ideal one in many aspects, especially for somebody who works in the field of Human Rights. There are many dilemmas and difficult situations you have to deal with every day, and not always with happy endings.

This year I will become a student at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I will study for a MA in Political Science. This past summer, I have spent seven weeks in Tel Aviv University, where I went to a Hebrew Ulpan. This was a very rich experience in many aspects. There I met young people who made aliyah a few years ago, and I could learn a lot from them about their experiences in “becoming Israeli.”

I live now in Florentin (Tel Aviv South) with 2 Israeli shutafim (flat mates) - Michael and Tomer - who have become my teachers in many aspects of this new life in Israel. They share all of their knowledge with me about how to be in your middle 20’s in Tel Aviv...

I am still working in Amnesty International, and not only that, but they already sent me to a congress in Morocco for one week in the beginning of September. It was strange for me to represent Israel - although I feel like it really fits me. The conference was regional - North Africa and the Middle East - and was held in Arabic with translation to English, as I was the only non-Arab participant.

It was by far one of the most exciting experiences of my life, and of course, helped me in the task of constructing my Israeli-Jewish identity. I am happy of having the possibility of doing so with the help of the people from Amnesty, who have really become my family here in Israel.

Last updated: December 8, 2005