Spouses and Partners
Funded Fellowships and Programs
Dorot Fellowship
The Dorot Fellowship seeks to enliven the American Jewish landscape by seeding the community with a cadre of outstanding young lay leaders who will create new forms, and reinvigorate existing forms, of Jewish expression. Each year, 12 Dorot Fellows are chosen to live in Israel, where they sharpen the characteristics and skills, acquire the experience, and broaden the networks required for Jewish leadership in the 21st Century.
JDC Jewish Service Corps
The Global Jewish Service Corps (JSC) is a year-long, paid opportunity for Jewish young professionals to volunteer overseas with JDC, the world's leading Jewish humanitarian organization.
See Culture and Events and Volunteer Opportunities for more activities!
Ulpan
Conservative Yeshiva Ulpan
The Conservative Yeshiva offers a summer ulpan Sunday to Thursday from 9am-12:30. The available levels are dependent on registration numbers. There are usually two summer sessions, the first of which starts in the beginning of July and the second which begins at the end of July/beginning of August.
Hebrew University
The Hebrew University offers ulpan classes from levels "aleph" to "vav," and regular university classes in English and Hebrew during the academic year and summer. Those who wish to attend full-time for credit will have to pay full tuition through the School for Overseas Students of the Hebrew University. In this case, you must contact the American Friends of the Hebrew University (11 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10036; telephone: (212) 472-9800) for an application and information about scholarships.
Hebrew Union College Ulpan
HUC offers classes twice a week on weeknights.
Milah
Classes are offered Monday to Thursday from 9am-12pm with an optional conversational course once a week or twice a week following the morning class. Twice-weekly evening courses are also offered. The school does operate on a 12 week semester schedule but as long as a class is not overflowing you can join in the middle of the semester.
Ulpan-Or
If you want to improve your Hebrew while still abroad, Ulpan-Or offers distance learning as well as other options, www.ulpanor.com. In Israel they offer a private or semi-private 2-week ulpan with touring options. They are somewhat costly (see website) but come highly recommended.
Adult Education
Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
Courses are offered in Talmud, Torah, History, Jewish Thought, Theology and much more. Classes are often conducted in hevruta style.
Conservative Yeshiva
The Conservative Yeshiva offers courses in Halacha, Jewish Thought, Rabbinic Literature, Bible, Liturgy and Social issues. Courses can be taken individually or one can take part in the entire program. Most classes are split between hevruta study and lecture.
See Extracurricular Opportunities for more learning opportunities!
Participation in JTS Activities
Partners are generally able to participate in the extracurricular/experiential JTS programs. Please be in touch in advance if you would like to join a specific program. In general, experiential programming is scheduled for Thursdays, with occasional weekday evenings.
Dorot Fellowship
The Dorot Fellowship seeks to enliven the American Jewish landscape by seeding the community with a cadre of outstanding young lay leaders who will create new forms, and reinvigorate existing forms, of Jewish expression. Each year, 12 Dorot Fellows are chosen to live in Israel, where they sharpen the characteristics and skills, acquire the experience, and broaden the networks required for Jewish leadership in the 21st Century.
JDC Jewish Service Corps
The Global Jewish Service Corps (JSC) is a year-long, paid opportunity for Jewish young professionals to volunteer overseas with JDC, the world's leading Jewish humanitarian organization.
See Culture and Events and Volunteer Opportunities for more activities!
Ulpan
Conservative Yeshiva Ulpan
The Conservative Yeshiva offers a summer ulpan Sunday to Thursday from 9am-12:30. The available levels are dependent on registration numbers. There are usually two summer sessions, the first of which starts in the beginning of July and the second which begins at the end of July/beginning of August.
Hebrew University
The Hebrew University offers ulpan classes from levels "aleph" to "vav," and regular university classes in English and Hebrew during the academic year and summer. Those who wish to attend full-time for credit will have to pay full tuition through the School for Overseas Students of the Hebrew University. In this case, you must contact the American Friends of the Hebrew University (11 East 69th Street, New York, NY 10036; telephone: (212) 472-9800) for an application and information about scholarships.
Hebrew Union College Ulpan
HUC offers classes twice a week on weeknights.
Milah
Classes are offered Monday to Thursday from 9am-12pm with an optional conversational course once a week or twice a week following the morning class. Twice-weekly evening courses are also offered. The school does operate on a 12 week semester schedule but as long as a class is not overflowing you can join in the middle of the semester.
Ulpan-Or
If you want to improve your Hebrew while still abroad, Ulpan-Or offers distance learning as well as other options, www.ulpanor.com. In Israel they offer a private or semi-private 2-week ulpan with touring options. They are somewhat costly (see website) but come highly recommended.
Adult Education
Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
Courses are offered in Talmud, Torah, History, Jewish Thought, Theology and much more. Classes are often conducted in hevruta style.
Conservative Yeshiva
The Conservative Yeshiva offers courses in Halacha, Jewish Thought, Rabbinic Literature, Bible, Liturgy and Social issues. Courses can be taken individually or one can take part in the entire program. Most classes are split between hevruta study and lecture.
See Extracurricular Opportunities for more learning opportunities!
Participation in JTS Activities
Partners are generally able to participate in the extracurricular/experiential JTS programs. Please be in touch in advance if you would like to join a specific program. In general, experiential programming is scheduled for Thursdays, with occasional weekday evenings.
Children
Schools
The most comprehensive information about schools in Israel can be found on Nefesh B'Nefesh's pages on education and school registration.
We recommend talking to people who have recently spent time in Israel with school-aged children. If you can get to Israel while school is still in session (ie. late June the summer before your year in Israel), you may be able to visit schools and meet with principals to help make a more informed choice. Registration takes place in person at the Municipality; passports and proof of residency (a lease or municipal tax bills in your name suffice) are required. Spaces in a particular school are not guaranteed; even if the teacher or administrator says there is room available, the municipality has a specific cut off.
There are both public religious schools (mamlachti dati) as well as public secular schools (mamlachti). Some neighborhoods also have Tali schools, which are secular schools infused with select religious content, in partnership with the Masorti (Conservative) movement. Tali schools in Jerusalem include Baka Geulim, as well as ones a little further away in East Talpiot, French Hill and Bayit Vegan. The newer Keshet network of schools brings together both secular and religious families in one school; it may be worth exploring, as the schools and network are growing.
There are private schools as well; some popular ones include Yad B'yad (the Jewish-Arab school), the Democratic School, and the American School.
For younger children, there are private family daycares, called Mishpachtonim, as well as some private pre-school options, which are available for the same ages (3-5) as are the public ganim. Eg: HUC runs a private pre-school that's infused with liberal religious content. Public pre-school is generally available starting at age 3; some neighborhoods only begin at age 4. Nefesh B'Nefesh has more information about gan and gan registration.
School ends earlier than in the US each day. Afterschool programs are provided by the municipality in most public schools; registration is separate and most often is done in person at the closest community center (matnas or minhal kehilati). Private afterschool programs and chugim (clubs) abound...arts, sports, technology, etc. Many afterschool programs include a hot lunch component.
Please reach out to us if you would like to be put in touch with a family who has navigated the school system before.
The most comprehensive information about schools in Israel can be found on Nefesh B'Nefesh's pages on education and school registration.
We recommend talking to people who have recently spent time in Israel with school-aged children. If you can get to Israel while school is still in session (ie. late June the summer before your year in Israel), you may be able to visit schools and meet with principals to help make a more informed choice. Registration takes place in person at the Municipality; passports and proof of residency (a lease or municipal tax bills in your name suffice) are required. Spaces in a particular school are not guaranteed; even if the teacher or administrator says there is room available, the municipality has a specific cut off.
There are both public religious schools (mamlachti dati) as well as public secular schools (mamlachti). Some neighborhoods also have Tali schools, which are secular schools infused with select religious content, in partnership with the Masorti (Conservative) movement. Tali schools in Jerusalem include Baka Geulim, as well as ones a little further away in East Talpiot, French Hill and Bayit Vegan. The newer Keshet network of schools brings together both secular and religious families in one school; it may be worth exploring, as the schools and network are growing.
There are private schools as well; some popular ones include Yad B'yad (the Jewish-Arab school), the Democratic School, and the American School.
For younger children, there are private family daycares, called Mishpachtonim, as well as some private pre-school options, which are available for the same ages (3-5) as are the public ganim. Eg: HUC runs a private pre-school that's infused with liberal religious content. Public pre-school is generally available starting at age 3; some neighborhoods only begin at age 4. Nefesh B'Nefesh has more information about gan and gan registration.
School ends earlier than in the US each day. Afterschool programs are provided by the municipality in most public schools; registration is separate and most often is done in person at the closest community center (matnas or minhal kehilati). Private afterschool programs and chugim (clubs) abound...arts, sports, technology, etc. Many afterschool programs include a hot lunch component.
Please reach out to us if you would like to be put in touch with a family who has navigated the school system before.