NFTY in Israel - EIE High School in Israel

QUALITY ACADEMICS AND HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS

The NFTY-EIE High School in Israel is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Schools. The NFTY-EIE High School in Israel is under the careful supervision of NFTY’s full time staff in Israel.

For any overseas high school semester to succeed, the confidence and cooperation of participants, parents and home high schools are required. Through accredited courses and small classes students can be assured that they will reintegrate easily into their home high schools at semester’s end. Students are awarded academic credit for:

Israel: Land, People and Cultures (Jewish Studies) and the Hebrew Language Instruction.
Personalized instruction in small general studies classes to ensure that students keep current with work being done in their home high schools. Click here to download the Program Catalogue.
Students register for 3-5 general studies courses. NFTY submits a detailed curriculum for each general studies course to the high school for its approval. A broad range of courses (including Honors and AP) are offered to guarantee that qualified students can participate in the NFTY-EIE High School in Israel.
While in Israel, students may take the PSAT, SAT I, SAT II, ACT or AP exams. NFTY offers a special “mini” course to help prepare students for the PSAT/ACT/SAT exam.

Eligibility

The selection of students is made by the Admissions Committee which seeks the following qualities in selecting candidates:

Bright, capable Jewish young people who have achieved a high level of academic success at school, at least a 3.0 (B Average) GPA, and who are highly motivated to learn.
Personal qualities of leadership that have earned them the respect of both peers and adults.
Self‑confidence, self‑reliance, emotional maturity and an ability to establish warm, friendly relationships with diverse kinds of people in new surroundings.
Active involvement in Reform congregations, religious schools, youth groups and Jewish camps.
Good physical and emotional health.
A desire to be a part of Israeli society, to travel the country, to speak Hebrew and to be a part of the Jewish people in our ancient homeland.

The Goals of the NFTY-EIE High School in Israel

The purpose of the NFTY-EIE High School in Israel is to provide an opportunity for outstanding high school students to spend a semester in Israel under the sponsorship of the Reform Movement. This experience is intended to develop young leadership and to increase Jewish knowledge and commitment to Jewish life and learning. The goals of the NFTY-EIE High School in Israel for our students are:

to complete a rigorous general studies, college prep courses to set students up for success when they return to their home schools
to prepare students for standardized testing such as the PSAT, SAT, SAT II, ACT and AP.
to develop a love of Jewish learning and to teach and strengthen feelings towards Judaism, Jewish History and the Jewish people.
to build their Jewish self-esteem and to enhance their personal identities as Reform Jews.
to give them a better understanding of and appreciation for Israel, Zionism, and Progressive Judaism in Israel.
to assist them in developing Hebrew language skills.
to sharpen their awareness of international issues.
to foster independence and maturity while living away from their home environment.
to immerse them in Israeli society by living with and meeting Israelis involved in the Reform Movement in Israel.
to enable them to develop leadership skills that will serve them as they become role models for their temples, youth groups, URJ camps and the Jewish community in general.

List of General Studies Courses

For a list of our general studies courses, please view our program/course catalogue. We are able to accommodate courses that aren't listed. For more information on this, please contact Stacy Chassen, Director of Admissions, at schassen@urj.org or by phone at (202) 232-0823.

Curriculum

Students at NFTY-EIE High School in Israel take Advanced college level Jewish History (Israel; Land, Cultures and People) and Hebrew Ulpan courses. Additionally, students maintain their general studies college preparatory curriculum. Regular, Honors and Advanced Placement courses are offered in every discipline. Students may pursue music lessons as an independent tutorial under the guidance of the Assistant Principal.

Israel; Land, Cultures and People - Throughout the semester, the goal is to thoroughly acquaint the students with the history of the Jewish people, its culture, and its land. Israel as the birthplace and the center of that history throughout the ages is the ideal place to teach and demonstrate the development of the people, culture, and land. By combining classroom and field study, students witness in a "hands on" manner the flow of Jewish history. The method employed for this course is an interdisciplinary core curriculum in which students study history during 70 class days, 25 of which are spent at sites which reflect the period of history under investigation. All classes and field trips are based on the reading of primary source material from the appropriate period and group discussions. Students are expected to take notes during hikes and are examined on the presented material. A core curriculum teacher is appointed to guide students through all of Jewish history. Classes are small, never exceeding 15 students, thus allowing for the maximum participation of all students. The content of the class draws upon the following disciplines: Archeology, World Literature, Comparative Literature, English Composition, History, Sociology, Geography, Comparative Religion, Western Civilization, Political Science and Physical Education. As Israel: Land, Cultures and People covers many disciplines a student's transcript may reflect the grades and credits earned in these subjects under either a reciprocal or specific course heading.

Hebrew Ulpan - The study of Hebrew is a crucial tool in understanding both ancient and modern Israeli History and culture. Students study Biblical phrases in their original Hebrew as well as learn to converse with their Israeli peers. Students are tested and placed in Hebrew classes based on their prior level of Hebrew knowledge. Students need not have previous knowledge of Hebrew. Students are encouraged to utilize their Hebrew skills as they meet Israelis and travel throughout Israel. Up to five different levels of Hebrew language instruction are offered. A formal textbook including workbooks and readers are used in the Beginner and Intermediate levels. The advanced level(s) employ various resources such as Hebrew newspapers. An anthology of contemporary Hebrew literature containing songs, poetry and short stories is integrated into the course instruction. Emphasis is placed on the acquisition of language skills that will facilitate students' ability to communicate within contemporary Israeli society. Taped radio broadcasts and television programs with supplementary printed materials specifically designed for the teaching of oral and reading comprehension development are employed. Hebrew Instruction is 170 hours per semester. It is comprised of 100 classroom hours.

Highlights:

Kibbutz experience – Students are based at Kibbutz Tzuba located outside of Jerusalem. Students become an integral part of kibbutz life and have ongoing contact with Tzuba families. Students learn about kibbutz egalitarian values and culture while volunteering on the Reform Kibbutzim Yahel and Lotan in the Negev. In conjunction with these visits students participate in a four day desert camping adventure which includes hiking, camel riding, snorkeling in the Red Sea and Bedouin hospitality.

Poland Pilgrimage – NFTY-EIE is pleased to introduce a Jewish learning and identity building experience to the already successful Israel Core Course. Following the study of the Jewish experience in Europe during the Middle Ages and the Modern Period, EIE student will travel together on a special NFTY Pilgrimage to Krakow, Lublin and Warsaw, Poland including a moving and meaningful visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. The nearly week long excursion is designed to acquaint the student with the rich, though precarious, life of the Jews of Europe in the Middle Ages. In Krakow we will delve into the Jewish experience in Poland in the late Middle Ages and the Modern Period leading up to the tragedy of the Holocaust. We will also visit the Ghetto area of Krakow and the concentration and death camps at Auschwitz-Birkenau and Majdanek. Prior to returning to Israel, participants will visit Warsaw, Poland and see the remnants of the Warsaw Ghetto.

Gadna – The IDF (Israel Defense Force), the army of Israel, has defended the people and land of Israel since its inception. All Israeli teens prepare for service to their country in a special program called Gadna. This is a great opportunity for NFTY-EIE participants to join with their Israeli peers to gain insight into an essential element of Israeli life. While living on an Israeli army base, students meet military commanders, learn about the history and culture of the IDF and join in army exercises, working, hiking and training.

The Negev Desert Adventure - The Negev Desert adventure is three unforgettable days and nights of hiking and exploring the Negev. Students ride camels across sand dunes, sip tea in a Bedouin tent and sleep under the stars. Students also have the opportunity to snorkel the waters of the Red Sea and on Coral Beach in Eilat.

Yam L’Yam (Sea to Sea) Expedition - The Galilee is one of Israel’s most beautiful natural landscapes. To its west lies the Mediterranean Sea and to its east the Sea of Galilee. Students participate in an exciting and challenging hike from one sea to the other. They camp under the stars, swim in the various natural streams and waterways and bike the terrain all while getting to know the land of Israel.