Study Abroad Programs in Israel

In an attempt to promote Israel as a study abroad destination, eight American universities received grants from Masa Israel Journey a New York nonprofit financially supported by the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency for Israel to start or expand educational programs in the country, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education.In the past decade, the Palestinian uprising and two wars have created security concerns that helped lead to a drop in the number of American students choosing to study in Israel. According to the Institute of International Education, Israel is currently ranked 22nd out of the top 25 study abroad destinations for students from the United States. A total of 2,322 American students participated in study abroad in Israel in the 2007-08 school year, compared to over 30,000 students who studied in Great Britain.

"We think students have Israel on their radar screen as a place they would like to go but are actually choosing other destinations because the course work and those experiences haven't been available, said Avi Rubel, director of Masa's North American operations. While it is too early to know how many students would participate in the new programs, Rubel said that he hoped to propel Israel into the top 15 study abroad destinations in the coming years.The institutions receiving the $400,000 in Masa grants are Arizona State University, Barnard College, Case Western Reserve University, Michigan State University, the New Jersey state university system, the University of Florida, and the business schools of the University of Maryland and of Washington University in St. Louis.