Ever wonder what daily life looks like for a grad student at Ben-Gurion University (BGU)? Meet Devo Silberfarb — a master’s student in social work, dog mom to Dakota, and an active part of the JLIC @ BGU community. Devo’s day starts early with a bit of grounding: she wakes up, davens (prays), and takes

Meet Beto Valt, a second-year student at Reichman University. He reflects on his early days in Israel, sharing that when he first arrived, he felt a bit lost. The transition from a yeshiva environment to the academic and social world of a university was challenging. But then Beto found JLIC Mizrachi Herzliya—and everything began to

A Heart in Two Places: Growing Up with Israel in Mind Esther Franklin may have been born and raised in Los Angeles, but her heart was always set on Israel. Raised in a proudly pro-Israel home, she internalized from a young age that her future belonged in the Jewish homeland. Already as a middle schooler,

Jacobo’s Journey: From Mexico to Medicine in Israel Jacobo Alfie grew up in Mexico and now lives in the dorms at Ariel University, where he’s part of the The International Medical Sciences Program (Pre-Med). His path to Israel wasn’t direct — but it was intentional, rooted in a strong desire to build a meaningful future.

From a young age, Hodi S. knew that her future was in Israel. What she didn’t yet know was how her passion for engineering, love of community, and drive to give back would shape that journey in remarkable ways. From South Africa to Israel: A Dream Realized Hodi grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, in

Ever wondered what it’s like to be an international student at Tel Aviv University, balancing rigorous academics with a rich Jewish life? Join Tyla, a bright and passionate TAU student, as she gives us a glimpse into her day—a beautiful blend of learning, growth, and community. Tyla begins her morning with a ballet class, using

Join Reichman University student Noah Chesir as he takes us through a day in his life and shows how the JLIC community enriches his college experience in Israel. The day begins with a refreshing run through Park Herzliya, followed by Shacharit at the JLIC minyan—a space for both spiritual connection and checking in with friends

When Eliyahu Masinter first thought about college, Israel wasn’t even on his radar. Growing up in Baltimore, his educational journey was anything but typical: he was homeschooled until middle school, attended a Jewish day school for two years, returned to homeschooling, and ultimately completed high school in just two years by combining community college courses

For Meira Shapiro, the path to studying at Hebrew University was more than just an academic decision—it was a fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Raised in Bergenfield, New Jersey, Meira grew up in a home where aliyah was always on the horizon, even if it hadn’t yet happened for her parents. By high school, she

A Unique Path to Higher Education  Ariel grew up in Teaneck and attended TABC before spending two years learning at Yeshivat Har Etzion (Gush). From there, he was drafted into the IDF, serving for three years in the Intelligence Directorate. After his service, he spent another year learning at an Israeli Hesder yeshiva, Yeshivat Otniel,