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 and accredited online programs. At just 15 years old, he was preparing to apply to American universities — but he missed the application deadlines, which changed everything.
While searching for alternatives, Eliyahu’s mother stumbled across JCT – Lev’s International Program in English. The plan was simple: attend for a semester, earn some college credits, and transfer back to an American university. At just 16, Eliyahu packed his bags and headed to Israel.
Rethinking the Plan
Initially, the plan was just to get started with college credits — but Israel quickly began to feel like more than a temporary stop.
While continuing his plan to transfer, Eliyahu was applying for music scholarships to help pay for a computer science degree in the U.S. (he’s also a skilled musician). During the scholarship application process, he began noticing major concerns. Although antisemitism wasn’t a dominant issue yet, the process exposed deeper cultural shifts — heavy ideological course requirements and a disconnect from his goal: a straightforward education in computer science.
“I just wanted to study computer science. I knew what I wanted to do. In American universities students are required to take courses that are entirely unrelated to their field of study.”
Meanwhile, JCT not only offered a direct academic path but was far more affordable — without needing scholarships to bridge massive tuition gaps. The choice to stay became clear.
The College Culture in Israel
Eliyahu quickly saw that the college environment in Israel was a much better fit. Students, even in the international program, were typically older and more mature — many had completed army service or spent serious time in yeshiva. They were ready to learn.
“In Israel, you dive straight into your field. No undecided majors, no years of general requirements — just real focus. The students around me, including the international ones, were more serious and motivated.”
Starting college at age 16 didn’t intimidate Eliyahu. Thanks to homeschooling, he had always been comfortable learning independently and keeping pace with adults. Studying in English at Lev, he steadily picked up Hebrew over the years and eventually integrated into the Hebrew-speaking Beit Midrash program as well.
Though he hasn’t officially made aliyah yet, for Eliyahu, Israel is home in every real sense.
Turning a Hackathon into a Startup
Eliyahu presents at JCT – Lev’s annual hackathon
During one of Lev’s annual hackathons, Eliyahu and his team developed a solution that would soon turn into a startup: ScheduLearn. While they didn’t win that year’s competition, they went on to win the following two years — and more importantly, their idea blossomed into a real company.
Today, ScheduLearn helps schools solve one of education’s toughest logistical nightmares: scheduling. Using mathematical algorithms, ScheduLearn builds optimized schedules accounting for teacher constraints, room assignments, and more — replacing the old system of whiteboards and sticky notes.
There’s a beautiful irony that Eliyahu’s first clients were day schools — the very system he struggled within as a child.
“The education I received at Lev was crucial in building the company. The classes — software engineering, discrete mathematics — are directly applicable to the real world.”
Now in his fourth year in the computer science degree, Eliyahu is splitting time between building the business and completing his studies. Although the computer science program is a three-year track, Eliyahu stretched his final year across two years to fully invest in ScheduLearn.
A Changing Campus Community
When Eliyahu first arrived at Lev, there wasn’t much of a community feel. But at the same time he joined, the international program began to change, ushering in a new wave of energy and ideas.
Eventually, JLIC arrived, bringing a transformative sense of community to the campus. Weekly Shabbat meals, holiday events, learning programs, and social gatherings became the norm — and for students like Eliyahu, it made a world of difference.
“My whole life — my friends, my community — is here now.”
The English-language Beit Midrash program also expanded and improved, with the arrival of Rabbi Shalom Rosner to lead the program. Eliyahu himself learns in a Hebrew track under Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon, and deeply appreciates the unique religious environment Lev offers: a high-level education combined with a serious Jewish atmosphere, single-gender classes, and a deeply committed student body.
Advice for Students Considering College in Israel
When asked what advice he would give to others thinking about studying in Israel long-term, Eliyahu put it simply:
“Come to Israel because it’s the future. Israel is a life-affirming country. Beyond the religious aspects, it’s practical — this is a place where families are growing, where playgrounds are full, where there’s energy and life everywhere you look. In America, communities are shrinking. Here, you feel the future being built in real time. That’s where I want to place my bet.”
From a homeschooled student in Baltimore to a startup founder in Jerusalem, Eliyahu Masinter’s story shows that sometimes a missed application deadline isn’t the end of a plan — it’s the beginning of something much greater.
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