For Jewish day school students, Israel is a part of everyday life. Whether that be in class, extracurriculars or just normal conversation, Israeli life and culture come up often.
But for 25 10th graders in Modern Orthodox schools across North America, Israel is now the place they are calling home for the next semester.
A new Israeli immersion program called Nelech welcomed its inaugural cohort to the Jewish homeland a little more than two weeks ago. A handful of those students hail from Kohelet Yeshiva in Merion Station, and they are thrilled for the opportunity to study and live in Israel.
Samuel Raanan Jacobson, Hadar SimonHazani and Moriah Sinensky are all from Bala Cynwyd and are all taking part in Nelech.
Jacobson said that he heard about the program while eating Shabbat lunch. He and his parents liked the idea from the start.
“The sponsor was talking about it with my family, and my parents said, ‘Wow, that’s a really good idea, we should look into that,’” he said.
SimonHazani heard about the program from a middle school teacher, who passed along the information to him.
“I thought it was a really cool opportunity, and I applied,” SimonHazani said.
The students traveled to Israel on Jan. 19 and 20 and will be there until June 10. For five months, they will live in Israel and soak up all that comes with it. Sinensky said that there were, of course, nerves that came with planning to be apart from her family for so long, but that the transition has been aided by her peers and the programming.
“There was some hesitation in my family and my sister is really sad that I’m here, but I think it helps that I have a lot of family in Israel. And also, they’re always keeping us occupied. We obviously have downtime, but we don’t need to have downtime. It’s always optional,” she said. “So I don’t think it’s something that I’m going to think about a lot. And also, I can talk to my parents whenever I want.”
SimonHazani echoed this sentiment.
“You’re never really feeling lonely because you’re always with a bunch of people and it’s just a good time,” he said.
The program consists of general academics, Torah study and experiences like field trips. The male students are placed in an all-boys school called Yeshivat Neveh Shmuel, while the female students are placed in an all-girls school called Ulpanat Neveh Channah. Both schools are located in the Gush Etzion area. Nelech is a joint project by the Modern Orthodox organization Ohr Torah Stone and the Tzemach David Foundation.
Rabbi Dr. Kenneth Brander, the president and Rosh HaYeshiva of Ohr Torah Stone, said in a press release that introducing American students to Israeli life right now is as essential as ever.
“At a time when Israel is challenged both on the ground and in the public arena, the most meaningful way to become informed is through direct experience. A semester immersed in Israeli life helps students return home better prepared to engage knowledgeably and responsibly. It also reflects a growing recognition among Diaspora youth that Israel can offer a vibrant future,” Brander said.
While learning about Israel is essential to a Jewish education, there is only so much that can be gained from studying all the way across the Atlantic. David Magerman, the founder and president of the Tzemach David Foundation and a Philadelphia-area philanthropist, said that that’s exactly why this program was created.
“Nelech reflects our belief that meaningful connection to Israel is built through real participation, not observation,” he said. “By integrating North American students into Israeli schools in 10th grade, we are helping them experience Israel as it truly is — learning how to navigate daily life, take buses, build friendships, and understand the country from the inside. This kind of immersion shapes confident Jewish leaders and opens the door for young people to see Israel not only as a place they visit, but as a place where they can ultimately build their future.”
While the instruction has been demanding, lasting from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. with breaks for meals, a lot of the most valuable experiences have come outside of the classroom. Jacobson said he appreciates that when the group isn’t learning, they are given a certain level of autonomy.
“What I like about this program is that the counselors and the head of the program are pretty lenient on us,” he said. “If you’re going to hang out with Israelis, he lets you go off campus with them. I like the independence — we’ve been able to go off campus a lot and go to restaurants together, play basketball … I’ve gotten to go throughout the town and I’ve just been meeting these new Israelis and seeing how they live their lives as opposed to how we live in America. It’s a cool experience.”
The students have gotten to know their Israeli counterparts, as well as some figures that are well known across the world. Not long after arriving, they met Israeli President Isaac Herzog.
“It was a surreal experience,” Jacobson said.
While traveling across the world for almost half a year isn’t easy for any teen, these three are glad they did it. For SimonHazani, he knew immediately that it was something he couldn’t say no to.
“When I got accepted, I was like, ‘I can’t give this opportunity up,’” he said.
