The NFTY-EIE High School in Israel is a fully accredited academic institution, so students receive academic credit for all courses, with participants earning:

• 2 semesters worth (one year) of academic credit for Jewish History during the Summer Semester
• 1 semester of academic credit for Hebrew Ulpan during the Summer Semester
• 1 semester or credit for Physical Education during the Summer Semester

Of course, like in any reputable high school, credit will only be given to those who meet the rigorous academic criteria of the program. Only those who are fully willing to take on the academic demands of the program will be accepted.

Based at our campus at Kibbutz Tzuba, EIE offers an opportunity for study intertwined with a fun, exciting summer in Israel . The EIE curriculum is based on the continuity of the Jewish people by following a path through Jewish history in the Land of Israel. Throughout the summer, you will be thoroughly acquainted 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. Utilizing informal education techniques, you will witness the flow of Jewish history by learning, touring, and experiencing all that Israel has to offer.

You will live the epic story of the journey of the Jewish people. Together with NFTY friends from all over North America, you will participate in an intensive learning environment designed to maximize exposure to all aspects of our land and our people.

THE TRIP

The NFTY-EIE Summer Semester will be approximately 45 days with 26 days of touring which will comprehensively cover all parts of Israel from the Golan in the North to Eilat in the South. The trips will include special visits to Kibbutz Yahel or Lotan in the Negev, Tel Aviv, a weekend in the Galilee, plus all the classical sites such as Yad Vashem, Masada and Tsfat. In addition, we will also be visiting sites associated with rise of Christianity and Islam in the area. For those with no prior knowledge of Hebrew the program provides an ideal opportunity to get a working knowledge of conversational Hebrew while those with a more solid basis can take huge strides in their ability to communicate.

A JEWISH COMMUNITY

NFTY-EIE strives to create a holy Jewish community in which all participants feel a sense of belonging, friendship, safety, and purpose. This sense of community is evident when we go out on “tikun olam” (repairing the world) projects, which may involve such activities as working with disadvantaged youth or helping prepare meals in a soup kitchen. Another essential part of the experience is “t’filla” (worship) which is integrated into the program in a way that makes it an extension of the normal daily routine.

SUMMER SEMESTER SPECIAL FEATURES 

Although EIE is a serious academic program, there are a lot of fun activities such as:

kayaking	enjoying Bedouin hospitality
concerts	supervised free evenings in town
swimming in the Dead Sea	beach time
riding camels	creative workshops
snorkeling	arts
hiking	and more!

The program enables and fosters individual growth, with the students learning to live in a dorm environment (and making lifelong friendships in the process) while being challenged intellectually by a superb teaching staff. It is also a time for self-examination, with students’ beliefs and identities being challenged not only by the academic curriculum, but also by co-curricular activities such as “Kishrei Noar” – a meeting with Israeli peers which will examine the factors which bond and divide Jewish communities in different countries.

Students will explore Israel from the comfort of the school’s regular base – Kibbutz Tzuba – nestled in the beauty of the Judean Hills. The comfortable rooms include a full bathroom, kitchenette, air conditioning and cable TV, and the students have access to a swimming pool and basketball and tennis courts.