WUJS Intern: The Gateway To Making Aliyah

For many participants, WUJS Intern is considered the gateway to making Aliyah- it’s the perfect way to experience Israel both personally and professionally and make a more informed decision about whether Aliyah is the right choice for them.

Simon Hurvitz, a current WUJS Intern participant in Haifa, is spending his time on WUJS adjusting to Israeli life. He made Aliyah recently and decided that a program like WUJS would give him a head-start with his new citizenship. He says that he “decided that WUJS was the best opportunity in regards to learning how a professional environment in Israel works”.

Originally from Stamford, Connecticut, Simon graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University, where he received a BA in theater with a minor in sociology. He is currently interning with environmental group in Haifa called Magama Yeruka (Green Course). He is working as a communications specialist on the web, while also working on various environmental projects, such as restoration and advocacy. Simon chose to participate in WUJS Intern because “I want to live here full time. After WUJS Intern is done I will be volunteering for the IDF, and hopefully working a wonderful career here in Israel”.

Simon has been on WUJS for about a month and a half now, and so far his program has been very successful. He says, “my experience in Israel so far has been really awesome. I made a lot of good friends here who I now consider family- both local Israelis and within the program. All in all I am really enjoying my new life here in Israel. I am looking forward to more really great experiences in the future”.

When searching for an internship in Israel, it was very important for Vivian to forge a new path from her friends. A Brazilian native, she knew that she did not want to be on a program with just Brazilians, where she would only speak Portuguese. 

She wanted a program that would introduce her to new people, and she found that with WUJS. With participants from 7 different countries, Vivian is meeting people from all over the world! With such a diverse program, sitting in her living room in Tel Aviv is just as much of a cultural experience as going out!