Internships in Israel

Are you looking to get meaningful experience when it comes to your career with an international internship? Consider Israel! Israel is one of the leading countries in technology, communications, and economics. If you are more into art, history, languages, religion, healthcare, sports, education, international relations, culture, or peace and conflict studies, then you’ll be excited to know that Israel truly offers it all when it comes to interning.

Besides the hands-on experience you’ll get during your internship, there’s no better place to build up your resume. Enjoy the rich history of the land in Jerusalem, the exciting nightlife in Tel Aviv, the beauty of the beaches, mountains, desert, and the livelihood of the people and culture.

Technology:

Because Israel has some of the top tech companies in the world, there are also opportunities for internships in the tech field. Cities, such as Haifa, are great places to go to gain valuable skills for your career. It's the location of Israel’s biggest technology University, the Technion, as well as one of the largest tech company, Matam. Join new start-ups or come to learn skills in software, engineering, architecture, or computer science.

Environment and Sustainability:

Whether it’s helping countries can get clean water, or learning how to use renewable energy to make for a cleaner and more conscious place, you can ascertain those skills during an internship in Israel.

Education:

If you are going into the education field, Israel has quite a few programs to choose from. You may work in a school teaching English or learn best practices for teaching religion. You can find a meaningful internship here that will certainly help when it comes time to being a teacher.

Travel and Tourism:

Israel has over a million tourists each year, so if you're trying to start a career in Hospitality or Tourism, you'll easily find an internship to suit your needs. You can work at a hotel in the tourist beach city of Eilat, or work as a writer or web designer for the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo to help boost tourism. The opportunities are endless.

Politics:

If you know anything about Israel, then you know that it has been a center of conflict for quite some time. If you want your internship to be focused on the politics of Israel, or if you want to join a think-tank to help foster ideas and solutions for other world problems, Israel is the place to do it.

Marketing:

Tel Aviv, the metropolis of Israel and the Middle East, offers those looking to intern in the global market specific internships that will be useful. From startups to marketing and public relations firms to graphic design, you can learn important skills while also enjoying the beauty of the city and its beaches.

Other:

One great thing about interning in Israel is that if you can’t find something quite catered to your interests, there are options to customize your own internship. You may want to try out a few different things during your stay or do something you can’t really find on one of the program lists. Additionally, there are internships in the sports sector, culture, management, healthcare, languages, art, history, archaeology, etc.

When and Where to Look for Internships

If you’re thinking about going to Israel to intern, internships typically start at the beginning of a semester period, similar to the United States. For example, if you want to intern in the fall, then looking around April for a start date in September would be a ideal. There are also many summer internships that will align well with vacations from colleges. Most of the internships are in the bigger cities: Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Eilat.

Work Culture

The work culture in Israel is fairly laid back. Although Israelis care about their jobs and are persevering workers, they make sure to make time for friends, family, and of course, the many Jewish holidays that occur during the year. Being late is the norm here, and no one really gets hung up over little issues. If you come here to intern, you are also coming to have fun.

Work and Labor Laws

The labor laws in Israel are very good for the most part. If you run into any trouble during your internship, you are backed by the program you went through as well as the Israeli government.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Israel is similar to that the U.S. -- A casual dinner out can cost around $15. However, groceries are fairly cheap (if you like cooking). By visiting the local markets, or the shuk, you can get a lot of produce for very cheap.

Most internships are unpaid, and it actually costs quite a bit to get there. However, if you pay, you will most likely get your housing and transportation provided, and perhaps even a lunch meal during the day. If not, rent varies depending on where you’re living, but in a place like Tel Aviv, you can expect to spend around $700 for rent.

Also, many of the programs have scholarships, financial aid, or other means of financial support. Depending on what you like to do, Israel can be very affordable or very expensive. There are a lot of free activities and sights to see, but if you are looking to go out in Tel Aviv for the night, plan on spending at least $30. If you eat out only once a day, you can get by on about $20 a day. However, people have done it on even less than this.

Contributed by Hana LaRock