RAMAT GAN, Israel (Press Release) — The Bar Ilan University “Israel Experience” GAP year has welcomed its largest group of students from San Diego.
Bat-El Darey, Reena Moyal, Aaron Alpert and Rick Saxe have begun a year of undergraduate studies at the University’s campus near Tel Aviv. ‘Israel XP’ students take Jewish studies seminars in the mornings and academic courses in the afternoons earning credits that can be transferred to most universities across North America.
New student Rick Saxe (18) from La Jolla and a graduate of the San Diego Jewish Academy in Carmel Valley in Del Mar is taking undergraduate courses in Economics, Love and War in Ancient Greece, English Composition, Business Marketing, Ulpan (Hebrew) as well as Judaic studies in the mornings.
He said: “I will be studying Labor Relations next year at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Many credits will transfer over, enough to allow me to enroll at Cornell as a sophomore.”
Dean and Founding Director, Rabbi Tully Bryks said: “”We are now in the fourth year of what I believe to be a unique hybrid program which mixes spirituality and meaning with college classes, trips and internships. We currently have 93 participants mainly from across North America with students joining from Switzerland and Venezuela as well.
“We’ve never previously recruited in San Diego and the four excellent students we have with us this year heard about the program through word of mouth. This year, San Diego is firmly on our map.”
Rabbi Bryks will visit San Diego for the first time on November 20-21 where he will meet potential future students at the Torah High School of San Diego, the San Diego Jewish Academy and the NCSY Latte and Learn. The trip is wraps up a three week long recruitment drive with staff touring 25 towns and cities across the US and Canada.
Last year, Israel XP saw an 16% increase in students to its program. In 2011 the Institute of International Education in the USA released data showing Israel had risen to the 17th most popular location for American students studying abroad with 3,146 students heading to Israel for academic study.
For more information email rabbibryks@israelxp.com or visit www.israelxp.com
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Preceding provided by newsfromisrael.net