Discovering Israel: A Guide to Summer Internships for Students

For students seeking enriching summer experiences, Israel offers a unique blend of professional development and cultural immersion through its various internship programs. These programs provide opportunities to live, learn, and work in a dynamic environment, fostering both personal and career growth. This article explores some of the most prominent summer internship programs in Israel, highlighting their unique features and benefits.

Immersive Internship Programs in Jerusalem

Several programs offer immersive experiences in Jerusalem, allowing students to live, work, and study in this historic city.

MTVA Summer Program

This program provides an amazing opportunity for college students to live, learn, and work in Jerusalem. Participants reside on one of two campuses in Jerusalem, engaging in internships during the day and studying Torah in the evenings. The program features a vibrant Beit Midrash, with a focus on both chevruta learning and shiurim on a variety of topics taught by educators from TVA, OU-JLIC, and across Israel and America. The internship program is specifically designed to build resumes and develop valuable work skills.

Participants stay in MTVA’s apartments in the Katamon neighborhood of Jerusalem or in off-campus apartments in Baka. The cost of the program is $1,750 for those who register by the early bird deadline of December 22, 2025.

Next Step Israel Internships

Next Step Israel Internships offers teens the chance to build career skills and explore their identity in Israel. Interns spend five weeks interning with companies and organizations in the Jerusalem area. Weekends are dedicated to touring cities like Tel Aviv, Tiberias, and Tsfat. The program emphasizes experiential learning, critical work skills development, and the relationship between profession and identity. Interns learn through experience and enjoy evenings exploring the culture and community. Weekend excursions provide opportunities to experience the diverse cultures and richness of Israeli heritage.

S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program Archaeological Dig

Yeshiva University's S. Daniel Abraham Honors Program offers a unique opportunity to participate in an archaeological dig in Jerusalem.

YU Summer in Israel (YUI)

YU Summer in Israel offers a variety of experiences. Housing options are available for students participating in YUI programs, with limited space. Students stay in the Gruss dormitories of YU in Jerusalem and travel daily to Bar-Ilan on organized buses.

Global Internship Program in Haifa

The Summer Berkeley Global Internship Program in Haifa, launched in 2022, is a partnership between the Helen Diller Institute, Yahel Israel, and the UC Berkeley Study Abroad Office. This program offers participants first-hand knowledge, connections, and international work experience through academic internships in social sector fields of interest. Interns typically work at local nonprofits, public projects, and grassroots organizations in fields such as women's rights, education, and immigration.

Participants also earn six academic credits through two mandatory courses taken during the program - one in the classroom and one consisting of weekly educational field trips. The program is based in Haifa, Israel's third-largest city, known for its diversity, including a large Arab population and immigrant populations from Ethiopia and the former Soviet Union.

Masa Israel Journey: Internships in the Start-Up Nation

Masa Israel Journey provides hands-on internship opportunities that place participants directly with leaders in Israel's Start-Up Nation. These internships offer an immersive international experience, allowing participants to live like locals. Masa Israel provides internship placement, logistical support, advisors, counselor staffing, and an immersive educational framework.

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Whether seeking to advance in their current field or explore something new, career advisors help participants find the perfect internship opportunity. Masa internships place Jewish college students and graduates in a variety of exclusive internships with leading Israeli companies and government organizations. Interns live in Israel for 4 - 6 months, gaining valuable experience relevant to their industry.

How Masa's Internship Marketplace Works

Masa Israel internship programs connect Israeli industry leaders with international talent. Their network includes thousands of top Israeli businesses and institutions across the social and academic sectors. Interns benefit from career advancement tools before, during, and after their internship program, including a pre-program DDI International workplace personality and skills assessment and access to training materials. Participants receive a personalized one-hour career coaching session upon completing the program.

All interns work with a dedicated internship placement team to find the best-fitting internship in their field of choice. Masa offers internships in various fields, including opportunities at yoga studios, with videographers, and at museum galleries.

Interning in Tel Aviv

Masa offers opportunities to live and intern in Tel Aviv, Israel's cultural capital, with easy access to beaches, nightlife, markets, and cafes. Participants travel on guided tours, participate in meaningful programming, and build community with peers and young Israelis.

Hillel International and Onward Israel Partnership

Hillel International partners with Onward Israel to provide students with immersive internship experiences in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The goal is to fuel career growth and connection to Jewish identity. Each student is offered a tailor-made internship based on their professional and personal interests. Some Hillels offer campus-specific Onward Israel programs, allowing students to explore Israel with friends from their school. Participants form connections with students from across the United States and Canada.

TAMID Group: Consulting Opportunities

TAMID Group sponsors undergraduate students for meaningful internship experiences, offering consulting opportunities. Companies can create a profile and upload consulting opportunities. TAMID provides motivated and talented students with ambition for their studies and practical experience.

Counterpoint Israel: Service-Learning Model

Counterpoint Israel works on a service-learning model designed by Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future. It is based on chesed and learning, backed by the resources of a major university.

Who Can Apply?

Masa Israel internships are suitable for students or college graduates from various fields looking to kick-start their careers, build their networks, and have an authentic Israeli experience. Candidates are not required to have previous experience.

The Benefits of Interning in Israel

Interning in Israel offers numerous benefits, including:

Professional Development: Gaining hands-on experience in a chosen field, building a resume, and developing valuable work skills.
Cultural Immersion: Living and working in a foreign country, experiencing a new culture, and gaining a global perspective.
Networking Opportunities: Connecting with industry leaders, building professional relationships, and expanding a professional network.
Personal Growth: Developing independence, adaptability, and problem-solving skills.
Exploring Jewish Identity: Connecting with Jewish heritage, culture, and community.

Testimonials

Here are some testimonials from individuals who have worked with student interns:

Netta Markish: "The team was a group of young motivated talented students with ambition for their studies and practical experience for the future. I liked the eagerness. The project manager was just excellent- very organized with meeting times and leading the group and information collected, very attentive and quick to understand and implement my guidance, caught on quickly the spirit and ways of leading the team for better results when we encountered challenges or pivoting, and a smart ambitious person."
Daniel Frankenstein, Co-Founder and Partner: "Really enjoyed working with this team! Really felt like it was a win-win."
Idan Meir, CEO: "Working with TAMID students is always a privilege and a smart decision for any business, regardless of its size, stage, or industry."
Roy Kirshon, COO: "We’ve been working with TAMID Group since 2017 and across two chapters. We’ve gained continuous value from working with the groups, and we are actively using many of the outputs for our day-to-day."
Rony Kowalski, Product Tech Leader: "We had a chance to work with a highly motivated team that came up with fresh ideas. Our project manager, was great to work with, patient, and enthusiastic. As a whole, the team did a meaningful job for us."
Meir Shachar, CEO: "We learned that young minds can be very curious, and this curiosity is an asset to any company because it drives discovery. We had all of these teams run with their imaginations, which are unbounded, and this is how we found new paths that can lead to success."

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