During the fall semester, Nativ participants live in Jerusalem and have the choice to study in one of three different settings: Hebrew University, Developers Institute, Conservative Yeshiva, or the Ulpan (Hebrew language study).
Hebrew University
An incredible academic experience awaits Nativers who study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. These students learn from teachers who are at the forefront of their fields, and they have the opportunity to visit the historical locations about which they learn. The Hebrew University portion of the year is divided into two parts; a mini-semester before and during the chaggim (holidays) solely for the Nativers, and the regular fall semester, which begins after the chaggim for the university as a whole.
Mini-Semester
During the first six weeks of Nativ, Nativers participate in a mini-semester offered exclusively to Nativers at Hebrew University. Nativers take special courses that provide a foundation of knowledge about Israel and Judaism. These courses are worth six academic credits.
Semester Program at Hebrew University
During the regular fall semester, Nativers select classes from the wide range of engaging and challenging courses offered by Hebrew University. All classes are held at the Rothberg International School, which is located at the Mount Scopus Campus of Hebrew University. Students can register for courses in Jewish, Israel, religious, or Middle East studies, as well as political science or journalism. Students can also choose general studies courses from the One-Year and Freshman Year programs (12-16 credit hours). Each Nativer also enrolls in a six- to eight-hour ulpan (Hebrew language study), placed by level, to improve Hebrew reading, writing, and speaking skills.
Main Semester Sample Courses
Listed below are some of the courses that have been offered at the Rothberg International School over the last few years.
- The Emergence of the Modern Middle East
- Biblical Israel: The Bible from Myth to History
- Talmud as a Cultural Adventure
- Jewish and Israeli Drama
- Crises and Continuity: A History of the Jews in the Second Temple Period
- From the Zionist Idea to Israeli Society
- Foreign Policy of Israel
- Political Communication in Israel
- The Victory of Surrender: The Rise of Islam in the Middle East
For a full listing, see the Hebrew University website.
Academic Counseling
Individual counseling with an academic advisor is scheduled for every Nativer during the registration period. In addition, Nativ staff members are always available to assist with any academic issue that may arise during the semester.
Conservative Yeshiva
Nativers may choose to study at the Conservative Yeshiva for the fall semester. Nativers at the Conservative Yeshiva attend Talmud, Halacha (Jewish Law), and Tanakh classes with other Conservative Yeshiva students and enjoy special classes exclusively for Nativ participants in philosophy, Conservative Judaism, Zionism and Modern Israel, and Midrash. Students benefit from the unique setting of the Conservative Yeshiva—the only such institution in the world—which offers a synthesis of traditional and critical methods of Jewish study, navigating how Jewish texts and tradition encounter social change and modern scholarship. Every student is there to learn lishma (for the sake of learning) and has the opportunity to gain the skills and inspiration to continue Jewish learning and practice throughout life.
The Beit Midrash
The Beit Midrash is the focal point of the Conservative Yeshiva. In it, surrounded by a beautiful library of sifrei kodesh and reference books, students and faculty learn from one another as they engage with Jewish texts. The buzz of the Beit Midrash is a unique and stimulating sound.
Chevruta and Shiur
Nativers at the Yeshiva learn in a traditional setting, combining chevruta (partner) study and shiurim. Chevruta study is an age-old method of Jewish text study in which two students learn a text together. It gives students an opportunity to explore and struggle with the text together as they learn from one another, and it often creates a unique bond between them. During each meeting, teachers lead students through a discussion of the prepared text. Students raise questions and difficulties encountered during chevruta, and teachers explain these challenging areas and aid the students in their struggle to understand the text. Additional resources are available to allow each student to get the most out of his or her learning experience.
More information about the Conservative Yeshiva can be found on the Yeshiva website at conservativeyeshiva.org.
Ulpan & Community Service
Students who choose the ulpan and community service option experience intensive Hebrew studies in an ulpan four days a week for 3 academic hours a day. The focus of this track is to raise students’ Hebrew levels through participation in an intensive ulpan experience. Learning Hebrew, however, cannot be done only in a classroom. Two afternoons a week are devoted to community service in and around Jerusalem, during which the students will have the opportunity to practice their Hebrew while giving back to the community. The ulpan studies take place at Hebrew University where the Nativ students learn Hebrew together with olim (immigrants) who have recently moved to Israel and others studying internationally in Israel.
Hi-Tech Track
Nativ College Leadership Program has partnered with Developers.Institute, a selective & intensive coding bootcamp dedicated to educating the next generation of tech talent in Israel to add a unique high-tech track in Jerusalem to our first semester options!
Over the course of your first semester in Jerusalem, Nativ Hi-Tech Track participants will complete 250 hours of web development training, meet Start Up Nation’s top professionals, compete in hackathons, solve coding challenges, and complete a final project to add to your personal portfolio.
What You’ll Learn:
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Programming Fundamentals aka how to set up your development environment, work efficiently as a developer, and make your projects a success.
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Front-End Web Development aka how to create a dynamic front-end to your web application using a modern JavaScript library, and using CSS to layout and style your application.
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Back-End Web Development aka how to integrate your front end applications with a backend to store and process data. You will use Node JS, the extremely popular JavaScript runtime engine built for the server, dive into the world of SQL databases, connect your users and build APIs!
What You Have:
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A passion for learning and self motivation.
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Curiosity to ask questions and motivation to solve problems.
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A growth mindset, resilience, and communication skills.
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Discipline and willpower. The Bootcamp covers a lot of material in a short amount of time and requires excellent time management skills to keep up with the course.
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Desire to work on a team. The participants who are most successful in the Bootcamp are those who actively participate and engage with their peers.
How Do I Apply?
Straight on the Nativ website! If you choose the Hi-Tech Track as your first semester option, you will be sent a specific form for Developers.Institute as part of your application process.
