The Jewish Experience

• Birthright Israel: In the winter and summer, Hillel offers a free Brandeis Birthright trip for Jewish students who have never visited Israel on an organized tour.
• Perspectives: A Hillel-sponsored trip for students of all backgrounds to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
• The Frances Taylor Eizenstat '65 Israel Travel Grants: This program, administered through the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies at Brandeis, awards competitive grants of up to $2,500 to students to pursue academic or career interests in Israel.
• The Crown Center for Middle East Studies offers travel, research and study grants up to $5000 for both undergraduate and graduate students in the Middle East. These grants may be used for travel, study, research or to support an internship.
• The Ruth Gollan Prize in Hebrew: Awarded to a Brandeis student pursuing a program of study in Israel in Hebrew language and/or literature.
  
  Read what Brandeis students say about their trips to Israel.
  The Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Program maintains a list of scholarship, fellowship and internship opportunities offered by other institutions. 

• Brandeis Hillel partners with Onward Israel to offer internships, academic study and fellowships in Israel.
• The Frances Taylor Eizenstat '65 Israel Travel Grants award competitive grants of up to $2,500 to students to pursue academic or career interests in Israel.
• The Robin '66 & Gary '66 Jacobs Israel Internship Program: The International Business School's ten-week internship program for graduate students with startups in Israel. 
• The Crown Center for Middle East Studies offers travel, research and study grants up to $5000 for both undergraduate and graduate students in the Middle East. These grants may be used for travel, study, research or to support an internship.

The Brandeis Office of Study Abroad offers multiple options to study in Israel. In the past, students have spent semesters studying performing arts at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and in the health sciences program at Ben Gurion University, among others.

Yes. Brandeis allows students to defer their admission for one year to travel, volunteer or pursue other meaningful opportunities of their choosing. (It is by no means limited to Israel.) After being admitted and enrolling at the university, students can request a deferral. Deferrals of over one year are only offered for military service.

• Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee (BIPAC) is a Brandeis Hillel-affiliated pro-Israel student group that hosts speakers, lobbies elected leaders and works with other student clubs to create a pro-Israel campus environment.  
• J Street U at Brandeis: A Hillel-affiliated student group that is part of J Street, an American liberal group that advocates a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 
• Mishelanu: An Israeli culture club that brings Israeli and Israeli-American life to campus with monthly events and programs on everything from food to the arts.

Sponsored by Brandeis Hillel, Israel Week celebrates the week of Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) and Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day). Israeli flags pop up everywhere, and there are plenty of fun Israel-related events and learning opportunities.

Students hold a broad range of perspectives and opinions. Brandeis encourages robust, open and respectful discussion in accordance with the university's "Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression."