Despite War, YU Students Volunteer and Intern in Israel
Despite the Israel-Iran War, YU students participated in four academic and volunteering programs in Israel this summer. These programs were the BIU-YU Summer Science Internship Program, the Israel Internship Program, Counterpoint Israel and the Archaeological Excavations in Jerusalem. All four internships were based out of the YU Gruss Campus in Bayit VeGan, Jerusalem.
Three of the four programs were scheduled to begin on June 22, however all inbound flights were cancelled following Israel’s surprise attack against predominantly Iranian nuclear and missile infrastructure on June 13. Students were subsequently notified that the programs were on hold pending an update to the war.
David Benhamu (YC ‘25), an alumni of the BIU-YU program and new participant in the Internship Program, told The Commentator that the war did not deter him. “If anything, it made me want to be in Israel more,” he explained. “As someone who feels deeply connected to Israel, I wanted to be a part of what every day Israelis were experiencing.”
After a ceasefire between Iran and Israel was brokered just 12 days after the conflict ignited, the programs announced that they would indeed commence. Students rushed to book the few available flights. “As soon as my flight was cancelled, I immediately tried to book a rescue flight,” Benhamu commented. “Indeed, I spent countless hours with El-Al attempting to secure a seat.” By July 7, less than two weeks after hostilities halted, almost 70 YU students began volunteering, conducting research and working throughout Israel.
The BIU-YU Summer Science Internship Program pairs students to work in the labs of Bar-Ilan professors and researchers in their disciplines of interest. Notably, this is the only program that accepts non-YU participants.
Noah Bodner, a junior at Cornell University studying meteorology sciences, conducted research on the movement of air masses from land to the oceans. “As a non-YU student, I was naturally nervous about integrating into a predominantly YU environment,” Bodner told The Commentator. “However, from the first day I arrived I understood I would have no problem. Myself and the other non-YU students were as much a part of the program as everyone else.”
The BIU-YU program was founded by Professor Chaim Sukenik in 2011, and was later directed by Rabbi Aryeh Zivotovsky. Although the current program director is Professor Arlene Gordon, Zivotovsky remains an integral part of the program.
This summer, students’ research ran the gamut from cryptography and renewable technology to astrophysics and meteorology. Students also contributed to research in more conventional fields, including biology, psychology and computer science. “Contributing to my lab’s work was meaningful to me,” Bodner remarked. “I take immense pride in home-grown Israeli … advancements making a difference on a global scale. There is a disproportionate number of Israeli and Jewish scientists in my field; being even just a small part of that brings me much satisfaction.”
Every morning, students bussed to the Bar-Ilan campus, where in addition to working in labs, they attended programming including lectures by Bar-Ilan staff members and weekly trips to different Israeli industries such as the Volcani Institute, Israel’s National Library and Israel Aerospace Industries.
The program concluded with a symposium, where students presented their findings to their peers and other Bar-Ilan faculty. Bodner expressed his delight in the opportunity to present his findings. “I am very passionate about atmospheric science and weather,” he told The Commentator. “I enjoyed sharing my passion for the topic, and hope that after my presentation, people were just a little more excited as well.”
The YU Internship Program partners with Israel’s largest startup accelerator, MassChallenge Israel, to provide students with internships at some of Israel’s most innovative startups. Many students opted to apply to internships on their own and coordinate their work to be within the same timeframe as the program. In contrast to the STEM based Bar-Ilan Program, the internship program caters primarily to Sy Syms students seeking internships at venture capital firms, non-profits and healthcare companies.
A few internship students even received employment offers at the end of their time. One such student, Minna Katz (SCW ‘26), interned at Aish International where she focused on donor relations and executive assistance. This was her second year interning at Aish and participating with the YU Program. “YU’s internship is truly exceptional,” Katz told The Commentator. “It has allowed me to intern for two consecutive years while providing a strong framework and structure that prioritises our internships and enables us to gain invaluable professional experience.”
For over a decade Counterpoint Israel volunteers ran an English summer camp for Israeli teens, however, the program shifted gears following Oct. 7. This year, under the tutelage of Gabi and Nava Sackett, the program focused on more holistic contributions to the war effort. Counterpoint’s six student volunteers packaged food in the north, tilled an Israeli farm and repainted destroyed homes, among other things.
Unlike the other YU programs, Counterpoint students may spend several days away from Gruss on extended volunteer trips. This summer, students were joined by Dean Sara Asher as they helped out in Tzfat for three days. While the program was significantly smaller than usual, some students found that more meaningful. “As a small group, we became very close knit,” Hayley Goldberg (SCW ‘27) told The Commentator, adding that “we dubbed ourselves ‘Mishpachat Counterpoint.’” Speaking about the volunteer experience, Goldberg shared that “Having your hands in the dirt of Israel is such an incredible experience. Knowing that the potatoes that we picked on Tuesday would be on a Shabbat table that same week was unforgettable.”
Colloquially known as “The Dig,” Archeological Excavations in Jerusalem is a three week accredited experience founded in 2004 by Dr. Jill Katz, clinical assistant professor of archeology at Stern. Students participated in an active archeological dig for two weeks of the program and explored past archeological sites for an additional week. The active site, known as the Ophel, is located just south of the Temple Mount. This year’s seven student volunteers began work early in the morning under guidance from an experienced archeologist. During the archeological touring portion, students went from the ancient Jewish synagogue Beit Alpha to the Belvoir, Crusader Castle and many other sites, learning about their history and significance along the way.
Although an education major, Yaira Katz (SCW ‘27) took part in The Dig for her second year. “I loved the trip,” she told The Commentator. “Although I am not pursuing archeology, to see these archeological sites was incredibly exciting.” She continued explaining how the program shifted her perspective on the historical sites that litter Israel. “Had I gone as a normal tourist, I would have just seen a pile of rocks,” she continued. “ Now I see the history behind it.”
Students from the four programs resided in the Gruss apartments and Machon Lev dorms. The av and em bayit of the Bar-Ilan Program were Fievel and Tamar Segelov and the av and em bayit of the Summer Internship Program were Yehuda and Shira Benhamu. Both couples were instrumental to the two programs and helped facilitate night activities, evening shiurim and Shabbat programming. Notably, two of the speakers were President Berman and Rabbi Yosef Blau.
Gordon — the executive director of BIU-YU — expressed her pleasure in the success of the program and the commitment of the students that participated. “Despite a late start due to the war,” she told The Commentator, “students, undeterred by the security situation, turned up in Jerusalem to participate in the summer program. In my opinion, [it] was an astounding success.”
From working in a lab, a potato farm, the Ophel or an internship, YU students in Israel did it all. The vast majority of students that registered to participate in each of the programs arrived within days of the ceasefire. This stands as a testament to the conviction that the students have towards Israel, their studies and a standing behind their brethren.
Photo Caption: Photo of the BIU-YU cohort after their symposium
Photo Credit: Jared Bernstein
