NEW YORK, NY., December 30, 2022 — For over 50 years, Alexander Muss High School in Israel (Muss), Jewish National Fund-USA’s premier college-prep, study abroad in Israel experience, has provided high school students with engaging semester, mini-mester, and summer programs. Now, thanks to a partnership with NYU Bronfman Institute for Impact and Intrepreneurship, Muss’ Entrepreneurship program, in just its second year, has become the premier summer program in Israel for students inspired by the impact of innovation.
The five-week program offers teens the opportunity to explore Israel’s history, beauty, and culture from the north to the south through the lens of Israel as a “Start-Up Nation.” From one-on-one mentorships to workshops with leading Israeli entrepreneurs, students learn the fundamentals behind launching a startup. Throughout the program, students conceptualize, build, prototype, and pitch their startup to a Shark Tank-style panel of leading Israeli entrepreneurs.
“The partnership between NYU and the Muss Entrepreneurship program has already been a fruitful one,” said Bronfman Institute Founder, Nir Tsuk, an academic veteran with over 20 years of international experience in the fields of social capital, entrepreneurship, and culture of innovation. “The program’s experiential education and incredible speakers make for a valuable learning experience, and the NYU certificate looks amazing on their college applications. Now we want even more students to experience this magic for years to come.”
In addition to the program’s academic framework, students also go on field trips throughout the summer to Israeli startups and historical sites, helping them to gain a well-rounded appreciation for Israel’s past and present.
“I signed up for Muss’ Entrepreneurship program because I want to be an entrepreneur and I thought it would be amazing to learn how to build things,” said Sam Heller, an Atlanta High School student who attended the program last summer and whose group won first prize in the Shark Tank competition with a project called Nadir, which created kayak and canoe paddles that passively filter out microplastics from waterways. “It’s really useful to be able to explore Israel through this lens, and everybody on the trip thought in different, unique ways. It was a great community to be a part of.”
However, Jacob Leibowitz, Muss’ Director of Educational Travel, believes the program is for more than just budding entrepreneurs. “This program is for anyone who wants to make a difference, to find innovative solutions to the problems we’re facing,” he said. “In addition to how it looks on a resume, Muss’ Entrepreneurship program provides practical knowledge and hands-on experience that will be invaluable when they enter the real world, while still giving students an incredible summer filled with fun and memories.”
To learn more, go to amhsi.org/summer-sessions or contact Jewish National Fund-USA Associate Director of Teen Engagement, Dr. Marnie Nadolne at mnadolne@jnf.org.
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About Jewish National Fund-USA
JNF-USA is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s north and south. Through its One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade, JNF-USA is developing new communities in the Galilee and Negev, connecting the next generation to Israel, and creating infrastructure and programs that support ecology, individuals with special needs, and heritage site preservation.