More than 30 American high school students studying at Jewish National Fund-USA’s Alexander Muss High School in Israel (Muss) recently returned to the United States after spending an action-packed semester abroad learning and living among the people of Israel in their ancient homeland.
Despite ongoing conflict on multiple fronts, the students staying at the program’s campus in Hod Hasharon, just outside Tel Aviv, said that they felt safe and that journeying to Israel was the right choice for them.
“Muss has connected me and my peers to our Jewish identities in a way that’s simply not possible anywhere else in the world,” said Jesse, a student from Waltham, Mass. “We have walked where our ancestors walked and had the stories of the Tanach painted for us so vividly you can almost see how they happened. I feel nothing but pride for a tradition that dates back thousands of years.”
As Jewish National Fund-USA’s premier college-prep, study-abroad experience, Muss blends American-accredited secular classes with a unique experiential Israel-studies program, providing students with the knowledge, skills, emotional resilience and pride they need to advocate for Israel and the Jewish people, even amid surging hate and ignorance, all while they keep up with their U.S. high school requirements.
Throughout the semester, students visited famous and lesser-known historical sites—from the ancient fortress of Masada and the Western Wall to the Ayalon Institute in Rehovot, an underground ammunition factory, where they learned about Jewish resistance post-World War II that was instrumental in forming and defending the State of Israel.
In addition to learning about Israel’s past, the group got a firsthand look at the grief and resilience of Israel post-Oct. 7. They visited the site of the Nova music festival massacre and traveled to villages in southern Israel destroyed in the attacks. They also saw communities being rebuilt while meeting Israelis who embody the Jewish people’s unbreakable spirit.
Now, as the students return home, the Muss alumni are ready to take their place as leaders on campuses nationwide. They say that they feel prepared for the academic rigors and independence that come with college, as well as the ever-present threat of anti-Israel campaigns. Just as important, they are excited to advocate for Israel using the experience they gained from their time in the country.
“Since I come from a city with a minuscule Jewish population, the community we’ve formed is incredibly important to me, particularly because it’s so hard to be Jewish in America nowadays,” said Ruth, a student from Lancaster, Pa. “Throughout my time, I felt my connection to Israel become stronger alongside reinforcing my own Jewish identity. Finding companionship among ourselves is instrumentally important for the Jewish people, especially during this trying time, and I will be forever grateful that I found that at Muss.”
For more information about Jewish National Fund-USA’s Alexander Muss High School in Israel, visit: amhsi.org.
