Intensive Arabic Semester

The Intensive Arabic Semester program offers a holistic approach to language learning. During the course of the five-month program, our students learn Hebrew, both standard and spoken Arabic, Jewish/Israeli History and Middle Eastern History. Students experience Israeli Kibbutz life while simultaneously being immersed in the local Arab culture through field trips, home stay families, and weekly volunteering. 

Our program is conducted by Givat Haviva, an established organization in Israel that brings together Jews and Arabs from all over Israel in the name of equality and understanding. Our students study Arabic at a top-notch institution in Israel, seven hours a day, five days a week, for five months. The Intensive Arabic Semester is a high standard program that provides you with the opportunity to learn spoken Arabic on a highly professional level, while immersing yourself in the local Jewish and Arab culture. Through field trips our students gain a deeper knowledge of the local, national, and international issues affecting the population here and through volunteering are able to connect with the local Arab community and give back.

Learn how to navigate both the Jewish and Arab cultures in Israel.  Spend time with your Jewish Kibbutz Family for a Shabbat Dinner and then learn to make tabouleh with your Arab host family in the next village over. Guided excursions, field trips, and hikes throughout Israel will reveal, in a way that visitors don’t usually get to see, the rich history, natural beauty, and intricate cultural issues that exist in this country.