7 Things to Know Before Studying Abroad as a Jewish Student

The finish line was right around the corner—I could see green and pink bike shaped confetti floating down everywhere. I handed my bike off and stood there flexing and unflexing my sore hands, taking in the scene around me. I was right outside the Jewish Community Centre (JCC) in Krakow, Poland, with over 200 people from around the world who had also just completed the 2018 Ride for the Living, an annual 60 mile bike ride from the gates of Auschwitz-Birkenau to the Krakow JCC. This is a ride that goes from the tragedy of the past to hope for the revival of Jewish life in the future. 

I love to plan. I plan what time I wake up each day even when I have nothing urgent to do, I plan vacations months in advance, and I plan in what order I will do my homework. Naturally, when I spent my summer doing an internship in Warsaw, I planned out my weekend trips to other countries or cities ahead of time. Before each trip, I would spend an evening creating a schedule on a google document of places to go, in what order, and on what day of my trip. With everything spelled out, I felt more comfortable, more assured that I would not miss out on seeing anything during this adventure of a lifetime. 

Likewise, before my weekend trip to Krakow, I had a schedule ready to go. After finishing the Ride for the Living, I planned to go to Shabbat dinner with over 600 people at the JCC. Saturday morning I would go on a tour of the Galicia Jewish Museum, then a session at the Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, and next on a tour of Wawel Castle. And then, Friday night after finishing the bike ride, I got a fever. I had to leave the Shabbat dinner early and skip going to the Galicia Jewish Museum in the morning. Just those two small things can seem like a lot to students spending time abroad (anyone else feel an unspoken pressure to make the most of their time in another country by never resting and constantly doing something??). 

Which leads me to my first point: Before studying abroad, it is important to know and accept that sometimes your plans are going to change. You won’t be able to see everything while you are abroad—and that’s okay. Below, find other ideas of things to know and accept before studying abroad as a Jewish student. Get prepared to make the most of your time abroad!

What to know before participating in study abroad while Jewish

1. Where you want to travel

Before leaving for your study abroad program, think about where you would like to travel and take a look at a map and consider what countries border your study abroad location. Touring nearby countries and other cities in your study abroad country can reduce the amount of time you spend travelling, and increase the amount of time you spend actually exploring. I largely decided where I wanted to travel based off of unique Jewish history I had heard of in different countries, but always made sure to couple my Jewish tourism with visiting non-Jewish sites in each country as well. 

Look into the best methods of travel—for instance in Europe, trains and FlixBus are often the cheapest and fastest way to get from country to country. Consider overnight travel as a way to spend more time at the places you want to go. By thinking ahead about what places you want to travel, you’ll be able to keep a head out for the best deals, have something to look forward to, and spend less time once you are abroad Googling places you could be seeing in person instead of on a computer screen. 

2. Your budget

Spending time abroad can be expensive. Between paying for housing, food, and expenses of travelling to visit other locations, if you don’t plan ahead, your money might seem to disappear fast. Planning out a budget before you go abroad and knowing how much money you can devote to different areas, will prevent having to miss out on things later on. One way to help reduce expenses while exploring, is to purchase an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) which provides thousands of student discounts in 133 countries around the world. While various locations may not recognize your home school ID, ISIC cards are internationally known and utilized.  

3. How to keep your valuables safe 

Before going abroad it is a smart idea to make sure you are prepared for the worse type of situation. If you plan on exploring a city, pick-pocketing can be a common occurrence in crowded locations. To keep an eye on your items, make sure that any bag you hold is in front of your body, and not behind, and that there are multiple pockets within a bag so you can keep valuables where they can not easily be reached. Before leaving for Warsaw, I ordered an anti-theft crossbody purse made out of hidden slash proof wire mesh, a cut proof shoulder strap, and locking zipper pockets. This bag helped me feel more safe walking around and spend less time worrying about checking every pocket at any given moment.

Further, make a copy of your passport before you leave, and always carry your passport on you and leave the copy of the passport at your apartment, or carry the copy of the passport with you, but leave the passport locked at your apartment. This ensures that if someone steals your passport, you still have the information to get a new one if absolutely necessary. 

4. What you want to get involved with locally 

Just like at school back home, it is a good idea while abroad to get involved with an extracurricular activity that can serve as a break from your studies and while abroad specifically,  activities are a great way to meet other people. Think about what type of activity you would be interested in doing, and look up opportunities so that you can start as soon as you get abroad. Find an intramural soccer team, a dance class, or a Hebrew conversation table. Not only will this provide you with a social network from the start of your travels, but it will enhance your overall time abroad by participating in the daily life of the country. 

5. If you want a Shabbat, Holiday or other Jewish experience

Arriving in Warsaw on a Thursday afternoon, Shabbat came up before I had a chance to think about it or even get over jet lag. This meant that had I not planned ahead, prior to arriving, I would have had nowhere to go for Shabbat services and dinner that first Shabbat abroad. If you are someone who is used to celebrating Shabbat, being without a Shabbat meal can feel lonely. To prevent that, reach out to KAHAL: Your Jewish Home Abroad who can connect you with a local family for Shabbat dinner and holiday meals. 

Try to bring one tradition for a holiday from back home into the place where you are hosted. This will allow both you and your host to learn how the same holiday is celebrated by different cultures. KAHAL can also help you find a Jewish community similar to what you are used to back home, connect you to Jewish opportunities and other Jewish students studying abroad, and help subsidize Jewish activities.  

6. You might be the first Jew people meet 

The Jewish population will vary depending on where you spend time abroad. However, the smaller the location, the more likely it is that you may be one of the only Jews living in that town. This may bring on a whole new type of culture shock—realizing that there are people out there who have never met anyone Jewish before, and who are intrigued by what it means to be Jewish. It can be frightening to feel like you are without a community, but don’t let that stop you from having Jewish experiences while abroad. 

Use it as an opportunity to show locals what it means to be Jewish—invite them to a Shabbat dinner, or a Hanukkah party with donuts to eat and a dreidel game to play. If you find yourself in a place with few Jews, this could be an enlightening chance to learn more about your Jewish identity while sharing it with others.  

7. You should tell your program provider if having Jewish resources is important to you 

If having access to Jewish resources is important to you, than before going abroad you should tell your program provider that it is important you have access to Jewish resources when you get to your study abroad destination. If you wait until you get abroad, your provider may not have time to learn about the resources you need and get prepared to guide you towards them from the minute you arrive. By letting them know ahead of time program providers will have the chance to research how to best help you, and will have ample time to ensure you get what you need Jewishly even when you are away from your home. 

Recommended study or intern abroad programs

1. CRCC Asia

CRCC Asia is a global internship program which works with 1,000 companies in 8 cities to provide students and graduates with short term internships abroad. All internships allow participants to learn about global business culture, meet industry leaders and network. Internships are available across many different types of industries. CRCC Asia offers a scholarship for Jewish students to participate in the internship program. 

• Where: Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Ho Chi Minh, Tokyo, Manchester, Osaka
• When: Short-term 1,2,or 3 month programs 
• More info: Read CRCC Asia Reviews Here

2. Semester at Sea

Semester at Sea is a multi-country Study-Abroad opportunity on a ship for students of all majors. Students stop at ports in different locations around the world, and take academic, for credit classes on ship while travelling. The program emphasises global comparative study and students will have the chance to learn about the countries they travel to through classroom education, field study and field programs. Each semester KAHAL publishes a Jewish Voyage Guide for Semester at Sea, which provides Jewish students with Jewish experiences in each port destination. 

• Where: Multi-country, at least 10 countries per voyage
• When: Fall or Spring semester 
• More info: Read Semester at Sea Reviews Here

3. ISI Florence

ISI Florence offers study abroad academic programs in Florence, Italy, rooted in the liberal arts tradition. No prior knowledge of Italian is required, but students will take Italian language courses during their time abroad. Courses offered include art history, architecture, food studies and sustainability, fine and studio arts, Italian language & cultural studies, history, literature, philosophy, international business, political science and more. Recently, ISI Florence has started to build a Jewish Studies track for participants in the program. 

• Where: Italy 
• When: Full year, semester, summer 
• More info: Read ISI Florence Reviews Here

Study abroad while Jewish with confidence

Sometimes while studying abroad you feel pressure to always be moving and seeing something. Without a jam packed schedule it can feel as if you are wasting valuable time abroad, when you could be learning and exploring what you can’t at home. But doing too much can lead to overexhaustion and we all need a break from time to time to re-energize so that we can make the most out of what we do. Instead of going on the tour at the Galicia Jewish Museum, I stayed in bed, and a friend who went on the tour skyped me in on his tour so I could still see the museum through video. 

These are just some examples of good things to know before even stepping on the plane for your abroad adventure. There is so much you can know before studying abroad as a Jewish student, but the most important thing is to know, that regardless of how much you prepare, there will still be plenty to learn along the way. Your plans are bound to change, and no matter how much you learned before going abroad, there will be decisions you have to make on the spot. Ultimately, it is these on the fly moments that may end up being the best moments of your experience. 

KAHAL Your Jewish Home Abroad is a non-profit organization which connects Jewish students studying abroad to Jewish opportunities, resources and connections abroad. KAHAL aims to create meaningful Jewish experiences for study abroad students, allowing them to interact with local Jewish communities and deepen their Jewish identities. Wherever students travel, KAHAL arranges chances to attend Shabbat dinners, meet Jewish students, attend holiday meals, volunteer and advocate, and provides grant funding and travel assistance.