Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Why should I come to Arad to do WUJS? (I really think I'd prefer to be in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.) Q. How will I be able to look for work if I'm stuck in Arad? Q. What is a typical day at the Institute like? Q. What is a typical evening at the Institute like? Q. Does the fact that most people are English speakers affect the amount of Hebrew I am likely to learn? Q. Will I have enough Hebrew at the end of the course to start work? Q. Can I learn Hebrew only and not take any Jewish/Israel studies courses? Q. What happens if I don't get a job at the end of the study program? Q. Will I have a chance to get to know Israelis? Q. Will I have access to computers and E-mail? Q. What is the weather like in Arad? Q. How will people contact me while I am at the WUJS Institute? Q. Why should I come to Arad to do WUJS? (I really think I'd prefer to be in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.) A. The original reasons for locating WUJS in Arad are still valid. We see Arad as a sort of Israel laboratory. Living here gives you the chance to get to know Israel in a manageable way, without being overwhelmed. Arad is large enough to provide all the advantages of suburban life, yet small enough to retain intimacy, a sense of community and a quiet, pollution-free environment.As far as the program is concerned, being in a small town encourages cohesion amongst the students, rather than the anonymity of the large cities. You also gain because the lack of distractions makes it much easier for you to concentrate on your studies.Arad itself is a lovely town, with attractive housing, wide-open spaces, many trees and greenery. There is relatively little traffic and the tranquility of the desert is only minutes away. Q. How will I be able to look for work if I'm stuck in Arad? A. Israel is a small country and travel distances are not great. Arad is less than a two-hour drive from both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.In Israel, most employees will not be interested in meeting you more than two or three months prior to your availability. During the second semester, when you start looking for work, you will often be able to take advantage of free transportation to and from either Jerusalem or Tel Aviv on most Wednesdays.Apart from that, there is a good bus service with departures to Beersheva every half hour and direct buses between Arad and Tel-Aviv three or four times a day. Public transport to Jerusalem requires to travel via Beersheva and the journey takes two and a half to three hours. Q. What is a typical day at the Institute like? A. A typical day starts at 8 AM with either a Hebrew class or a Jewish/Israel studies class. There is three study periods every morning, followed by lunch in the dining room at 12:45 PM. Classes resume at 1:45 PM. There are two study periods in the afternoon which normally end at 5:00 PM. More Info >> Q. What is a typical evening at the Institute like? A. After 5 PM, students may do volunteer work in the town; serve on one of the various student committees; participate in one of the Institute activities (lectures, films, folk dancing) work on the computer; browse the library; go shopping; meet friends at a bar or restaurant; go to the movie theater or concert hall, visit their adopting family, tutor a high school student in English, study or simply relax. The evenings are your own but you will never be short of things to do. Q. Does the fact that most people are English speakers affect the amount of Hebrew I am likely to learn? A. Yes. Students tend to use English outside the Hebrew class. You will find, however, that you can speak as much Hebrew as you want to. Our students are highly motivated learners and the student body is homogenous in terms of age. Several hours are spent each day on individual study. A language lab and additional Hebrew tutoring are available to students in the evening. All this creates an atmosphere of serious study and enables motivated students to advance rapidly.Additionally, students visit their adopting families frequently, do their own shopping and spend three weeks volunteering. All this means that, despite the preponderance of English speakers at the Institute, there are plenty of opportunities to mix with Israelis and to speak the language. Q. Will I have enough Hebrew at the end of the course to start work? A. Your fluency in Hebrew on leaving the Institute will depend on three factors: how much Hebrew you started with, your own linguistic ability and the extent to which you apply yourself during the program. Generally, the Institute provides its students with a very firm foundation on which they build once they get out to work and begin to use the language on a day-to-day basis.If your profession is not one of those in which language is a tool of the trade, you should have enough Hebrew by the end of the course to start work. However, lawyers, psychologists, social workers, etc., may encounter more difficulty if they wish to work in their profession, until they acquire fluency. Q. Can I learn Hebrew only and not take any Jewish/Israel studies courses? A. No. All parts of the program - ulpan, Jewish/Israel studies, seminars, excursions and the volunteering period - are mandatory. Q. What happens if I don't get a job at the end of the study program? A. Most students do find a job to their satisfaction. However, should you encounter abnormal difficulties in finding a job, the Opportunities in Israel Department staff will offer you a number of alternatives such as another study program, a volunteer option or an internship. Q. Will I have a chance to get to know Israelis? A. Yes, but it will depend on your own efforts to take advantage of the opportunities. You may choose to be "adopted" by an Israeli family or you can do volunteer work in the local Israeli community. There are plenty of chances to meet Israelis during the program: your teachers, the staff and tour guides, medics, etc.) WUJS holds occasional events with groups of Israeli students. Q. Will I have access to computers and E-mail? A. The WUJS Institute currently maintains five computers in a computer room for the students’ use. These computers provide students with the ability to word process, send E-mails, access the internet, use chat lines, and a variety of other programs. There are currently three printers for the students’ use as well. A volunteer student committee maintains both computers and printers.  Q. What is the weather like in Arad? A. The winter in Arad is mild and the temperatures rarely pulls below 7-8 C (45-50F). However, the apartments at WUJS have no central heating. The building is constructed from concrete and indoors it can get quite chilly. So come well prepared for the cold and bring adequate winter clothing. In the summer, it is hot. Fortunately, due to our desert climate, the heat is not humid but dry, and the nights are usually delightfully cool. Generally, the winter lasts from December to February and the summer from May to October.  Q. How will people contact me while I am at the WUJS Institute? A. You will be able to receive mail, phone messages, email notes and faxes sent to the WUJS office. Students have "pigeon-holes" in the office and anything arriving for them is distributed there. The above items should be sent with your name clearly marked, c/o The WUJS Institute, 25 Yoshiyahu Street, Arad 89022 Israel.You may also open an email account when you arrive at the Institute. This will give you a private email address. The students' computers are fitted for email use and are available at all times. If you have any further questions, please click here, and send your question to the WUJS Regisrar.