Stories & Voices
Asmaa and Daniela: Internships Help Arab and Haredi Students in Israel
December 9th, 2016

They are both young women students outside the mainstream of Israeli society. Asmaa is an Arab undergraduate studying health systems management. Daniela is a Haredi undergraduate studying management and human resources. They both face daunting challenges in getting a job in their chosen fields. Discrimination.  Limited work experience. Lack of professional networks.

UJA Federation of New York >> Asma participates in The Next Step internship program in Jerusalem.
Asma participates in The Next Step internship program in Jerusalem.

These are the common obstacles marginalized groups in Israel slam into when they graduate college and start their job search. And the statistics speak to these sizeable hurdles: Only 12 percent of Arabs in Israel are university graduates. For Haredi men in Israel, 47 percent are not employed and 27 percent of the women are not in the workplace.

Now, Aluma-The Next Step, a national internship program in Israel, brings its expertise to help break down barriers to employment for Arab and Haredi students who will soon graduate.

This past year, with support from UJA-Federation and other organizations, The Next Step provided 105 Arab students and 130 Haredi students with 120 internship hours to gain professional experience and guidance in workplace issues. Unlike the U.S., internships are not commonplace in Israel, and The Next Step provides a unique opportunity for students.

“The hospital administration internship really gave me a chance to see how a hospital works up close, and gave me hands-on experience,” Asmaa says. She will graduate this year from Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem and hopes to continue her education in a graduate program for risk management.

UJA Federation of New York >> Daniela gained confidence in the workplace through her internship with The Next Step.
Daniela gained confidence in the workplace through her internship with The Next Step.

For Daniela, the idea of waking up and going to work every morning for eight hours seemed intimidating. The thought of working outside the Haredi community in a secular society can be formidable.

Daniela’s internship at a government ministry gave her the confidence to go into the workplace. Like Asmaa, she also will graduate from Hadassah Academic College this year and hopes to continue her studies in a graduate program.

“The best part of The Next Step were the meetings we had with a facilitator who heard our concerns and offered suggestions for how to address them,” Daniela says. “We had a support group, someone to talk to.”

That sense of belonging to a sympathetic group played a large role for Asmaa as well. “It helps that we are Arab women together, and have the support of a small group of Arab women in a larger Israeli society.”