Education - American Aliyah - Articles about Israel

You should be prepared for your planned move to Israel.

Don't study for jobs that are too specific. They won't give you enough flexibility. For example, if you want to study Education, then stick with a major field such as early childhood or special education. Do not study for an abstruse, limiting subfield, unless you are guaranteed a job in advance.

Do you have the right or proper education at the present time?

Well, you can never have "enough" education before coming to Israel. It's always useful to get some degrees while you are in the States.

However, a doctorate might be a bit much in some fields. Some places of work may consider people with higher education to be overqualified. They may not be prepared to pay the higher wages that the holder of an advanced degree would command.

This situation is always in flux, so ask several relevant Israeli industries whether they will hire people with doctorates before getting that degree. If you do go for a doctorate, then plan to stay in the States just a bit more, so that your post-doc is behind you.

If you are considering a job that requires specialized training, then it would be useful to work towards it while you are still in the United States. Again, keep in mind that there are advantages to having a range of options in your pocket when you come to Israel.

Schooling in the United States suffers from less bureaucracy than in Israel. Granted, Israel offers certain perks in order to make the transition easier. These perks may include tuition subsidies, help with studies, extra points on some tests, and extra time during examinations. However, you will certainly feel more comforable completing your education in the familiar American system. You may pay more for the degree, but other factors more than balance out that positive aspect.

Masters degrees are very much respected in Israel. It may take several years of work (and issues caused by an amazingly frustrating bureaucracy) to get your Masters degree in Israel, while the United States may offers you an equally respectable degree within a year or two.

Where do you want to go now?