Page 10 - HAC President Report 2022

Photo Credit: Sharo n Gabay Yossi, 29, recently began a job at a leading Israeli water tech
company. Prior to that he was the Director of New Spirit, a
Yossi Klar Jerusalem non-profit. While he was studying, he founded and
served as CEO of Yotzim Le’Shinui (“Making a Change”), an
Politics and organization that helps young Haredi men and women who
Communication, 2019 decide to leave the Orthodox world. The organization just
received the 2022 Presidential Award for Volunteerism.

“I chose HAC because I realized they would actually see me there.
I was a Haredi student who had left Orthodox Judaism, without a
bagrut, and the staff went above and beyond to make sure I got into
the program. The program allowed me to study and work (to gain
experience) at the same time. At that time, I was the Spokesperson
of the Awakening Party, and I was learning, and implementing what I
learned in class in my work. It was an amazing educational experience.
My teachers were all professionals from the field, so they were not
teaching just theory, but giving us tools for the real world.”

Something special about HAC? “The mosaic of cultures gives you
the sense that you are really studying in Jerusalem. We had all stripes
in our class, Arabs, Christians, Jews, right wingers, left wingers, and it
made everything so interesting. Political discussions were real.”

Shahed Shahed, 25 years old, just completed her M.Sc. thesis in
Ashouokhi molecular genetics at the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Medical Laboratory “I chose HAC because when I finished high school, I didn’t know a
Science, 2019 word of Hebrew. I wanted to study in an Israeli institution, and HAC
was the natural choice because of their great Pre-Academic Program.
I was always interested in biology.”

“I was in tears the last day of school. I didn’t want to leave. Everyone
was so nice, and the teachers were always accessible. There was so
much respect for other cultures; I remember one time they held a
special Ramadan feast on campus. I participated in a lot of activities
offered by the College that were designed to help students integrate
into society. I got two scholarships that were of great assistance, and I
was required to volunteer in the community, which was a very fulfilling
experience. When I graduated, I joined the Young Researchers Program
at the Weizmann Institute that led to the Master’s program.”

Plans for the future? “I still have a research project to finish and,
at some point, I will continue to a doctorate, but not just yet. In the
meanwhile, I will find a job in the industry.”

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