NEW YORK, N.Y., June 22, 2023 — In response to increasing demand for long term study abroad experiences at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, a second campus has been opened in the southern city of Be’er Sheva which can accommodate up to 1,500 additional students annually.
The premier college-prep study abroad in Israel experience operated by Jewish National Fund-USA welcomed its first cohort of students on June 20.
The five-acre campus will feature five dormitories, a dining hall, an indoor sports center and outdoor basketball court, and state-of-the-art classrooms.
“The opening of a new campus in the south reflects the dreams of Ben Gurion,” said Muss Head of School Steve Kutno. “This southern hub will offer Muss teens new opportunities for learning and living in a vibrant neighborhood, steps away from the old city of Beersheba and a short distance from the city’s lake park. We look forward to welcoming the first students in a few days, who like Ben Gurion will be taking the first steps of many people to follow.”
The campus opening is the first step in a solution towards a problem every school would love to have: too much interest. The 1,500-student campus is at full capacity every year, with an increasingly large waitlist. The Muss South campus, which plans to be fully operational by the spring, will help meet the demand of students who want to experience an incredible semester abroad in Israel.
“Muss’ blend of traditional studies and experiential learning has resonated with tens of thousands of Jewish high school students throughout its 50 years of existence,” said Alexander Muss High School in Israel President Ron Werner. “To open an education center in the heart of the Negev, in a town that is flourishing in part due to Jewish National Fund-USA’s support, is a sign of our strength and sound strategy, and we’re excited that even more students will now experience the ‘Muss magic.’”
In addition to Muss South, Jewish National Fund-USA is further investing in its education wing with plans for the World Zionist Village. Also to be located in Be’er Sheva, the Village will operate as a second Muss campus, further expanding the school capacity to 5,000 students. In addition, it will provide an Innovation Center for post-graduates interning in Be’er Sheva-based hi-tech companies and include a Zionist Adult Education Center.
“A campus like this anywhere in Israel would have met our needs,” added Werner. “However, this site located in Be’er Sheva allows us to develop both human and commercial resources that we will need as we move forward with the World Zionist Village. Muss South is a game changer for us!”
About Jewish National Fund-USA
Jewish National Fund-USA builds a strong, vibrant future for the land and people of Israel through bold initiatives and Zionist education. As a leading philanthropic movement, the organization supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s north and south as it develops new communities in the Negev and Galilee, connects the next generation to Israel, and creates infrastructure and programs that support ecology, people with disabilities, and heritage site preservation, all while running a fully accredited study abroad experience through its Alexander Muss High School in Israel. Learn more at jnf.org.
To learn more, visit amhsi.org.
This article was written in cooperation with JNF-USA