New chapter begins for Alexander Muss High School in Israel
AMHSI, which is currently celebrating its 45th year, will now open its second set of doors in Beersheba.
By NOA AMOUYALUpdated: NOVEMBER 14, 2017 19:35Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich addresses the annual Jewish National Fund National Conference(photo credit: JNF-USA)
Jewish National Fund’s (JNF-USA) three-day conference witnessed a flurry of activity and heard major announcements set to improve the life of Israelis. However, news the expansion of the Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI) is one initiative that will not only improve life in the Holy Land, but reinforce Jewish identity for young men and women in the Diaspora.AMHSI, which is currently celebrating its 45th year, will now open its second set of doors in Beersheba. A robust $60 million project is just one of the latest examples of the city’s fast-paced transformation from a sleepy desert town, to a bustling hub of innovation.This expansion of David Ben Gurion’s vision of a blooming desert is at the heart of the Jewish National Fund’s Blueprint Negev campaign, which aims to bring 500,000 residents to South.The new AMHSI campus is just one part of a multi-pronged plan to make that ambitious vision a reality. From its Lauder Employment Center to a new state-of-the-art $300 million park, JNF is working closely with the city to make sure its reputation as a cyber, education and tech-hub only grows stronger.“JNF is transforming our city, and we owe everything, all of our successes, to Jewish National Fund for Russell F. Robinson’s [JNF’s CEO] forward thinking strategy and Blueprint Negev initiative. I can tell you it’s going to happen,” Beersheba Mayor Ruvik Danilovich, said at the South Florida confab, which wrapped on Monday.“JNF is an incubator for dreamers and devotees. JNF makes the impossible possible,” he added.At the new campus site, which joins its original Hod Hasharon location a mere 20 minutes from Tel Aviv, an additional 3,800 students are expected to enroll, bringing AMHSI’s total enrollment rate per year to 5,000.During a student’s six, eight or 18-week sessions, they have an opportunity to experience Israel beyond the classroom. This is because AMHSI strongly believes in the value of experiencing what is being taught firsthand, especially when given as rich a canvas as Israel.“The addition of a Be’er Sheva campus is a double victory for Alexander Muss High School in Israel,” Joseph Wolfson, Assistant Vice President on JNF’s National Board and the President of AMHSI’s Board, said.“We remain committed to a significant and continued growth in student body, with teens coming to learn with us from the United States, Australia and beyond, and this new location will allow us to facilitate that increase."“Furthermore, we are proud to do our part in supporting the development of Be’er Sheva, a city that our parent organization, Jewish National Fund, has been dedicated to for many years,” he added.Many high schoolers leverage their AMHSI experience during the college application process. Additionally, AMHSI also recently begun offering adult learning programs, proving its never too late to delve into Jewish and Israeli history.The Jewish National Fund is passionate about the next generation of Jews in the diaspora and their education, as evident by the 250 students from over 100 campuses who attended the conference.
