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The Travel of French Students to Israel - 2023
Thank you to our sponsors and to the generous private donors who allow the creation of these trips
The France Israel Foundation will invest more in intensifying the travel of students from the "grandes écoles" and universities in order to bring together French and Israeli decision-makers of tomorrow and create bridges to promote economic, scientific and cultural exchange.
The France Israel Foundation will work with student associations and / or universities / colleges to participate in the construction of the programs and thus facilitate contacts with Israeli companies, universities, stakeholders, speakers. The Foundation will organize a student tracking system with students
Le lunch by Noé proposé par l’Action Jeunesse du FSJU et présentée par Philippe Levy et ses chroniqueurs
La « Nouvelle Hasbara » ou « diplomatie positive » pour faire se rapprocher la jeunesse d'Israël.Muriel Haïm de la Fondation France Israël, avec des étudiants concernés, évoquent les voyages des associations de grandes écoles dont le FSJU est partenaire
Some photos of the student trip from the Mines Paris school in partnership with the school
"(The kibbutz) It's something I think is almost unavoidable to see. To think that people live in perfect harmony with a community is completely crazy, even if the mode of operation seems very logical." Benjamin
“The Bedouin camp was a superb place. The setting was magnificent, (...) sublime views of the desert all around us. Watching the sky and the stars was, once again, a great moment of sharing." Josephine
"This trip made us want to dive into the very heart of the culture and the language, and allowed you to see beyond the country in conflict: a country rich in history, tradition and extremely alive." Benjamin
"The question of the conflict is automatically associated with Israel, but this visit made it possible to go beyond this generalization and better grasp the identity of the country." Aymerick
"I knew very little about this country and I am amazed at the openness of people despite the geopolitical tensions" Agathe
"I loved caving!!!!" Josephine
"The Israelis are very warm, generous and don't hesitate to come and talk to us. They don't miss an opportunity to offer us food." Hugo
"I didn't know the Edtech sector at all and it was a great discovery, I liked being shown an example of what they were developing, as well than the various "trendy" technologies of the sector." Simon
"I really liked raising awareness of water issues in a country with greater challenges than ours." Benjamin
"The theme of the conference focused on a fundamental current issue and that was great: corals are part of the first line falling in the face of damage caused by humans through gas emissions. (...) Moreover, the fact that they can only make suggestions to governments makes us realize that even when we know, we are not always able to act to save the remnants of the ancient corals and fauna of the Red Sea." Benjamin
"I didn't know the Edtech sector at all and it was a great discovery, I liked being shown an example of what they were developing, as well than the various "trendy" technologies in the sector." Simon
"I really liked diving! It's just scary to realize that the underwater fauna and flora has drastically reduced over the past 10 years." Bettina
"The subject ”exploitation and management of natural resources” fits very well into the framework of the training offered at Mines, in particular in 1A to follow up on geol which gives us the opportunity to have a first contact with this discipline. which constitutes the historical identity of the school. Aymerick
"I only regret not having more time with this professor but ̧that motivated me to take an interest in this question on my side afterwards." Aymeric
"Amazing from A to Z." Bettina
Some photos of the ESCP student trip in partnership with the school
Quelques témoignages des étudiants de l'école Polytechnique
Mon voyage en Israël m'a été une expérience extrêmement enrichissante et révélatrice. Au cours de ma visite, j'ai eu l'occasion d'explorer la culture du pays, ses habitants et ses lieux. J'ai été émerveillée par la beauté de ses paysages, diversité de ses villes et comment l'industrie technologique est en plein essor dans cette région. Plus important encore, ce voyage m'a permis d'avoir une nouvelle image d'Israël et de son peuple, en m’ouvrant les yeux sur la beauté qui existe dans ce pays, où malgré les tensions, règne la paix !
J'avais tellement entendu parler du conflit israélo-arabe que je ne m'attendais pas à voir les deux parties vivre en harmonie. Ce que j'ai vu en Israël est un exemple unique de la façon dont différentes cultures peuvent coexister pacifiquement et dans le respect les unes des autres. Mon point de vue sur Israël est donc passé de la méfiance à l'admiration pour la capacité de son peuple à se rassembler malgré ses différences. La chaleur et l'hospitalité que j'ai rencontré pendant mon voyage sont quelque chose qui restera avec moi pour toujours.
Hiba Lina, Morocco
On the trip, the guide told us that Israel is misrepresented in the international media and people often see it as some kind of dangerous place. It wasn't my experience at all, but I surely didn't expect it to be such a strongly developed country. I got the impression that Israel is kind of a new Silicon Valley (except with more focus on DeepTech). Also, the mindset we were exposed to really resonated with me — in fact, its defining traits were similar to what I miss in the French mindset. I think this kind of a trip is really helpful for people here to inspire them to follow the entrepreneurial path. As for me, I was inspired for that already, but the trip "sold" me on Israel — now, I want to live there for a period of time later.
Lev, Russsia
“Home of holy sites - Jerusalem“ is what would come to my mind while thinking about Israel before visiting. However, the tech trip has really broadened my perspective. What’s better than travelling with your friends and also making new connections at the same time? Floating in the Dead Sea and spending one night in a desert with beduins? Discovering Jewish culture as it is today and also exploring the memorial to the victims of the Holocaust? Attending conferences that are conducted by the investors or CEOs of one of the most mind-blowing startups? I can’t think of any better formula for an unforgettable and enriching experience!
Today, I think of Israel as not only home of the world’s most holy sites but also one of the highest-quality healthcare, 85 unicorns, high-tech success, scientific breakthroughs and delicious Falafel. My favourite takeaway from the trip would be: “In Israel those who do not believe in miracles are not realistic.”
Sofi, Georgia
Before this trip all I knew about Israel originated from the news regarding the conflict with Palestine. Thus, I used to visualize Israel as a place where people live in fear, but I have found out it is quite the opposite. I had the pleasure to discover a country abounding in culture, with beautiful views and high standard academic institutions. While picturing a strict religious country, I stumbled upon a harmonious mix between Jerusalem, a city full of history, and Tel Aviv, a city full of life and freedom. Nevertheless, I hope i will be able to come back soon.
Maria-Natalia, Romania
I was always intrigued by Jewish culture and Israel as it has an absolutely unique place in humans history. However before the trip my knowledge about this country was quite poor. The week which I spent in Israel was incredibly enriching, each day was filled up with different cultural and professional visits. Thanks to our guide I got some information about variable places in Israel, from west to east and from south to north. What was even more valuable for me is that I managed to combine this information with my previous religious and historical education, what allowed me to build an integral picture concerning different events which took place in Israel. Moreover we were given a great overview of the current state of businesses, start ups and companies in Israel. Some key advantages of creating a business in this country were explained. I was also impressed the country’s openness and engagement in technological, innovative development.
Aryna, Belarus
Today’s media portrays Israel in a very different light to that discovered upon a visit to the beautiful country, a discovery enabled by the adventurous trip organized by the X’Srael committee. The variety of engaging activities throughout the week allowed us to delve into the multifaceted nature of Israel, from the countless years of fascinating history, to the bustling start up scene driving the population. Hearing testimonials from politicians, historians, and locals allowed us to see the country through the eyes of those who make Israel what it is, a vision portraying the nation through a much brighter light than what some of us expected upon arrival.
Preferred not to be named
My name is Andreea and I am a Bachelor student and this year I was part of TechTrip.
Until last week, I had never left Europe, so the trip to Israel helped me meet a new culture.
It was a busy, but very beautiful week. I had the opportunity to visit the most important cities in Israel, together with an excellent guide who told us the history of each place. Every explanation I received helped me realize the uniqueness and beauty of the country in which I was. We had good, traditional food everywhere we went. We slept in a Bedouin camp, this being one of the unique experiences in life.
Of course, we participated in numerous conferences, where we were welcomed with cookies, coffee, tea, and much more. The hosts presented us their startups, offering us various perspectives on entrepreneurship and the tech field.
The program was very well organized and respected for all 7 days, so we felt that we didn't waste time and could enjoy every second spent there.
As I said, until last week I had never left Europe, and this trip not only gave me a chance to get to know the Israeli culture but also showed me how a student of my age lives there. The visits to the universities showed me what student life is like in Israel and that's how I learned about their projects.
I consider that TechTrip was one of the most interesting and beautiful experiences of my life and I encourage any student of Ecole Polytechnique to participate in the following years. I have nothing but words of praise and thank all those who organized this trip for their dedication and professionalism.
Andreea, Romania
Some photos of the Dauphine Management student trip
Some photos of the EDHEC student trip
