Israel Programs WikiIncredible
Y
Yeshivat Hakotel
ישיבת הכותל
Yeshivat Hakotel · Old City, Jerusalem
#israeli-yeshiva#hesder#overseas-program#yeshiva#zionism#age-gap-year#age-college#boys-only#jerusalem#integration-medium#rz-modern-orthodox#essence-spiritual-growth#essence-pre-military
Yeshivat Hakotel is a religious-Zionist yeshiva in Old City, Jerusalem, for gap-year students, men only.
A Religious Zionist yeshiva overlooking the Western Wall that provides a broad and serious array of English learning options while enabling students to integrate with Hakotel's Israeli program and student body; offers joint credit with Yeshiva University and Touro as well as the option to join the Machal-hesder program and draft with Hakotel Israelis as well as many like-minded foreigners. The yeshiva has a warm environment where Rebbeim and older students offer mentorship younger students as they work to build a life of meaning whether in Israel of back in the US.
Poll results
Best for someone who wants Hebrew that actually sticks · an English-friendly landing · a real Israeli social circle
Rate this program
12 people have rated this program.
Would you recommend it to a friend?
1 Definitely not · 5 Definitely
Asked "Would you recommend it to a friend?", alumni of Yeshivat Hakotel averaged 4.4 out of 5 (1 = Definitely not, 5 = Definitely), based on 12 responses.
n=12How much did your connection to israel grow
1 It didn't · 5 Profoundly
Asked "How much did your connection to israel grow", alumni of Yeshivat Hakotel averaged 4.7 out of 5 (1 = It didn't, 5 = Profoundly), based on 12 responses.
n=12How much did your Hebrew actually improve, honestly, by the end?
1 No improvement · 5 Completely Transformed
Asked "How much did your Hebrew actually improve, honestly, by the end?", alumni of Yeshivat Hakotel averaged 4.2 out of 5 (1 = No improvement, 5 = Completely Transformed), based on 12 responses.
n=12How did you typically spend your free evenings during the program?
Not enough responses yet.
How much did your experience depend on which specific staff/rabbis/madrichim you got?
1 Same for everyone5 Depended completely
Closest to: Depended somewhat
Asked "How much did your experience depend on which specific staff/rabbis/madrichim you got?", alumni of Yeshivat Hakotel answered closest to "Depended somewhat", based on 12 responses.
n=12How niche are the people that go to this program?
Not enough responses yet.
How much were you treated as an adult vs. managed like a student?
Not enough responses yet.
How much freedom did you have over your own time and choices?
Not enough responses yet.
How much prior Torah learning background did you need to keep up?
Not enough responses yet.
How much did the program contribute to your desire to learn?
Not enough responses yet.
How much are you still learning now, after the program?
Not enough responses yet.
How much free time do you have outside of a learning schedule?
Not enough responses yet.
If you know, what type of units did the top third of people from your cohort actually go to?
Not enough responses yet.
How realistic a picture did the program give you of army service?
Not enough responses yet.
Did the preparation help you stay strong throughout your whole service?
Not enough responses yet.
How much were you accompanied and mentored through the service?
Not enough responses yet.
How much did the program guide and support you through actually signing up and drafting?
Not enough responses yet.
How was the food, realistically, day to day?
Not enough responses yet.
How would you rate the living conditions?
Not enough responses yet.
How much privacy/personal space did you have?
Not enough responses yet.
How responsive was staff when something practical broke or went wrong?
Not enough responses yet.
How much did the hebrew that you learned in the program stick or fade?
Not enough responses yet.
How available are resources for learning hebrew, (ie ulpan)?
Not enough responses yet.
How much of the day did you need to use Hebrew vs. able to fall back on English?
Not enough responses yet.
How much prior Hebrew did you need to not feel lost?
Not enough responses yet.
How much did the program strengthen your intention to build a life in Israel?
Not enough responses yet.
Did the program give you a real social circle of Israelis to lean on?
Not enough responses yet.
How easily did you find people you clicked with?
Not enough responses yet.
How much do you feel you gained close friendships that lasted?
Not enough responses yet.
How much did the social scene depend on your particular cohort?
Not enough responses yet.
Was the program what you expected, or different?
1 Much worse than expected5 Much better
Closest to: Better than expected
Asked "Was the program what you expected, or different?", alumni of Yeshivat Hakotel answered closest to "Better than expected", based on 11 responses.
n=11Who it's for
For religious-Zionist young men who want to learn in a warm and driven environment alongside like-minded Israeli and overseas students looking to build value-based lives as leaders of the Jewish people
- Duration
- Gap Year — 1-2 years
- How to sign up
- Apply through the Joint Yeshiva Application portal; admission is competitive due to limited overseas spots. https://hakotel.org.il/english
- Contact
- +972-2-628-8175https://hakotel.org.il/english
Videos
No videos yet.
Reviews
Overall, how was the program?
General reviews
Nachum Silver
Been having a very positive experience at Hakotel! From the incredibly warm Rebbeim, great group of guys (both Israeli and overseas), wide array of shiurim in many different areas of Judaism (Gemara, chassidut, tanach, halacha, hashgafa, etc.), Israeli integration (more or less depending on the person), and support throughout the drafting process and army service, Hakotel has been an amazing experience and a launchpad into a life of Avodat Hashem, meaning, and service of the Jewish people!
Alumni References
Some past participants have offered to answer questions about their experience.
- AJ Avner · attended 2024-2027
- Daniel Neville · attended 2023-2027
- Nachum Silver · attended 2023-2027
Last updated: