Alexander Muss High School (Israel)
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A high school campus in Hod Hasharon, Israel that runs programs of various lengths for foreign students.
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[edit] Background
The Alexander Muss High School in Israel was founded in 1972 by Rabbi Morris Kipper and the Greater Miami Jewish Federationto help teens better understand Israel's living history through hands-on exploring. Recognizing that using Israel as a living classroom would boost interest and attachment revolutionized the way it was taught. Initially a South Florida initiative, AMHSI's reputation spread, and other communities eventually embraced the experience. A total of 35 years of academic excellence have produced over 18,000 alumni from a world-class program in Israel dedicated to building Jewish identity, strengthening Jewish communities and impacting the common Jewish future.
[edit] AMIIE Evolution
In recent years, AMHSI has taken on significant educational and transformative activities beyond the scope of the high school program in Israel.
In November 2003, the Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE) was established. Rather than being merely a name change, it has heralded a new era of opportunties for the high school, providing increased flexibility to integrate and promote a whole new range of activities (including SIACH, tailor made Jewish Day School Programs, Family and Bar/Bat Mitzvah trips, community programs, Adult trips, etc.). This change in corporate structure has empowered AMIIE to serve a wider variety of learners than those frequenting the original eight-week high school program.
[edit] Overview
AMIIE works to provide a superior Israel education experience to learners of all ages in Israel. The Muss Institute promotes, builds and strengthens lifelong bonds between Jews in the Diaspora and Israel through education, experiences and understanding. AMIIE believes that a strong relationship with Israel begins with a meaningful Israel education experience and is vital to developing and fostering Jewish identity, thereby, helping to sustain a strong, secure Jewish people. AMHSI’s award-winning methods of teaching Israel’s living history and academic excellence have produced over 18,000 alumni. This track record has translated into a network of committed alumni, families and investors, who also want to learn, get involved and be an integral part of that future.
[edit] The Program
The Alexander Muss High School in Israel (AMHSI) is an academic institution located in Hod HaSharon, which is about 20 minutes northeast of Tel-Aviv. The Alexander Muss Institute for Israel Education (AMIIE) is dedicated to engaging teens at a unique time in their lives when a journey through their heritage and history can point the way to a more meaningful future. Participants are encouraged to explore and embrace their connection to the history, culture and land of Israel through AMHSI's core program of Jewish Studies and Jewish history.
AMHSI offers a year-round, eight-week extensive study abroad program for North American high school sophomores, juniors and seniors, using an interdisciplinary curriculum which strives to provide trippers with a "permanent Jewish identity". The program is pluralistic and respects all levels of practice, serving Jewish students of all denominations. Its teachers know every grain of sand in the State of Israel and are credentialed and extremely knowledgeable in Jewish history. A student may attend individually or come as part of a program prepared in prior coordination with their home school, if the school offers the program.
There are six sessions annually, four operating during the school year and two during the summer. The program uses the land of Israel as "a living classroom" with on-site, on-the-move teaching. Students learn chronologically more than 4000 years of Jewish history, beginning with the Biblical period and ending with the modern Middle East. Students can enjoy a college atmosphere in co-ed dorms at their 'home away from home' at the beautiful school campus in Hod Hasharon. There is also the unique opportunity for students to take their 'sequential' high school classes during the school year in addition to the core program, so that they don't fall behind. AMHSI is fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, and participants have the opportunity to receive six college credits in addition to their automatic high school credits.
What is not part of the 'core program', i.e. what's termed 'Sequential Studies or General Studies', encompassing the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Applied Sciences, Languages, Mathematics, etc. are all taught at AMHSI so that students keep up with their class work from home. These sequential subjects are organized in prior coordination with each student's school guidance counselor. See Curriculum
AMHSI houses many prestigious institutions such as American Hebrew Academyand the Akiba Hebrew Academy(both elite institutions). AMHSI, or "Muss"- as most of its students refer to it, has many well known alumni- including, Matisyahu, a famous reggae/ hip-hop musician and Lauren Weisberger, author of the highly acclaimed The Devil Wears Prada.
[edit] Campus Facilities
ON SITE FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT THE AMHSI CAMPUS, HOD HA'SHARON:
-Administrative and academic classroom areas
-Four dormitories with full bathroom, shower and laundry amenities
-Apartments for resident counselors (Madrichim)
-Lounges
-Dining Room (with kosher facilities)
-Library
-Computer Room
-Athletic facilities
-Science Labs
-Synagogue
-Guest facilities for visiting USA public and private school educators
[edit] Curriculum
Curriculum Planning And Credit Exchange
AMHSI is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools that fully ensures the continuity of students' high school credit while on the program. The flexibility of courses allows for a credit exchange through curriculum planning between AMHSI and the home high school. AMHSI works together with students' home schools and counsellors to enable a smooth transfer of course credit, without "missing" school. Drawing on 35 years of successful experience, AMHSI can recommend a variety of schedule modifications to fulfill the course requirements with the student's school. Instruction in mathematics, science and foreign languages is conducted in the afternoon hours. The Director of Admissions (DA) assigned to each student assists with acquiring class assignments from the student's home school that can then be sent to AMHSI.
The Southern Regional Office of the College Board has certified AMHSI as an official testing site for PSAT and AP tests. Special arrangements can be made when necessary to administer the IB and ACT tests. All SAT exams in Israel are given in one location in Tel Aviv (The Zoa House). AMHSI will help arrange student transportation to the testing site.
College Credit Students who maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA average at their home schools and who take the SAT or ACT exams prior to their enrollment are eligible to receive six college credits through Broward Community College.
[edit] Campus Life
Life on campus at AMHSI is a lot like dorm life in college, but designed especially for high school students, with a focus on group living and activities. Students live in suites with separate bedrooms and sitting rooms. The rooms are situated around a central living area complete with a kitchenette, giving them a homey feeling. Students often decorate their living spaces, keep food in the fridge and create a space they can call "home" for 8 weeks where they can hang out, listen to music, and socialize.
Madrichim (Hebrew for 'guides/counselors') live on each floor and interact regularly with the students, conduct group activities and meetings to discuss everything from travel on tiyulim (Hebrew for 'field trips') to classes to group living to home hospitality and then some. Movie nights are organized on a regular basis and dances are organized with other dorms. AMHSI holds an end of session banquet that students organize entirely themselves- from choosing the theme to the decorating, menu planning and entertainment!
[edit] Core Curriculum
While on AMHSI students, along with their sequential, academic courses, also take an Israel history course; the course highlights 4000 years of Israel history. The students not only learn this course in the classroom, but also are able to experience 'history brought alive' while on various tiyulim (field trips).
[edit] Tiyulim
While on the program students will go on a variety of tiyulim (field trips) around Israel. They visit sites all over the country, such as Eilat, Jerusalem, Massada and the Dead Sea. The students will have learned, or will be learning, of the history of the site they are visiting in the core curriculum course.
[edit] Religious Observance
AMHSI is not affiliated with any religious movement. It does, however, offer optional religious services. In addition, the school celebrates major Jewish holidays in Israel, runs a certified kosher cafeteria, and does not program student travel on Shabbat.
[edit] Safety
AMHSI provides the utmost security for their students. They use a private bus company for transportation for students. During free times students are only allowed to wander in designated areas. AMHSI is also in constant contact with security authorities in Israel to ensure the safety of their students.
