Halutz Global

Enjoy unique
membership benefits

In return for fellows’ investment of time and energy, BGU invests in them: in their personal and philanthropic growth, their professional horizons, and their potential to make a measurable difference for Israel and the world.

APPLY HERE

International Connections
Fellows grow their circle of professional connections to include
business and community leaders from around the world.

Meaningful Friendships
Fellows meet like-minded people who share their core values,
commitments, and connection to the Jewish people and Israel.

Leadership Development
Fellows learn new ideas and best practices for becoming effective,
influential leaders in their professional and/or communal lives.

Access to BGU Leadership
Fellows participate in an exclusive evening event with BGU President
Prof. Daniel Chamovitz during their Israel seminar.

Unique Encounter with Israel
Fellows see an Israel that most others cannot, including tours of top
researchers’ laboratories, visits to innovative community programs,
and meetings with scholars, policymakers, and leaders changing the face of the Negev and Israel.

BUILDERS and BELIEVERs

The Halutz Initiative for Global Leadership

Cohort V
April 26 – May 3, 2026

For questions about Halutz or to express interest in membership, please contact us at info@saicc.co.za.

APPLY HERE

Join an elite community of leaders who are learning to make a difference

Realize your capacity to help build a better world

The Halutz Initiative is an incubator for a new kind of pioneer: forward-thinking, entrepreneurial, socially minded supporters of Israel equipped with leadership qualities and a nuanced understanding of the most critical issues of the day. An immersive program led by scholars and scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) prepares a select group of promising individuals to turn their passions into practical solutions – for BGU, the Negev, Israel and the world.

Candidates
The Halutz Initiative accepts exceptional individuals (in the age
range of around 30-50) who are committed to Israel and care deeply about social change. They are marked by intellectual curiosity and demonstrated leadership abilities, and are motivated to take part in a demanding yet rewarding one-year educational experience.

Program
Fellows participate in a fully funded, week-long seminar held in
Israel in March of each year. Designed to deepen fellows’ knowledge of the most pressing problems facing Israel and the world, the seminar also exposes them to the innovative solutions developed at BGU. In addition, fellows join in three virtual group meetings: two pre-seminar sessions in November and January and one post-seminar
session in May.

Goals
Fellows share their knowledge of key issues and potential solutions
with bold thinkers, savvy investors, and business and community
leaders in their home countries. In this way, they build networks of
support for BGU research and activities and help advance a better
Israel and world.

Commitment
The Halutz Initiative covers all fellows’ travel and related program
costs. Fellows should understand and be comfortable with the
expectations from them, recognizing that the program is both a
financial and time-intensive investment in them. They will not be
asked to commit to a philanthropic gift, but will be comfortable
with the expectation that they will repay this investment in some
manner in the future.

Application
Suitable candidates should express their interest in applying to
the program to their BGU association chairperson or president.
He or she will submit a nomination proposal, together with an
applicant questionnaire and letter of recommendation, to BGU’s
Global Development Committee for review. Applicants are
interviewed between June-July, and letters of acceptance mailed
in September of each year.

Learn more about engagement
with Israel’s pioneering university

For more information about BGU, visit our website at
https://in.bgu.ac.il/en