Teach and Study Program, Tel Aviv Israel

I was on the 1st year of TASP from 1997-1999. It was an amazing course with extremely helpful professors and coordinators (Dr Zvi and Marion Dank). Through this program, I learned a wealth of info about the Jewish culture while there. The MA I earned has been immeasurably valuable in landing me some excellent university teaching positions since I graduated in Dec of 1999. I cannot recommend that program enough. Life changing!

Within weeks of starting TASP, you are going to feel cheated in a big way. The services it provides are laughably nonexistent and unhelpful. Other than the bank and health insurance, practically no help is given acclimating to Israel. Expect no help from the coordinators, especially when you need them the most. If you have any legitimate gripes (you're internship is a mess, the coursework makes no sense for the purposes of the degree, you don't feel like you are getting any value out of paying a laughably high $12,000) they treat it like you are the problem. The instructors and professors don't appear to be in on the fact that TASP is a scam. They are the only thing keeping the program from being totally cynical. But they are sadly not enough to make up for the countless problems.