Muss Blog

Student stories, staff perspectives, and study-abroad tips from the Muss community.

Muss Staff & Educators

March 19, 2026

Stories from an Israeli Intelligence Officer

Even in challenging and uncertain times, our students continue to show remarkable resilience—supporting one another, staying engaged in their studies, and finding moments of joy, connection, and growth each day.

Muss Staff & Educators

March 12, 2026

Staying Active on Campus

The past week has been an eventful one. Even with Israel’s complex situation, our students have shown incredible resilience, continuing their full academic programming, including Israel Studies and General Studies classes, throughout the week, all

Muss Staff & Educators

March 5, 2026

Staying Safe with Pride, Joy, and Resilience

Even amid the difficult and complex situation in Israel at the moment, our students continue to show resilience, unity, and incredible spirit. There is something truly powerful about watching them choose joy, connection, and positivity during

Student

Micah Smith | February 26, 2026

Remembering the Holocaust

On Thursday, we went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Remembrance Museum. We learned all about the history of the buildup of Nazism and how the Jews were treated during the Holocaust. Reading about the different stories and seeing videos of the bodies

Student

Maya Anavim | February 26, 2026

A Typical Week at Muss

This week at Muss, we had the amazing experience of crawling through Bet Govrin, caves that were used thousands of years ago, followed by staying in the middle of the desert at Kfar Hanokdim and learning about the Bedouin people, the Arab minority

Muss Staff & Educators

February 26, 2026

Heading South in the Winter

It was an exciting week for both our spring and January students, filled with joy and learning.

Student

Zoey Mendez | February 19, 2026

Trekking Up Masada

Hike Masada at sunrise with Muss students and explore the ancient fortress, its history, and the surrounding desert landscape.

Student

Chloe Foster | February 19, 2026

Shabbat in Tzfat

On Friday, we went to the Sea of Galilee and had a quick lesson from our teacher about the history of the area. We then also saw mountain goats! We then spent Shabbat in Tzfat! We first had a challah-making class, and when it was done, it tasted

Muss Staff & Educators

February 19, 2026

Israel under Roman Rule

This week was filled with meaningful experiences and special tiyulim (trips) that helped students deepen their connection to Israel and to one another.

Student

Emma Kurzman | February 12, 2026

Beyond the Text: Exploring the Meaning of Tel Aviv's Street Art

Within the past week, our group has traveled to Tel Aviv, expanded our understanding of Jewish history and culture, and had an open weekend during which we experienced Shabbat with many different families, seeing firsthand how each family has its

Student

Daniel Ashar | February 12, 2026

Bearing Witness at Nova

This week at Muss, we visited the Israel Envelope (formerly known as the Gaza Envelope) and saw the murals in Sderot depicting the tragedy of October 7. Afterwards, we went to a site called Tkuma, where we saw hundreds of destroyed cars riddled with

Muss Staff & Educators

February 12, 2026

Experiencing Resilience in Israel's South

It's been a beautiful winter here in Israel. It has been really special to see how comfortable the students are with one another and how strong the group dynamic has become.