Finding a new Jewish community when you study abroad can be overwhelming. It may not be the first thing you thought of when you picked a study abroad location and it’s almost never on the informational materials from a university study abroad office or the program’s website. But if you’re used to attending a Jewish friendly college at home or you were active in Jewish college organizations on your campus, finding community abroad can be a great way to help you feel more at home in your new city.
Find your new home in one of the best study abroad cities for international Jewish students.
Before I studied abroad, I didn’t consider integrating with the local Jewish community as a huge value-added and incredible opportunity for immersion experience, but it was! Especially if you’re in a city with a smaller Jewish population, this might be an aspect of the local culture you’ll never learn about in your classes. Take advantage of any Shabbat dinner or holiday service you can find as a Jewish student studying abroad!
Here are the six best destinations for where Jewish college students can find an instant community while studying abroad—in no particular order—according to KAHAL Abroad participants and staff:
Top cities where Jewish students should study abroad
1. Florence
Florence boasts one of the oldest continuous Jewish communities in Europe and has an active Chabad on campus which was created specifically for Jewish study abroad students.
Besides Chabad, there's the Comunità ebraica di Firenze, a traditional community with Shabbat and holiday services located at the Great Synagogue. It’s one of the largest synagogues in south-central Europe. Study abroad students should absolutely take advantage of Jewish city tours with a member of the Jewish community here—they’re usually more fun than long-winded conversations with Omi!
You can also visit Shir Chadash to learn more about Jewish history in Florence. This egalitarian Progressive Jewish synagogue is a member of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, the international umbrella organization of Reform, Reconstructionist, Liberal and Progressive movements.
Erica Lowenkron, a Jewish college student studying in Florence, said she was able to go to Shabbat dinner every Friday night in spring 2017 and that connecting with students through Chabad “really helped Florence feel like a home.” And, the difference in levels of observance wasn’t a problem for her. “I am reform, and a lot of the Jewish people I was abroad with were more religious than I am, but they still accepted me,” Lowenkron said. “The experience was meaningful because I learned more about Judaism, and I became more observant.”
The one major shortcoming of Florence is that the local Jewish community is small and there may even be more Jewish students studying abroad there than local Jews. However, there are enough Jews that the city has two kosher options—Carrefour Express and Ruth's, located next to the Great Synagogue.
- Recommended program: Athena Study Abroad
2. London
London is home to a huge Jewish population—about 270,000—and has Jewish college organizations like the Union of Jewish Students (UJS) and the Jewish Society on Campus (JSOC). These two organizations are present on many campuses in the city and provide weekly lunches and lectures, as well as activist and leadership development opportunities. There's also a Chabad, many synagogues, and many Kosher options.
“I was invited to a number of events in the London Jewish community that served as a highly valuable component of my overall experience abroad,” said Jesse Parritz, who studied abroad in London. “It became clear that Jews in London were not all that different from those I knew in Wisconsin and Minnesota.”
Studying abroad in London as a Jewish student means you can enjoy both Progressive and Masorti opportunities. You might consider checking out the Jewish Learning Experience, or JLE, which provides Jewish education at an individual's pace and "assists the community in celebrating the joys of Judaism.”
Another former Jewish study abroad student, Hanna Ginzburg, emphasized opportunities available at the London School of Economics. “Rabbi Sands and Rabbi B both did a great deal to reach out to LSE students and make them feel at home,” she said. “I even attended a Shabbat dinner at Rabbi B's house and a Passover Seder at Rabbi Sands'.”
Some drawbacks in London Jewish life are that due to the size and sprawl of the city, access to different opportunities can be difficult.
- Recommended program: IES Abroad
3. Barcelona
With Spanish university students welcoming international students with open arms, Barcelona is an excellent Jewish friendly study abroad destination. The city also offers Jewish history tours and some kosher options. You can find plenty of youth activities and relationships with the traditional community and can connect with host families, Moishe House, and Chabad.
If you feel like doing some Jewish sightseeing, consider the Jewish Quarter, located in the middle of Barri Gòtic. This area is called El Call, derived from the Hebrew word “kahal”—community or congregation. The district houses Spain’s oldest synagogue, Sinagoga Major de Barcelona, which is also among the oldest synagogues in Europe. It reopened for the public in 2002, and though it’s not open for regular services today, it occasionally hosts special ceremonies.
For a more modern taste of Spanish Jewish life, be sure to swing by Maccabi, a kosher restaurant at Las Ramblas, one of the most iconic areas in Barcelona. There’s also a kosher grocery store called Benben.
One downside is that past Jewish study abroad students have said more volunteer and internship opportunities are needed. However, you can check out ATID, the Masorti community, and the Progressive community for a little variety in Jewish programming.
- Recommended program: Barcelona SAE
4. Sydney
Considered one of the most dynamic and thriving Jewish communities in the diaspora, Sydney has a Jewish population of about 50,000. The city has many synagogues, the Sydney Jewish Museum, and a Jewish tour—the perfect break from the books for any Jewish college student studying abroad in Sydney. While the museum was built to commemorate and teach about the Holocaust, it also tells the history of Australian Jewry. The local Jewish tour is worth a trip, which includes the museum as well as the central synagogue, a Jewish baker, butcher and bookstore, the Eastern suburbs Waterfront Bay areas, and many other stops.
If you want to get to know local Jewish students, try participating in AUJS, the Australasian Union of Jewish Students, one of the largest Jewish college organizations in Australia. It has student clubs registered at more than 20 university campuses and organizes social and political events on and off campus, according to its website.
“When I arrived, I quickly learned where the majority of Jews lived, where the nearest synagogue was and got in contact with the Hillels on various college campuses,” Mikey Levitt said. “I never felt like I was out of place because I could always find a piece of Jewish life at home while studying in Australia.”
Sydney is home to Chabad, Orthodox, Masorti, and Reform communities. Australia Israel & Jewish Affairs Council—AIJAC—also provides Israel-related opportunities and volunteer experiences through Our Big Kitchen. Students say the only gap in Jewish life in this city is that they have to go through partners in order to reach host families.
If just you're looking for a space to socialize with other Jews, check out the AEPi house at Shalom College. The Sydney chapter, a relatively new one, has more than 25 members and a campus house. Their house also offers a kosher kitchen and Jewish chaplaincy services, including books and tefillin you can borrow.
Jessica Vogel said she was able to attend a Passover seder and Exchange Students Shabbat dinner at the AEPi house. “I also was able to connect with other Jewish students while studying abroad through attending these events. I look forward to staying in touch with everything,” she said.
- Recommended program: New York University
5. Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires has the largest Jewish population in South America and is a whopping eight percent Jewish. Most of Argentina’s 250,000 Jews live here, though smaller student-cities like Rosario, Cordoba, and Santa Fe also have sizable populations.
The city offers both Hillel and Chabad, as well as a Jewish museum, which provides volunteer and internship opportunities and Jewish tours (some multi-day!). Buenos Aires is also home to the only kosher McDonald's in the diaspora—it’s located in the Abasto shopping mall. Get your McFix quick (it can double as brain food when you’re cramming for your next exam).
Buenos Aires has a Moishe House, and while most Jews here are Orthodox and Conservative, you can still find some Reform synagogues. Once and Abasto, the garment district, are staples of Buenos Aires Jewish life. Yesod Hadath, a nearly 100-year-old Sephardic synagogue, can’t be missed. Along with the Grand Temple of Paso, this synagogue is considered one of South America's most beautiful. If you’re ever missing home while studying abroad in Argentina, visiting gorgeous temples like these will give you a sense of comfort akin to the warm glow of a Hanukkah candle.
- Recommended program: CISabroad
6. Paris
The City of Light offers Chabad, Masorti, and Reform communities, as well as internship opportunities through CRIF—Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France—and a few host families.
“I could definitely see myself returning to this Chabad for Shabbat or other events in the future,” said Rebecca Freed, who studied abroad in Paris and attended a Seder here.
Sharon Magen, a Jewish college student, said she was able to take advantage of many different opportunities in Paris. “I managed to connect to various Jewish life initiatives, such as a European Jewish students’ trip to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland,” she said. “I had even been given an opportunity so speak at the council.”
Paris has a large Jewish community of about 300,000 and plenty of Kosher restaurants. For sightseeing in between classes, check out the Marais district. This is the old quarter where Eastern European Jews lived—and a great location to bump into other Jewish college students studying abroad.
The 19th arrondissement is the center of Parisian Jewish life. On Rue Manin, you can find all sorts of kosher grocery stores, cake shops, and Judaica stores. Where else should you go if you're feeling homesick for Israel? Look no further than Rue des Rosiers for multiple falafel shops (according to YeahThatsKosher). There are also a lot of kosher restaurants in the 17th and 16th arrondissement neighborhoods. If you care about kashrut, a warning: Look at the kosher certification closely; some of the supposedly “kosher” restaurants don't have rabbinical supervision.
“While in Paris, I experienced firsthand so many rich, beautiful expressions of Judaism. I connected with my Sephardic roots and plan to incorporate the recipes, songs, and traditions into my home,” Jacqueline Soria said.
- Recommended program: New York University
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While there are many other popular study abroad destinations with thriving Jewish communities, these six are particularly strong and have different strengths from one another. Even in cities with smaller Jewish communities, there usually is something available. If you’re studying abroad in a popular tourist destination, reach out to Chabad—there’s a Chabad in many of them. And Hillel International or the Hillel at your university might be able to connect you with other Jewish students. If you’re just looking for kosher food, yeahthatskosher.com is the way to go.
Additionally, use social media to your advantage. Maybe there’s a Facebook group for international students or Jewish students from your country studying abroad in your chosen destination. If you can’t find an established community, just create one with other Jewish students abroad!
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