Jeffrey D.Schwartz & NaTang Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association and National Taiwan University, sponsored a group of students for a study visit to Israel in July this year. The program, known as the Jewish Taiwan Cultural Association (JTCA)Taiwanese Students Study Tour in Israel, offered students the opportunity to visit renowned Israeli startups and NGOs. The program also provided accommodation, transportation, and meals during their stay in Israel. Through visits to startups and cultural sites, 30 National Taiwan University students had the chance to experience Israel's entrepreneurial spirit and gain a deeper understanding of Jewish culture, enriching their life perspectives.
The journey began in Tel Aviv, where Ambassador Ya-Ping (Abby) Lee and Irit Barash, the Executive Director of the The Jewish Agency for Israel's Western Europe and UK delegation, welcomed the students. They shared insights into the reasons, opportunities, and challenges that have made Israel a startup powerhouse. Ambassador Lee also emphasized the importance of the Taiwan-Israel relationship and encouraged the students to become citizen diplomats in fostering closer ties.
During the internship program, students not only studied Israel's startup development and prospects but also visited a variety of startups. These included financial platform Unit, cyber security platform Cyrebro, sugar reduction innovator Incredo, ticketing platform SeatGeek, AI-based vegetable cultivation company AgwaGarden, and global leader in MicroLED testing InZiv.
In the latter part of their journey, the students visited three of Judaism's holiest cities: Tiberias, Tzfat, and Jerusalem. This allowed them to not only experience Jewish culture and traditions but also to explore more startup enterprises. Additionally, they had an opportunity to exchange ideas with Hebrew University, a sister institution of National Taiwan University, founded by Albert Einstein.
The program also took the students to unique Israeli communities known as kibbutzim. There, they learned about how these communities transitioned from agricultural settlements to the creation of the world-famous drip irrigation technology company, Netafim. They also gained insights into the advantages and challenges these communities face in a globalized and modern society. The students learned about Bedouin culture inside tents and witnessed the sunrise at Masada while reflecting on the historical hardships of the Jewish people. They also explored the history and geography of the Golan Heights in jeeps and observed the fusion of art and religion in Tzfat. In Jerusalem, they saw how different religions and cultures coexist.
One of the students,You-Jhen Gao from the Department of International Business, noted that apart from experiencing the diverse and vibrant Israeli startup scene, they were deeply impressed by the Israeli people's willingness to try, their fearlessness in making mistakes, and their resilience in the face of failures. They pledged to bring this spirit back to Taiwan.
