In January 1987, after years of occupying rented quarters, Neve Yerushalayim moved to its magnificent new campus in Har Nof, Jerusalem's largest modern religious suburb. The beautifully landscaped campus is situated on an elevated six-acre plot of land offering a tranquil atmosphere and breathtaking views of the Jerusalem hills.

Twelve buildings currently occupy the campus. Students in the various programs are housed in eight fully-furnished residences and take their meals in the dining hall that is equipped with a modern kitchen. Three academic buildings provide classrooms, computer and science laboratories, libraries, and administrative offices. One of the academic buildings, recently completed, serves as a science and arts complex and includes an advanced audio-visual center. The campus also houses The Family Institute and two therapy clinics – the Counseling Center and the Speech and Language Center.

Other facilities on the campus are an amphitheater that provides a spectacular setting for outdoor lectures and performances, a gym, and a synagogue that serves both the students and community residents. Future building plans call for a large auditorium and a sports and health complex for both the students and the community.

Student Body

Michlelet Esther seeks a very special young woman who began her journey towards a Torah-based lifestyle while still in high school and now wishes to use her Israel seminary experience to cement her commitment to that lifestyle. At Michlelet Esther she is given the opportunities to discover the rationale and reasons for her Torah values. She is inspired to pass on her love for Torah to her future family.

At Michlelet Esther students enjoy modern dorm facilities that remain open throughout the academic year including Sukkot and Pesach. Students are served three delicious meals daily.

Tours and Extracurricular Activities

To enrich the student’s learning experience, Michlelet Esther offers tours and visits to Biblical, historical, and nature sites throughout Israel. These field trips augment classroom study and provide firsthand knowledge of the land and its people.

To enhance the academic environment, tours are provided throughout the school year. Advocacy and chessed opportunities are available, as well as extracurricular activities and self-study projects. Several Shabbatonim are held during the year in different communities throughout the country. In addition, Michlelet Esther provides a warm, caring environment that makes each student feel at home as soon as she walks through the school’s doors. A mature social atmosphere that fosters personal growth allows the open-minded student to grow at her own pace. A highly regarded support staff provides her with the life-skills that will help her through the maze of issues confronting a young adult.

Students with theatrical and creative talents have the opportunity to write, produce, and perform shows. As part of Michlelet Esther’s special chessed program, students are encouraged to do good deeds by volunteering their time to help needy families and to visit the sick and elderly. They distribute toys and fresh fruits to children and adult cancer patients in various hospitals in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Accommodations

Michelet Esther students are housed in one of the eight student residences located on the Neve Yerushalayim campus.

The Michelet Esther residence contains six apartments - five that are occupied by the students and one that is occupied by a housemother and her family. Each student apartment has four or six dormitory rooms, a kitchen, washroom facilities including showers, and a laundry room for hand washables. (Automatic washers and dryers are available on campus.) Three students are assigned to each dormitory room. The housemother is responsible for the well being of all the students in her dormitory.

Dormitory life is friendly, broadening, and educational. Students come from varying backgrounds, countries, and walks of life. Together they work to create a harmonious home-like atmosphere.

Meal Services

Three meals a day are served in the school’s dining hall. The Administrator of Food Services tries to accommodate special dietary needs.

Periodically the school spends Shabbat together, either on the Neve campus or out of town. Most weeks, however, the student eats Shabbat meals with families of her choice, or if she wishes, with families assigned by the school. A student may ask to be placed in Jerusalem or in other locations throughout Israel. This system enables students to experience the richness of Shabbat, meet many families living in Israel, and become acquainted with different parts of the country.

Security

The Neve campus is located in Har Nof, a religious Jerusalem neighborhood. The school takes all the necessary precautions to protect the students residing on the campus. The school has a 24-hour armed guard at the main and only entrance to the enclosed campus.

The school is in constant contact with, and receives updated information from, the American Consulate and the local police security department about which areas to avoid. Instructions, as well as restrictions in travel, are given to the students based on current security conditions. The school strongly advises against attending or participating in public gatherings and restaurants.

School trips and outings are held in conformity with permission from the Israeli army. Armed guards accompany school trips as required by the regulations of the Army and Ministry of Education.