HAIFA, Israel - October 2026 - Masa Israel Journey marked the opening of the 19th year of Masa Doctors with a ceremony at Haifa City Hall on October 12. The program has helped more than 1,200 Jewish physicians build careers in Israel, with alumni now serving in hospitals, community healthcare services and the Israel Defense Forces.
Established by the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Government of Israel, Masa Israel Journey offers the program with the generous support of the Samueli Foundation and the Triguboff Institute, in collaboration with the Ministry of health. Masa Doctors combines preparation for medical practice in Israel with educational experiences that help participants understand Israeli society, strengthen their Jewish identity and build a sense of belonging.
The opening ceremony brought together the Mayor of Haifa, Masa CEO Meir Holtz, the Deputy Director of Rambam Health Care Campus, and Shalom Norman of the Triguboff Institute.
This year’s cohort includes approximately 45 doctors from the former Soviet Union, participating in tracks in Haifa, in partnership with Rambam Health Care Campus, and Be’er Sheva, in partnership with Soroka Medical Center.
By helping qualified physicians navigate the transition to medical practice in Israel, Masa Doctors contributes to the country’s healthcare workforce while enabling participants to continue their careers and build their lives in Israel. The program includes preparation for the Ministry of Health’s medical licensing examination, Hebrew studies, specialized medical Hebrew instruction, hospital visits and an introduction to the Israeli healthcare system.
“Masa Doctors connects an important need in Israeli society with the skills and aspirations of Jewish physicians who want to build their future here,” said Meir Holtz, CEO of Masa Israel Journey. “Preparing for a licensing exam and learning medical Hebrew are essential, but becoming part of a society takes more. Through personal encounters, educational experiences and everyday life in Israel, participants gain a deeper understanding of the people they will care for and the communities they are joining. The partnership and support of the Triguboff Institute’s helps make that broader process of integration possible.”
The Triguboff Institute plays a central role in supporting and facilitating the program’s educational dimension, investing in participants’ understanding of Israel, Israeli society and culture, and Jewish traditions. Alongside their professional studies, doctors have opportunities to explore their identity, form relationships and develop a personal connection to their new home.
A key example is Masa ID, a four-day educational journey across Israel. Through visits, lectures, educational sessions and a shared Shabbat experience, participants encounter life beyond the classroom and hospital, deepening their understanding of the country and their place within it.
“The medical Hebrew classes and exam preparation helped us find our professional footing,” said Michael and Polina Stern, who joined Masa Doctors as a couple in 2018–2019. Today, Michael is an orthopedic specialist at Bnai Zion Medical Center, and Polina is a pathology specialist at Rambam Health Care Campus. They are now parents of three.
“But what helped us truly feel part of Israeli society were the educational journeys, lectures and discussions about Israel’s history, traditions and culture. These experiences gave us a deeper understanding of our patients’ lives and the experiences that shape them, while helping us build our own sense of belonging. That has made a difference both in our work as doctors and in the life we have built here as a family” Shalom Norman, founder of the Triguboff Institute, summarised: "It is an honors for us to be an active partner-marking the fourth year of our involvement-in the Masa program for Russian-speaking young adults, and to contribute the experience we have gained in recent years. Our activities focus on areas that lie at the core of the long-lasting philanthropic work of Harry Triguboff, one of the prominent leaders of the Australian Jewish community.”
With more than 1,200 alumni working across Israel’s healthcare system, the program combines professional preparation with an introduction to Israeli society, supported by the Samueli Foundation and in partnership with Triguboff Institute