Gvahim Young Professionals

After receiving my Masters in Business Administration three years ago I was still stuck working in an industry I was never happy in. I was so used to getting a paycheck every two weeks, that the idea of interning at almost 30 years old was out of the question. I lost my job a month before starting my internship in Israel. I took a leap of faith and ended up interning in one of the top CPA Firms in Israel UHY Shtainmetz Aminoach & Co.

I got way more than I expected from my internship. I was able to meet amazing young professionals like myself from France, Brazil, Argentina and my fellow peers from USA. Along with meeting the next group which included Australia, Holland and Turkey. I was able to train and assist my co-workers in the US Tax Department with many complex tax issues. I was also offered a position within a few months of being an intern. I grew not only on a professional level but on a personal level as well. We all come from different points in life and all have our own unique stories what brought us to Israel.

From day one I said I was not going to move and make Aliyah. By the time I finished my internship I was considering staying. I thought I was a successful young businessman, who like many young professionals thinks they know everything. With the experience I gained I am now a more well-rounded professional who is ready to tackle any new obstacles thrown at my business or myself. To the future young professionals, I can only say one thing, although it may be tough at times without immediate family or friends near you; chase your dreams and explore every opportunity you get through the various additional programs Gvahim has to offer.

Overall the best: I got to have an amazing internship that progressed my career while living in Israel. I found my internship by myself, though.

Social Scene: Amazing experience in that it's primarily French and otherwise very international and diverse. For some of the months hardly anyone spoke English well, though, which was tough.

Other benefits: Trips, Hebrew immersion classes, Professional workshops (mostly social-media and start-up based)