Life On and Off Campus
The Student Association
The Student Association at the University of Haifa offers a variety of activities throughout the year, and international students are welcome to participate in all activities.
In the past, the Student Association has offered the following activities:
- Classes in kick-boxing, yoga, and salsa dancing.
- Celebrations for the beginning and end of the school year, as well as different holidays.
- Student Day, a multi-day event in the spring consisting of concerts by top Israeli artists at the beach, crafts fairs, and trips to a nearby water park.
- Weekly concerts on campus during the semesters.
Please visit the Student Association website by clicking here.
Religious Life
The University of Haifa is very proud of the diversity on campus. The campus is a mix of secular and religious Jewish native Israelis, new immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, South America, and France, and Israelis whose religious and ethnic backgrounds are Muslim, Christian, Druze, and Bedouin. In the International School, we promote the diverse religious and ethnic self-expression of all of our students, and help them find their own unique connection to Israel. While the number of observant Jewish students at the University of Haifa is small, the campus is very comfortable for observant students. All campus dining facilities are kosher, and in your apartment in the dorms you can observe kashrut and Shabbat. Two Orthodox synagogues are located within walking distance from campus and there is a Conservative synagogue and a Reform synagogue a short ride away from the University. All formal activities organized by the International School are both kashrut and Shabbat observant - allowing all students to participate. Haifa also has many churches and mosques, as well as the center for the Bahai faith. The International School is happy to assist any student in finding a place of worship or a religious community.
Area Attractions
Haifa is Israel's foremost port city for international commerce and the center of Israeli high tech industries. Two of the most distinguishing features of this dynamic city are its physical beauty and its cosmopolitan population of 265,000 Jews, Christians, Moslems, Druze, and Bahá'ís living in harmony. Haifa provides a wonderful environment for almost any kind of recreational and cultural activity. Numerous cinemas, restaurants, cafes, and clubs provide entertainment until the early hours of the morning, while Haifa's beaches and the Carmel National Forest provide recreation throughout the day. Please visit the websites of the following Haifa-area attractions:
Tour Haifa
Haifa Hillel
Haifa English Theater
Haifa Music Center
Haifa Cinemateque
Israel National Museum of Science
Or Chadash Progressive Synagogue
Shatil
Leo Baeck Education Center
Haifa International Film Festival
Martef 10 Student Club-Hebrew Site
Transportation
The University of Haifa is accessed by several local bus routes:
Bus Number Destination
24 Horev, Romema, Hadar, Bat Galim
30 Horev, Mercaz HaCarmel, French Carmel
36 Mercaz Ziv, Hadar
37 Horev, Mercaz HaCarmel, Hadar, Bat Galim
46 Horev, Haifa Mall, Bus and Train Stations, Beach
141 Mercaz Ziv, Mifratz Bus Station
143 Nesher, Mifratz Bus Station
146 Nesher, Mifratz Bus Station
146 Horev, Hof HaCarmel Bus Station
In addition, there are "sherut" or "shared taxis" that travel from the University along the #37 and #141 bus routes. Private taxis are also available from campus. Israel is a small country, meaning that most places in Israel are a short distance away. Here are a few estimated driving distances between Haifa and major points in Israel:
Tel Aviv 50 minutes
Jerusalem 2 hours
Ben-Gurion Airport 1 hour, 20 minutes
Tiberias 50 minutes
Please visit the following websites for more detailed information regarding travel to and from the University of Haifa:
Egged Bus Company
Israel Railways
Weather
The weather in Haifa tends to be hot and humid in the summer and moderately cold in the winter. Here are the approximate temperatures in Haifa:
January 40°-65°F / 4°- 18°C
February 40°-65°F / 4°- 18°C
March 50°-70°F / 10°-21°C
April 55°-75°F / 13°-24°C
May 65°-79°F / 18°-26°C
June 65°-85°F / 18°-29°C
July 70°-90°F / 21°-32°C
August 75°-90°F / 24°-32°C
September 70°-89°F / 21°-32°C
October 60°-80°F / 16°-27°C
November 55°-70°F / 13°-21°C
December 45°-55°F / 7°-13°C
Map of Israel
