Oxford Brookes Sam Zuckerberg Israel Scholarship

For postgraduate students from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel

A brief history of the scholarship

Back in 2009, members of the Oxford Jewish Congregation (OJC) began hearing how the Jewish students at Oxford Brookes University were finding that the image of Israel was much misunderstood by their fellow students.

Following discussions with the university, it was suggested to set up a scholarship to bring an Israeli student to Brookes with the idea that they would also be able to provide opportunities for presenting Israel on campus, and would encourage Arab-Israeli dialogue on campus and in the city.

The initiative was launched to set up the “Oxford Brookes University Israel Scholarship” and fundraising duly started amongst the OJC members, family and friends. Contact was established with Ben-Gurion University (BGU) and the search also began for the first recipient. As the work grew, news spread and there was even a mention in the House of Lords during a debate on water in the Middle East by Baroness Ruth Deech. Thanks to the generosity of donors, enough funds were raised to select the first recipient to start in September 2012.

In 2013, past chairman of the Board of Governors of BGU Roy J. Zuckerberg, upon hearing about both the transformational impact the scholarship was having and the need to secure its future, gave a donation in memory of his late father Sam Zuckerberg. The scholarship officially became known as the “Sam Zuckerberg Scholarship”.

The generosity of the donation has eased the burden of fundraising for the scholarship greatly although there is still a funding gap that needs to be filled.

Our scholars and where they are now

Elad Almog '13 - MSc International Hotel & Tourism Management

Elad Almog graduated in 2013 with an MSc in International Hotel & Tourism Management. He is now a University Lecturer in Be’er Sheva.

"I learned how people from other cultures think about globalism, and how closely related is their perception of Israel and Israelis to their willingness to collaborate with us. Today I'm about to submit my PhD thesis and am working with the public sector to help shape tourism policy in the Dead Sea region. I believe a global perspective will help shape the future development of Southern Israel. Without my time at Brookes, this approach would not have been possible."

Yasmin Haj-Amer '14 - MA Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Yasmin Haj-Amer graduated in 2014 with an MA in Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language. She is now an English teacher and mentor in Be’er Sheva.

"English is the language of the world..... it has to be the language of the Bedouin student as well. Coming to the UK and studying at Oxford Brookes (gave me) the chance to meet great and intelligent people. The Scholarship changed me. ... allowed me to see another community which allows everybody to talk freely and allows a woman to talk freely about her ideas and opinions. When I returned home I convinced other Bedouin girls to fight for their right too ... to study at university."

Read Yasmin's interview in our alumni magazine >>

Anya Shani '15 - MSc Business Management

Anya Shani graduated in 2015 with an MSc in Business Management. She is now CEO of a cultural centre in Jerusalem.

"Little did I know just how much my time and studies at Oxford Brookes would lay the foundation for my future in Israel.The interaction at Brookes with people from different cultures and religions from all over the world directly impacted my role as Director of Culture and Events at the Jerusalem International YMCA."

Orli Kagan '16 - MSc Business Management

Orli Kagan graduated in 2016 with an MSc in Business Management. She is now a Global Data Analyst for a cosmetics company in Tel Aviv.

Yael Vitelson '17 - MSc Human Resources Management

Yael Vitelson graduated in 2017 with an MSc in Human Resources Management. Yael was awarded the Oxford Brookes CIPD Student Prize for 2016/17. This prize is in recognition of her overall performance on and contribution to the HRM programmes at the Business School. It recognises the significant roles she played in shaping and supporting the experience of her fellow students last year, her role as class representative and also her overall high standard of academic performance.

She is now a Talent Acquisition Manager for a software company in Tel Aviv.

"What makes this scholarship exceptional is the support from the Oxford Jewish Congregation who make me feel I have a home from home. The Scholarship has changed my life. [...] The options that are now open to me are numerous. I would like to thank the Sam Zuckerberg donors for investing in me and helping me recognise my potential. I hope that one day I'll be in your seat and help students achieve their aspirations."

Elel Eitan (née Eshed) '18 - MSc Business Management & Marketing

Elel Eitan graduated in 2018 with an MSc in Business Management & Marketing. She is now an Associate Director of a pharmaceutical company in Tel Aviv.

Auren Renford '20 - MSc International Hotel & Tourism Management

Auren Renford graduated in 2020 with an MSc in International Hotel & Tourism Management.

Auren says that studying for his Masters at Brookes "was an amazing opportunity for a once in a lifetime experience" and that "Oxford Brookes is one of the best universities for learning about hospitality." Auren with his wife Ortal, were like everyone else affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thankfully it didn't prevent Auren from completing his course, though it did bring his otherwise happy time in Oxford to an early end. Auren returned to work at his previous company in Be'ersheva where as well as managing Airbnbs he is also managing a new hotel. He says, "I could not have afforded to live and study in the UK. It was a dream and without the scholarship would have stayed a dream. The scholarship changed my life."

He is now Vice-President of a hospitality company in Be’er Sheva.

Read Auren's interview in our alumni magazine >>

Paz Shpirer '21 - MSc Marketing & Brand Management

Paz Shpirer graduated in 2021 with an MSc in Marketing & Brand Management. She is now a Marketing Manager for a digital security company in Giv’atayim

Maayan Kalakuda '22 - MSc International Business Management & Entrepreneurship

Maayan Kalakuda graduated in 2022 with an MSc in International Business Management & Entrepreneurship. She is now Project Management Officer and Business Development Manager for an engineering company in central Israel.

Tom Elner '23 - MSc Management & Business Analytics

Tom Elner graduated in 2023 with an MSc in Management & Business Analytics. She is now a Data Analyst for a social business in London.

Read her interview in our alumni magazine >>

Adi Jackson '24 - MSc Historic Conservation

Adi Jackson grew up in Beit Shemesh. In July 2023 she obtained her undergraduate degree in Structural Engineering at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. She says "I applied for this specific scholarship for the purpose of meeting students from all over the world and telling my Israeli story".

At Oxford Brookes, she is now studying for a Master's in Historic Conservation. "My desire to join the historical conservation course at Oxford Brookes comes from my dream to be a bridge between ancient and modern. I want to use my professional abilities as a modern structural engineer to join the diverse building conservation field in Israel. The conservation field in Israel is a growing field with many opportunities in different areas, from conserving sites a thousand years old to buildings built only a hundred years ago".