Jerusalem can seem further away from Be’er Sheva than the 66-mile drive may indicate, but young Kobi Lahav knew that Jerusalem housed the Hebrew University, home to Israel’s premier law school. “I was visiting New York, considering law school. Then a friend suggested returning to Israel and attending HU. I knew that most of the past and present justices of the Israeli Supreme Court were HU graduates, so it was an easy choice,” Kobi said.

During his first semester, Kobi worked in HU security. “The free housing seemed great but working security and attending classes—I was afraid I might have to quit. Instead, I decided to fulfill my dreams and focus on my studies,” he said. Kobi was especially impressed by the quality of HU professors: “When your professor for Criminal Law is the same person who wrote the Israeli Criminal Code, well, you can’t really do better than that,” Kobi said.

But classes and studying aren’t the only memories Kobi has of his time at HU: “Jerusalem really is unique—Judaism’s past, present, and future meet in its streets. And the city has a great nightlife where people from the city’s various communities mix together in local bars and clubs. I especially remember Haoman 17, one of the world’s top-rated clubs. It was fun.”

Life eventually brought Kobi to New York, where he earned an Executive MBA at New York University. He and his family live in New York, where he works in real estate brokerage, and he and his wife manage their property rental business. Kobi is a proud alumnus of HU and, when asked to describe the Hebrew University as a study abroad opportunity for U.S. students, he is enthusiastic: “HU offers quality professors and superior academic standards, it offers the opportunity to experience the living history that Jerusalem has to offer, and it introduces you to the fascinating people who inhabit the city. It’s a unique opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.”