TAMID GROUP

FAQ

General

How do I join TAMID?

If there is a TAMID chapter at your campus, visit the Chapters page to find more information about your local chapter. Reach out to the chapter’s president or director of recruitment, and ask how you can join. All chapters have a selective recruitment process. If you are too late to join this semester, keep TAMID in mind and apply to join in the future.

How do I start a TAMID chapter at my campus?

If your campus has talented students who are interested in business, we hope you will consider beginning the process of starting a TAMID chapter. We call aspiring chapters TAMID Beta, with a one-year program that must be completed to be considered for full chapterhood. To get started, email expansion@tamidgroup.org.

I’m not Jewish. Can I join TAMID or start a TAMID chapter?

Of course you can! TAMID is not a religious organization, and we welcome participants and leaders from all backgrounds. Israel’s story as a hub of innovation is universally appealing. Just as the country attracts business and technology leaders from around the world, TAMID uses “the startup nation” as a tool for teaching business skills to talented students from any background.

I’m not a member of a TAMID chapter, but I’m interested in an internship in Israel. Can I apply for the fellowship?

No. Only active members of a TAMID chapter are eligible for the Fellowship. For TAMID Fellows, a summer in Israel is just one aspect of their involvement in TAMID. We encourage you to join or start a chapter!

What is TAMID’s policy on political and religious initiatives?
Since our founding, TAMID Group has been apolitical and areligious. TAMID connects our students to Israel only through non-divisive means: experiential business education. College campuses are places of political activism, debate, and tension. TAMID encourages students, acting as individuals, to be politically active and voice opinions relating to any cause they choose. Students sometimes seek guidance on whether they may, on TAMID’s behalf, communicate a position on an issue or otherwise partake in activism.
In response, our chapter presidents created simple litmus tests for the apolitical and areligious policy.
As an apolitical organization, TAMID does not host or sponsor programs that require members to either consume political content or take part in political activism. We define “political” as taking a position on a divisive or partisan issue relating to government.
As an areligious organization, TAMID does not host or sponsor programs that encourage religious practice or philosophy. (During the Fellowship program, some of the non-internship programming may involve visits to historic sites of religious significance. TAMID leadership ensures that these experiences are non-coercive and meaningful from a cultural perspective.)
TAMID partners with a wide variety of organizations that share our value of building connections with Israel, even if our missions are not identical. TAMID works with organizations such as Hillel, the Jewish Federations, and Israel on Campus Coalition on mutually beneficial initiatives that strictly adhere to our apolitical and areligious policy.
TAMID leaders politely ask that guest speakers adhere to this policy.

Israeli Companies

What is the difference between the TAMID Fellowship and TAMID Consulting?

The TAMID Fellowship is an 8-week summer internship program in Israel. Fellows live in Israel and work full-time for an Israeli host company, with an expectation that they will be assigned challenging projects and be mentored by a supervisor.

Consulting projects are conducted remotely, by larger teams. During the school year, TAMID consulting teams of 4-8 students work to help Israeli companies solve challenging business problems. For the students, the consulting projects are an intensive extracurricular activity. They communicate with a point of contact at the company throughout the semester, leading to a final presentation of the team’s solution.

Why should I trust TAMID students to do valuable work for my company?

Our students are elite, and they undergo a selective application process to earn acceptance into TAMID. Their first semester in TAMID is spent on an interactive education curriculum that prepares them to do high-level work for your company.

Being on university campuses brings its own set of advantages. First, our students understand the market for your company’s product or service. Second, they have access to research tools and faculty. Third, our students are in the midst of studying solutions to the challenges that many companies are facing.

Ultimately, the proof is in the results. Every year, TAMID’s reputation amongst Israeli companies gets better, and the number of requests for consulting projects and interns increases.

What type of projects can consulting teams help me with?

Consulting teams can work on projects in the following areas:

  • Market entry & sales strategy
  • Partnership advising
  • Financial modeling
  • Market research & customer segmentation
  • Industry projections & competitive analysis
  • Marketing & brand strategy
  • Data analysis
  • Product development
  • App/website development
  • Back-end technologyProjects must be oriented towards strategic problem-solving. Do not expect consultants to take sales roles.
What type of tasks can I expect from interns on the TAMID Fellowship?

TAMID Fellows choose to join the TAMID Fellowship over high-paying internships with prestigious consulting, tech, and financial firms. Thus, they expect to have a high-level experience of “learning by doing.” They do understand that the dynamic nature of a startup company can lead to a wide variety of tasks—some more challenging than others. But the interns expect to finish the summer with tangible accomplishments and learning experiences; days spent making copies or sorting mail are not acceptable.

Internship experiences are most valuable for companies and students when the intern has one or two large projects to work on over the course of a summer. Each intern comes with their own set of skills, but in general, they may be interested in:

  • Marketing
  • Product management
  • Financial analysis
  • Planning & strategy
  • Business development
  • Operations
  • Engineering & design
  • Programming

Donor

How can I donate?

The easiest way to donate is at our donation page.

You can also mail a check to:

TAMID Group
625 Kenmoor Ave SE Ste 350
#45052
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546-2395

What is TAMID Group's relationship with the Israel on Campus Coalition?

As of March 1, 2018, TAMID Group operates as an independent organization with a dedicated Board of Directors and staff. Prior to that date, TAMID operated under the fiscal sponsorship of the Israel on Campus Coalition, allowing TAMID to benefit from ICC’s administrative resources. We are grateful to ICC for its extraordinary role in fueling TAMID’s growth.

Do you accept non-cash donations (e.g. stock)?

Yes! Contact Rachel Philipson at rachel.p@tamidgroup.org.

Who can I contact with questions?

Email Rachel Philipson at rachel.p@tamidgroup.org.

What are TAMID Group's state disclosures?

Certain states require written disclosures for nonprofit organizations soliciting contributions. Individual state disclosures are below.

Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-435-7352 (800-HELP-FLA), OR VISITING www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Florida Registration #CH54661

Maryland: For the cost of copies and postage, from the Office of the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401.

New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/charfrm.htm. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT.

New York: Upon request, from the Attorney General Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.

REGISTRATION WITH A STATE AGENCY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THAT STATE.

More information about state disclosure verbiage and charitable state registrations.

Fellowship - General Questions

What does the Program Fee cover?

The $1,200 Program Fee goes directly towards subsidizing the Fellowship, including trips, transportation, programming, and living expenses for the summer. In reality, the program costs well over $9,000 per person and is highly subsidized by donations and our partners.

* Fellows will be expected to arrange and pay for their own flights to Israel. If you have demonstrated financial need, scholarships are available – see below.

What does the cost of the Fellowship cover?

The Program Fee will cover:

  • Housing for the duration of the Summer Fellowship
  • A substantive international internship experience
  • Professional and networking events
  • Health insurance for the dates of your session
  • Weekend and day trips
  • An intra-city bus pass
  • An international network and lasting friendships with other TAMID Fellows
  • The summer experience of a lifetime!
Is there Financial Aid available?

For those who can demonstrate financial need, partial or full financial aid is available. TAMID Group firmly believes that this experience should be available to all of our students, regardless of need. More information will be forthcoming for those accepted to the program or contact the Fellowship team at summerfellowship@tamidgroup.org.

What is my Security Deposit?

Your security deposit is a $400 refundable fee that you pay at the beginning of the summer. It will be used to cover any damages or fines you may accrue. Money can also be deducted from your security deposit for unprofessional behavior, including if you are late or miss any mandatory events, disciplinary issues, etc. At the end of the summer, you will have the choice to either receive a refund of the remaining money or donate it to TAMID to be used towards scholarships for the next summer’s Fellows.

What are the Fellowship dates?

Session 1: June 7 – Aug 3
Session 2: June 14 – Aug 10

If you have an academic conflict, please contact the Fellowship team at summerfellowship@tamidgroup.org as early as possible.

Can I arrive late or leave the Fellowship early?

Fellowship participants are expected to be in Israel for the duration of their session dates.  Under certain circumstances, late arrivals, early departures, or trips out of Israel during the summer MAY be approved.  If you have a potential need for one of these exceptions, you must submit a conflict form by April 2, 2023 so that it can be reviewed by TAMID Group and our partners at Onward Israel.  If you are approved for such an exception, missed days will incur a daily fee.

 

If you do not submit your request by the given deadline, we cannot guarantee that it will be approved regardless of the circumstances.

Can I travel outside of Israel during a free weekend?

The rules of the Fellowship program prohibit Fellows from leaving the country over the summer. If you anticipate needing to leave for any necessary circumstances, please submit the conflict form by April 2, 2023. Refer to the question above for more information.

Are all TAMID programs and events mandatory?

You will receive a calendar of events and trips prior to the summer. The calendar will clearly note which programs are mandatory, and which are optional.

ALL TAMID trips are mandatory

Will we be able to travel around Israel?

Yes, you will have one weekend trip, as well as other single-day trips over the course of the Fellowship. TAMID will send out an itinerary before you arrive in Israel with any mandatory trips, so you will have plenty of time to plan travel in your free time in advance. In addition to the trips and programming that TAMID will run, we also encourage you to explore Israel on your own. Onward Israel runs ‘shishi tours’, optional Friday tours around Israel that you can join.

Are there professional development opportunities available?

Yes, there will be sessions that are run for Fellows interested in various industries. More information on this will be sent leading up to the summer.

What are the security protocols?

Our service provider has a full-time security department linked to the Israeli Army, the Israeli Police, and all the relevant authorities, feeding real-time live updates to the group. During trips, our group’s every step in Israel is monitored and impromptu adjustments are made if needed. Security guards will accompany the group on all trips and security protocols will be clearly explained to Fellows during orientation.

Fellowship - Logistical Questions

How do we get to Israel?

Fellows are responsible for booking and paying for their own flights. You must submit your flight information to TAMID staff by April 2nd.

*Any tourist visas or visa extensions are also done by you independently. If you are unsure whether you require a visa, please reach out to your local Israeli Consulate.

Will there be transportation from the airport?

No, each student is expected to get from the Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion Airport to their orientation/registration location on their own. A taxi stand is available and drivers generally can manage in English. Please contact the Fellowship team at summerfelowship@tamidgroup.org if you have any questions regarding your arrival.

Do I need an Israeli cell phone plan?

Yes. According to the program rules, each Fellow must have a local Israeli phone number over the summer. In the information packet, we will provide details of an option to purchase a SIM card package. An Israeli phone number is absolutely necessary both for security/safety reasons and for the purposes of setting up your bus pass, which can only be used with an Israeli number.

Phones MUST be unlocked before arrival or you must bring/buy a second, unlocked phone that you carry with you at all times that can hold an Israeli SIM card.

How much spending money should I bring?

TAMID will cover your accommodation, monthly local bus pass (RavKav), health insurance, and any mandatory trips. We recommend bringing the amount you would normally spend when traveling while keeping in mind that Tel Aviv is an expensive city (food prices are similar to NYC/LA city prices). You will receive a modest stipend at the beginning of the program intended to cover some basic household necessities which are only intended to get you started. We recommend that you bring a few hundred dollars of cash and/or an international credit card that can be used for any additional expenses.

* Please keep in mind that certain credit cards, such as American Express, are not always accepted in Israel.

How will I get around in Israel?

Fellows will be provided with an unlimited monthly bus pass that will enable you to take public transportation within Tel Aviv, and to your workplace. Any transportation that you take on your own time outside of the city limits will be at your own expense.

Who is our first point of contact in Israel?

Each cohort will be assigned Madrichim (counselors), who are on call 24/7. In addition to medical, social, linguistic, and technical support, they will also facilitate social events for the cohort.

Fellowship - Housing Questions

What does Fellowship housing look like?

During the 2023 Fellowship, Fellows will be living either in apartment-style (shared bedrooms), hostel-style, or dorm-style. Housing will have shared living spaces as well as space to cook meals (with basic kitchen tools). All housing has been carefully vetted and visited by both Onward Israel and TAMID staff and meets Onward Israel’s housing standards. We will send out specific details of where you will be living before the Fellowship starts.

* You must remain in our housing for the entire Fellowship duration

What is included in the living spaces?

Each Fellow will receive the following items: bed, sheets, towel, dresser / closet. All apartments will also have air conditioning and wifi as well as a basic kitchen. A packing list will be sent out in the TAMID info packet before the Fellowship.

Can we choose our roommates or cohort?

You will be sent a Housing Form, on which you can request a Fellow to be placed in your cohort. We will not be taking roommate requests. Your cohort requests will be taken into consideration, however, we do not guarantee that you will be placed with the Fellow you request.

Can we choose specific housing arrangements?

Housing preference will be taken into consideration, but it may not be possible for every Fellow to get their first choice. We also cannot guarantee specific arrangements, like single bedrooms. If you have specific needs, you must write them on your housing request form and provide supporting evidence (ie. doctor’s note in cases of medical/sleep needs) – we can only do our best to accommodate these needs if we are aware of them as early as possible.

* All rooms will be single sex

What if I need Shomer Shabbat/Kosher housing?

If you need Shabbat or Kosher housing, please let us know on the housing form and we will place you in an apartment with others who request the same.

Do TAMID chapter members live together?

TAMID chapter members are purposely divided to ensure cohort diversity and to give you the chance to meet as many TAMID Fellows from other chapters as possible. You may find yourself in the same cohort as another chapter member, but this is not guaranteed.

When will housing and cohort lists be available?

The Fellowship team will release the housing and cohort lists in the weeks before the program.

How do meals work on the program?

You will receive a lunch stipend from your company for each working day to put towards your meals. All other meals will be at the expense of the Fellow.

Will food be provided on all trips?

TAMID will let you know before the trip if you will need to cover any of your meals.

What should I do if I have dietary restrictions?

In order for us to best accommodate your restrictions, please include your allergies and dietary restrictions on your medical form and again on your registration form.

* All food provided at TAMID events and on trips is Kosher.

Can I move into my housing before the program officially begins?

No. TAMID housing accommodations are only available during the exact dates of the Summer Fellowship Program.

Fellowship - Internship Questions

When does internship matching begin?

Matching will begin on a rolling basis after your full payment and Participation Agreement are received. The process will run until all Fellows are successfully confirmed.

How exactly does the matching process work?

Companies and Fellows are asked to fill out forms detailing interests and needs. The Company Relations team meets with each company manager prior to approving their internship proposal. The company’s needs and the student’s skills/interests are then analyzed to find the best potential matches. Using this information and our years of matching experience, our team makes tailored introductions or recommendations. From there, it is up to the company to conduct its own interview process and decide whether to offer the internship to the Fellow.

What's the professional dress code in Israel?

The dress code in Israel is generally more casual than in other countries. We recommend asking your company manager about the typical workplace attire in their office.

I don't speak Hebrew. Will that be a problem?

Not at all! Each placement has English-speaking employees, and your direct manager will be fluent in English as well.

What if I have an issue at my internship?

Our Fellowship and Company Relations teams are available to help you with any issues associated with your internship. You will be able to schedule a meeting to speak with a staff member and talk through challenges that may come up.

Am I allowed to intern with a company that isn't in TAMID's network?

If there is a specific company that you are interested in, please let us know, as we may already have a relationship with them. If we do not, we ask that you connect with them on your own and keep us updated and CC’d on your communication with the company.

* All new companies must first be approved by TAMID staff before you can start the process.

How will my company cover my lunch?

The most common methods include an on-site cafe/cafeteria, a prepaid card, or cash (daily/weekly/monthly) provided by your company.

What are some typical internship placements?

TAMID Group works primarily with companies in the startup / hi-tech ecosystem. The majority of our placements are in fields such as medtech, AI, big data, blockchain, etc. We also have limited placements in finance, Venture Capital, and consulting firms.

What are examples of internship projects?

Past Fellows have worked on projects like business development, financial analysis, marketing, deal flow, research, consulting, social media management, content writing, software development, data analytics, and more. There are also niche placements available.

Will we have the opportunity to meet companies outside of our internship?

Absolutely! TAMID organizes industry events and pitch nights for Fellows to attend. In addition, there are many ecosystem meetups and events that are open to TAMID Fellows.