Interned At Nike. Decided Home Was Israel | The Jewish AgencyA High-Tech Guy From France Interned At Nike. But He Decided Home Was Israel.

A High-Tech Guy From France Interned At Nike. But He Decided Home Was Israel.

A high-tech guy from France interned at Nike.
But he then decided home was Israel.

When 28-year-old French native, Ouri Saban made Aliyah in October 2015 —he felt that he’d finally found home after a long journey.

“I feel a stronger Jewish identity in Israel,” said Ouri. “There’s different reasons, political and personal, that made my decision.” When he first arrived in the Jewish Homeland, Ouri joined The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Ulpan Etzion program. There, participants study Hebrew for 5 months and learn about Israeli society.

I’m starting to feel Israeli. I’m starting to feel secure here.

Tech and The City is a residential Ulpan for young high-tech professionals, providing a 5-month long absorption program geared specifically for young, motivated high-tech students and professionals with academic degrees.

Soon after Ouri began to acclimate to Israel, he found The Jewish Agency’s Tech & The City program for young high-tech professionals. The program is designed for young, motivated high-tech students and professionals with academic degrees. It includes an entrepreneurship course at the Technion. The program prepares participants to join Israel’s high-tech employment market. It also provides them with adoptive families and enrichment activities — including trips around Israel, weekly Shabbat activities, and Hebrew conversation groups.

Despite completing internships with Nike in Beaverton, Oregon, and at the University of Montreal in Canada — he felt the United States and Canada were too far away. Ouri found his home in Israel.

Ouri has already begun interviewing with several Israeli tech companies.

“I’m starting to feel Israeli. I’m starting to feel secure here,” Ouri explained. “I’ve met a lot of good people who have helped me, and I also want to be able to help these people back. For me it’s important.”

But above all, Ouri, added that he's finally found a home, “It’s a joy for me to be here. I have no regrets.”