EMA Care Blog

This year, many gap year students have been experiencing a lot of stress due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  What happens when a student develops an emotional problem while he/she is in Israel? How can the student or parent recognize the signs of a serious problem?  Who can the student turn to? How can the parent who is thousands of miles away, help? How to Detect a Problem? There is a lot of assistance and support available to students who are having an emotionally difficult time during their year in Israel.  If this is the student’s first time experiencing depression, anxiety, eating problems...

Unfortunately, we have gotten to the point of managing measles in student dorms of gap year programs. As most of you know, there is currently a measles outbreak in Israel (and concurrently in Jewish communities in the New York area). According to the Israel Ministry of Health, as of December 10th, 2018, there were 2400 reported measles cases in Israel, but many more cases go unreported. Most cases have been in Jerusalem (1200+), Tzfat, Tel Aviv, and Petach Tikva, although almost every region has been affected. Since August, the number of people with Measles has doubled every month from 116 cases...

Parents of Gap Year Students in Israel: Did you know that most Gap Year Programs have no medical personnel?  Health Care for Israel Gap Year students is complicated. Nearly every program requires that students have health insurance, but this coverage leaves parents and Gap Year Programs wanting. Health Insurance does not cover pre-existing conditionsFor pre-existing conditions, parents and students must fend for themselves and find providers and solutions to the student’s needs Health Insurance pays for health coverage, but no one monitors the quality of service provided. If your child gets sick or suffers an acute injury (like a sprained ankle), he or...