TAU’s Lowy International School Launches Meaningful Careers

By Ruth Fertig

Tel Aviv University is a rising star on the global stage, continually expanding its international community and extending its geographical reach. Now, a major gift from Sir Frank Lowy will enable TAU’s International School, newly dubbed THE LOWY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL Dedicated to the Memory of Shirley Lowy, to bring more students and researchers fully into the limelight.

Lowy’s game-changing contribution will allow the School to more effectively equip its students with the knowledge, connections, and opportunities to reach the highest levels of their fields thanks to a new building and many new programs for scholars and students alike.

A TAU education provides experiences and interpersonal connections not available anywhere else. Let’s meet some of the students whose stories illustrate the diverse backgrounds and ambitions of Lowy School attendees.

Yibrah: Rebuilding My Country

For some students, attending TAU has provided both a haven from and a path to improve their home country. Yibrah Tsegay is a Security and Diplomacy MA student from Tigray in Northern Ethiopia, a region that was embroiled in conflict during his studies. He has been unable to return home for some time, but is hoping to put what he’s learned to use when he does.

“As someone from a war zone, I want to apply my diplomacy studies when I return after the war to help the local government with reconstruction.”

Yibrah Tsegay

Yibrah was drawn to the Lowy International School’s program because it provided an up-close view of how security and diplomacy are effectively utilized on the ground. He and his classmates visited contested areas, spoke to relevant stakeholders, and saw how policies and theory affect real people—a type of experiential learning difficult to find in any other country.

Beyond his program, Yibrah also felt a kinship with Israel in part because of its Ethiopian Jewish community: seeing and hearing his own language around Tel Aviv put him at ease in this new country.

Takayuki: Forging My Own Path

TAU is an ideal place for students who want to strike out on their own, such as Sofaer Global MBA student Takayuki Doi, the program’s very first Japanese student. Hailing from a town where few people had any familiarity at all with Israel, Takayuki came to Tel Aviv based on its startup reputation in hopes of building something of his own.

Takayuki Doi

Once at the Lowy International School, Takayuki found that many people were interested in his perspective as someone from Japan, but he had to learn to communicate his views in new ways.

"Everyone in Israel is very direct, while I speak in the 'Japanese way’, which is more roundabout. So people don't always understand what I'm saying at first. But, I still feel that Israel and Japan are very similar because we both value community and collective responsibility."

Takayuki is still studying, but he has already been offered and accepted a job at an Israeli fintech startup in addition to making moves to start his own business. He also acts as an unofficial program spokesman to other aspiring Japanese entrepreneurs who are interested in Tel Aviv University.

Garrett: Following My Passion

Garrett Khoury is a perfect example of how TAU’s myriad opportunities for students to branch out academically can lead them into a fulfilling and prestigious career. He now works at media giant TikTok in the global security department, where he helped build the Intelligence team from the ground up.

Garrett Khoury

Garrett, who is of Lebanese-American descent, put his passion for history to work by majoring in Middle Eastern Studies for his BA at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. During his program, he studied abroad in Jerusalem and fell in love with Israel. Wanting to return, he enrolled in TAU’s International Masters in Conflict Resolution and Mediation program in particular because it allowed interdisciplinary study.

"I was able to dabble in subjects with which I had no experience that ended up changing my worldview. That was really rewarding."

At the Lowy International School, he made lifelong friends and enjoyed the fascinating conversations he had with professors. "The friends I made at TAU are the people I’m going to invite to my wedding.”

Garrett went on to work in international travel security and later corporate security with Lockheed Martin before TikTok approached him to help create the Intelligence team to support global security.

Djamilia: Exploring My Interests

The Lowy International School is not only for students wishing to expand their professional prospects. For those who are still searching, it allows them to explore new interests and become driven, academically-minded individuals who continue to pursue knowledge through research and higher education. Brazilian-German TAU graduate Djamilia Prange de Oliveira was one such academic wanderer who had not yet found a specific area of interest when she came to TAU.

Djamilia was no stranger to exploration, having worked as a flight attendant and a journalist before TAU, but she did not love going to school. However, after flying in to Tel Aviv on a job, she fell in love with the city and reached out to TAU International’s Liberal Arts Program director, who helped her get funding to pursue a degree at the Lowy School and became something of a mentor. Djamilia continues to speak with her scholarship program today and even helps out with marketing.

Djamilia Prange de Oliveira

Once at TAU, Djamilia discovered a fascination with religion that was fostered through the interdisciplinary nature of the School, where she was able to learn about Kabbalah, Christianity, and religious intolerance. Today she is still studying religion through a Global History MA in Berlin.

“I loved that I could study lots of different things at TAU. For the first time, I felt like there were no limits.”