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Seminary Guide

Packing list for a seminary year

What to bring, what to buy there, and what to ask your seminary before you pack.

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For students and parents

Every seminary sends its own list, and that list wins: dress codes, bedding and what the dorm supplies differ from school to school. Use this one to catch what theirs leaves out. Winters are rainy and can be cold, especially in hill towns, and summers are hot and dry everywhere, so pack for both.

Ask your seminary first
  • Ask for the school's own packing list and dress code
  • Ask whether bedding, pillows and towels are supplied or sold on arrival
  • Ask how many bags the dorm room can really hold
  • Ask about laundry: machines on site, cost, and how often
  • Ask whether there is heating and air conditioning in the dorm
Papers to carry on, not check in
  • Passport, valid for the whole year and beyond (see before you fly)
  • Acceptance letter and the seminary address and phone number
  • Health insurance details and any medical letters
  • Printed and phone copies of everything above
  • A bank card that works abroad, and a little cash in shekels for the first day
Clothes
  • Everyday clothes that fit the school dress code, enough for about ten days
  • Shabbat and Yom Tov outfits, including for the fall holidays if you arrive before them
  • A warm coat and a rain jacket: winter is the rainy season
  • Layers: sweaters, long sleeves, warm pajamas and warm socks
  • Light clothes for the hot months at each end of the year
  • Comfortable walking shoes, Shabbat shoes and sandals
  • Hiking shoes or sturdy sneakers for school trips
  • A hat and a refillable water bottle for trips
  • A swimsuit and cover-up that fit your school's guidelines
  • Slippers or flip-flops for the dorm
Dorm room
  • Sheets, blanket and pillow, if the school does not supply them
  • Towels and a laundry bag
  • A small lamp or reading light
  • Hangers and a few storage hooks
  • Photos from home
Electronics
  • Plug adapters for Israeli sockets (Israel uses its own three-pin plug; two-pin European plugs also fit)
  • Check every charger and appliance says "100-240V". Israel runs on 220 to 230 volts, and a 110-volt hair dryer or straightener will burn out without a converter
  • Phone, charger and a power bank for trips
  • Laptop or tablet if your school allows or needs one
  • An unlocked phone, if you plan to use an Israeli SIM
Learning
  • Siddur, Tehillim and a Tanach you like using
  • Any sefarim the school asks you to bring
  • Notebooks and pens for the first week
  • A bag that fits your sefarim and a water bottle
Health
  • Prescription medicine for the year, or a plan to refill it in Israel, with the prescription and a doctor's letter
  • Glasses, a spare pair and your prescription; contact lenses and solution
  • Basic first aid: pain relief, plasters, anything you use regularly
  • Sunscreen
Buy there instead
  • Shampoo, soap and other toiletries after the first week
  • Hair dryer or straightener made for Israeli sockets and voltage
  • Cleaning supplies, hangers and extra storage
  • An umbrella

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