Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design Jerusalem, established in 1906 by the artist Boris Schatz as the “Bezalel School of Arts and Crafts,” is today the largest, oldest and leading academy in the fields of art, design and architecture in Israel, and one of the most influential in the world. There is no institution in Israel with a history and legacy as long and as rich as Bezalel’s.

Bezalel has long been leading the way and setting the standard: most of its programs were the first of their kind in Israel making the name Bezalel synonymous with more than 100 years of innovation and excellence. The Academy is characterized by its quick response to cultural changes and its pride in the generations of graduates—renowned leaders of art, design and architecture in Israel and abroad. Thanks to its passion for creativity and pursuit of quality and excellence, Bezalel has been leading the cultural and artistic discourse in Israel for over a century, and playing a vital role in shaping the country’s cultural identity.

Essentially the birthplace of Israeli art, Bezalel follows the principles of preserving traditions, heritage and history, while simultaneously and continuously standing at the forefront of technology and as the vanguard of the global arts and design fields. Alongside courses teaching traditional crafts, Bezalel also offers courses at the forefront of creative technology: virtual reality, smart materials, robotics, gaming, bio design, and collaborations with tech companies and the high-tech industry.

The variety of workshops and equipment available at Bezalel’s spectacular new campus are among the most advanced in the country. Bezalel trains its students for creativity, design and innovative development so that its graduates will be the first to join in key positions in the cutting-edge technology market.

Today, over 2,500 students study at Bezalel in ten undergraduate departments: Industrial Design, Ceramics and Glass Design, Visual Communication, Fine Arts, Screen-based Arts (animation and video), Photography, Jewelry and Fashion, Architecture, Landscape Architecture* (a joint track with the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at the Hebrew University), and a theoretical degree in Visual and Material Culture, and in five master’s degree programs: Fine Arts, Industrial Design (“About Design,” “Design Management,” and “Design and Technology” tracks), Policy and Theory of the Arts (“Curation” and ”Criticism” tracks), Urban Design (“City and Landscape” and “Conservation and Heritage” tracks), and Visual Communication.

In addition, the Academy also offers joint programs with the Schools of Computer Science and Education at the Hebrew University—in a special track that allows students to complete their studies at Bezalel in combination with a teaching certificate. The meeting that takes place at the Academy, between designers and artists and from all fields, allows students to collaborate across departments.

* The awarding of the degree in Landscape Architecture is conditional on the approval of the Council for Higher Education (as is customary for new programs in the certification process.(

Bezalel’s faculty are among the country’s leading artists, designers and architects. Designers who work for leading companies in Israel and worldwide, in high-tech, commercial companies and cultural institutions; artists who exhibit solo shows in world-renowned museums; architects who plan and are responsible for significant and large-scale projects. They impart their knowledge, experience and skills to the students, whom they see as the future generation in their fields.

Bezalel’s impressive new home, in the heart of Jerusalem, is a spectacular 42,000-square-meter campus with one of the most innovative and advanced infrastructures in the world.

Among other things, the students at the Academy have huge workshops at their disposal—for animation, sculpture, printing, welding, metalworking, woodworking, sewing, casting, pyrex, wheelthrowing, plaster and more—alongside impressive galleries, advanced classrooms, immersive spaces, a virtual production lab, a physical computing lab, a modeling workshop, robots and 3D printing, and the Nathan Drahi Research and Innovation Center, which aims to develop the connection between art, design, technology, innovation and science.

The move to the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Campus marks Bezalel’s historic return to the city center and the creation of a bustling urban campus, which includes Bezalel’s historic campus, where the School of Architecture is located, the new campus and the Bezalel dorms, all within a short walking distance of each other.

Bezalel graduates join leading companies in the high-tech, industrial, film and fashion worlds, among them: Apple, Google, Facebook, Samsung, Microsoft, Waze, HP, Nissan, Ford, LEGO, Wix, LG, Frog Design, Tiny Love, Skoda, Intel, Zara, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Disney, Nickelodeon, Snowball Studios, Pixar Animation Studios and many others.

Bezalel offers an exceptionally extensive student exchange program, collaborating with over 180 leading academic institutions in Asia, Europe, the US, South America and Australia. How relevant is this for you? During their studies, about one quarter of our students (!) take part in an exchange program and travel for a semester of studies abroad.

For 120 years, Bezalel has excelled in education and has trained generations of creators who are among the leaders in their field. These creators win prestigious prizes and competitions and exhibit in important museums around the world. 

Bezalel students, alumni and lecturers continually win prestigious awards and competitions in Israel and worldwide. In fact, no other Israeli arts and design institution can compare in terms of accomplishments and reputation. Notable achievements include the Academy Award (“the Oscar”); more than 10 Israel Prizes; Emet Prizes; Ministry of Culture and Sports Prizes; Azrieli Awards (Architecture); Israel Museum and Tel Aviv Museum Awards; representation of Israel at the Venice Biennale for both art and architecture; dozens of prizes in animation and video festivals around the world and more.

The atmosphere of studying in Jerusalem is unique and enables a vibrant student experience in a rich and diverse social fabric.

With Bezalel's new campus, the School of Architecture and the student dormitories all located in the heart of the city, students are within walking distance of almost every leisure area of activity in Jerusalem: from museums, galleries and theaters to restaurants, bars and pubs. These areas include the German Colony, the First Station Complex, downtown and the Machane Yehuda Market, which has become one of Israel’s hotspots with live music, street parties, beer, wine, food and cultural events.

At the end of every academic year, Bezalel invites the public to an exhibition—the largest exhibition of its kind in Israel—showcasing the works of graduates from all the Academy’s departments.

The annual exhibition, and one of the most impressive in the country (not only among art and design institutions!), attracts tens of thousands of visitors, among them opinion leaders, active designers, artists and art collectors. The exhibition also draws a wide audience of potential employers from the industry’s smallest studios to largest companies, who want to be the first to recognize and recruit the new graduates.

Bezalel has an extensive support network that allows each and every student to make the most of their artistic potential and enjoy a distinctive student experience.

This network includes: need-based scholarships; mentoring and social engagement scholarships; free first year tuition for discharged soldiers; dormitories in the city center, a significant professional support system; assistance for students with learning disabilities, new immigrants, Arabic-speaking students and students with other special needs. In addition, Bezalel presents opportunities to participate in a wide range of projects that offer scholarships and courses that combine social engagement both on and off campus.