Israel Adam

Previous issues

INITIATIVES
Academic Commandos

RESEARCH
Open Research Day
Dealing With Stress, the Natural Way
Setting the Computer's Sights
Democracy is Not the Key to Peace in the Middle East
Islam and Christianity
Punctuating Mozart
Reshaping Distance Education

TECHNOLOGY
E-reader
Hybrid Books

GRADUATES
Prof. Gidi Gross: Cancer Researcher
Israel Adam: From Slum Alcoholic to Honors Student and a Master's Degree
All Doors Opened to Elishai Ezra
The Open University as His Greatest Challenge in Life: Sharli Afanger

STUDENTS
Walking in Their Footsteps in Ashdod
University Student Since 8th Grade

MILESTONES
Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron
Prof. Ron Weidberg
Dr. Yuval Eylon
Dr. Adia Mendelsohn-Maoz
Prof. Aviva Halamish
Dr. Ophir Munz-Manor
Dr. Baruch Ziv
Dr. Milly Perry
Dr. Yoav Yair
SuperBrand University

EVENTS
Dance with Your Fears
Heavens Above

GRADUATES
From Slum Alcoholic to Honors Student and a Master's Degree The Extraordinary Story of Israel Adam Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron, President of Open University, warmly congratulates Israel Adam Israel Adam's life is more than a reality show. He grew up in a slum, just barely made it through high school, was an alcoholic for 10 years and hit rock bottom more than once in his life. Yet, Israel was on the Open University President’s Honor’s List for the third consecutive year and is looking forward to beginning his master’s degree in clinical psychology. Israel's life story would make a perfect story for television or film. He is, in fact, working on his autobiography in the hope that the way in which he was able to turn around his life can inspire others. His philosophy, "Everyone can reach any place in life he wants to, it's all up to you." Obviously, this philosophy has proven its mettle for Israel Adam, because right now, in between his volunteering activities in Tel Aviv's adult hostels, his acting roles on television, giving workshops on self-growth and improvement, Israel is completing his undergraduate degree at Open University and waiting to hear about his acceptance at Haifa University’s master’s program in clinical psychology. ("They approached me after hearing about my life story and asked me to submit an application," Israel reports.) Israel Adam grew up in one of Jerusalem’s most difficult slum areas in the 1970's. The fifth of six children, there were no role models to guide him through school, emphasize the importance of education, or even help him figure out what might be 'correct' behavior in society. Eking his way though high school, Israel bounced around for awhile, becoming an alcoholic and living on the streets. At some point, he found his way to AA, and an ultra-Orthodox yeshiva where he was 'adopted' by the Rabbi, and began the process of turning his life around. Among the many changes he was making in his life – now living and working as a counselor in a rehabilitation hostel for former prisoners, giving a modified version of the AA 12-step course on self-growth to the nearby Yeshiva students, and renting his own apartment – Israel took the next big step in his life. Page: 1 2

GRADUATES

From Slum Alcoholic to Honors Student and a Master's Degree

The Extraordinary Story of Israel Adam

Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron, President of Open University, warmly congratulates Israel Adam

Israel Adam's life is more than a reality show. He grew up in a slum, just barely made it through high school, was an alcoholic for 10 years and hit rock bottom more than once in his life. Yet, Israel was on the Open University President’s Honor’s List for the third consecutive year and is looking forward to beginning his master’s degree in clinical psychology.
Israel's life story would make a perfect story for television or film. He is, in fact, working on his autobiography in the hope that the way in which he was able to turn around his life can inspire others. His philosophy, "Everyone can reach any place in life he wants to, it's all up to you."
Obviously, this philosophy has proven its mettle for Israel Adam, because right now, in between his volunteering activities in Tel Aviv's adult hostels, his acting roles on television, giving workshops on self-growth and improvement, Israel is completing his undergraduate degree at Open University and waiting to hear about his acceptance at Haifa University’s master’s program in clinical psychology. ("They approached me after hearing about my life story and asked me to submit an application," Israel reports.)
Israel Adam grew up in one of Jerusalem’s most difficult slum areas in the 1970's. The fifth of six children, there were no role models to guide him through school, emphasize the importance of education, or even help him figure out what might be 'correct' behavior in society. Eking his way though high school, Israel bounced around for awhile, becoming an alcoholic and living on the streets. At some point, he found his way to AA, and an ultra-Orthodox yeshiva where he was 'adopted' by the Rabbi, and began the process of turning his life around.
Among the many changes he was making in his life – now living and working as a counselor in a rehabilitation hostel for former prisoners, giving a modified version of the AA 12-step course on self-growth to the nearby Yeshiva students, and renting his own apartment – Israel took the next big step in his life.

Page: 1 2