Twenty-five young Jewish tech leaders working for such leading companies as Google, Facebook and Microsoft have arrived in Israel for a ten-day introduction to the country and to the Israeli tech scene. The visit, dubbed “Taglit Tech Challenge”, is a partnership between The Jewish Agency for Israel and Taglit-Birthright Israel and is part of a new Jewish Agency initiative entitled Israel Tech Challenge, which will invite young Jewish tech leaders from abroad to get to know the Start-Up Nation and to experience it firsthand via prestigious internships and mentorship programs.

Many of the young tech leaders who will arrive in Israel this week from the United States, France and Argentina are already employed by companies such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, LinkedIn and Dropbox. Others are students at institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University, Stanford University, Columbia University and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). They will be accompanied by five Israeli peers who are emerging tech leaders in Israel.

During their visit to Israel, participants will tour sites of historic and religious significance, visit some of Israel’s leading tech companies, and meet with leaders from the Israeli tech community. They will also participate in a 36-hour hackathon during which they will be required to develop innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social challenges. The winning team will be selected by a distinguished panel of Israeli tech leaders on December 31st.