The Aguda (Student Union) is the official student body for all of Ben Gurion University's students.
Based in Be'er Sheva, the Aguda organizes exciting and interesting events on an almost daily basis. The Aguda also addresses issues related to the welfare of the student body as a whole and of individual students. Members of the Aguda are even entitled to unlimited access to the University's Sports Center in Be'er Sheva. All students are able to join the Aguda by paying the "welfare/student activity" fee at the beginning of the academic year.
To learn more about the Aguda, visit their website (English or Hebrew). The Aguda also sends out a weekly update in English specifically for international students (sign up). Or just check the Aguda out on Facebook!
Healthcare
All these informations can be found in the BGU Health and Emergency Resources handbook (here)
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**Foreign students: A copy of the healthcare plan provided by the university is available here. A list of Clalit medical services in Be'er Sheva is available here.**
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General healthcare
The Clalit clinic is located at the T-junction near the center of the Midrasha (see map). The nurse and doctors can generally assist with most basic medical needs and infections during the working hours. For more specialized care, you will usually be referred to clinics in Beer Sheva.
To make an appointment, you can talk to the secretary during open hours (generally preferred by non-Hebrew speakers) or by phone (08-9579640). Appointments can also be made online, but the website is in Hebrew. If the health services you require are not available at the clinic, the secretary can also help make appointments for the Clalit clinics/hospitals in Be'er Sheva.
Blood tests are on Sunday, Tuesdays and Thursdays (08:00 – 09:15) and you need to have an appointment and prescription.
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Working hours:
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Sunday: 08:00 - 13:00
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Monday: 08:00 - 13:00 & 17:00 - 20:00
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Tuesday: 08:00 - 13:00
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Wednesday: 08:00 - 13:00 & 17:00 - 20:00
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Thursday: 08:00 - 13:00
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On the day before a holiday: 09:00 - 12:00
Additional information from Clalit (in Hebrew) is available here.
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Dentists
Dental insurance is not covered under your student insurance plan. The closest dentist is located in Kibbutz Sde Boker (08-656-0322).
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Travel insurance
For school-organized trips abroad, you are required to purchase travel insurance for the duration of your trip. Currently, forms FMF_27 and FMF _62 from the Yedidim website (www.yedidim-health.co.il) need to be filled out and mailed to Mali Ventura. However, for the most up-to-date information, contact Sigalit.
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Mental health
All enrolled graduate students and postdoctoral scholars at the Sede Campus of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev who wish to seek psychological services can call Yaakov Berger, a licensed, experienced psychologist, whose practice is located in Midreshet Ben-Gurion.
Yaakov Berger: 052-8339618.
Please bring your BGU student card to the first appointment for identification. The service and all matters discussed in the sessions will be kept confidential as per BGU regulations.
This service is similar to that provided at the main campus in Beer-Sheva, with the same per-visit cost to the student of 150 NIS, with the remainder of the full amount subsidized by the BIDR. The duration of the treatment and number of sessions will be determined by the psychologist, but as in the main campus, the subsidized treatment is limited to 12 sessions.
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If you live/want to consult in Beer Sheva, you can call/email the Psychological services office (08 646 1088 / vip+pserv@bgu.ac.il) or go on their website for advice and recommandations.
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Additional mental health resources
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7 Cups of Tea is an on-demand emotional health and well-being service. The website includes anonymous one-on-one and group chat features, and resources such as mindfulness exercises and self help guides. Online therapy with licensed professionals is also available as a paid service (7cups.com).
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Beyond blue: An Australia website - unfortunately most of the support options are only available to Australian residents, but it is an excellent source of information about common mental health conditions such as stress, depression, anxiety. The information and resources here are useful both for people wanting to look after their own mental health, and for people wanting to support others who may be struggling with their mental health (www.beyondblue.org.au).
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Enosh – The Israeli Mental Health Association was established in 1978 to support people with psychiatric disabilities and their family members. Most of the website is in Hebrew but there is some information about the organization in English, and the email and telephone hotlines might be useful resources (enosh.org.il).
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Hotline – Listening from Experience
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Initial response for people with a mental illness and their family members
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Support and guidance
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Counseling and information about mental illness, rehabilitation programs and rights of mental health consumers and family members
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Telephone Hotline: 1-700-551616/Email Hotline: yeutz@enosh.org.il
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The MoodGYM Training Program is an online resource designed to help users learn cognitive behaviour therapy skills for preventing and coping with depression. Please note that the information provided throughout MoodGYM is intended for information and skill development purposes only. This site is not designed to treat clinical levels of depression or anxiety or other mental health disorders (moodgym.anu.edu.au).
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