Due to the war in El Salvador, Guttfreund moved to Israel to start his studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. In 1982, he was included in the dean's list of Hebrew University and later on in 1989, he was selected by the students as one of the "Exceptional Speakers" during the fall semester. While studying for his B.A., he was the head of Jewish Young Adult Movement to try to promote communication, he also worked at the Alyn Hospital for the physically challenged.