All while you explore the desert, work at an Israel based NGO, visit high-tech startups, engage in meaningful social action, learn and connect with thousands of years of Jewish life in Israel!
Did you know you don’t have to start college immediately after completing high school?
It’s true! The increasingly popular year-long break between high school and college is known as a gap year. Gap years may involve travel, volunteer work, an internship, or participation in a formal gap year program.
Studies have found that an exploratory year between high school and college often contributes to a boost in performance when students enter college. Additionally, students who participate in gap year programs are often more mature, self-reliant, independent, and employable than students who choose to go directly to college.
With so many benefits to the gap year path, JumpSpark, in partnership with The Zalik Foundation, wants to make it easier for students to pursue this option in Israel! So we’re awarding a select number of lucky students with a $10,000 – $15,000 scholarship to do just that.
The Atlanta Israel Gap Year Scholarship is open to current (2021-2022) Atlanta high school seniors who identify as Jewish, regardless of financial need.
When
The Atlanta Israel Gap Year Scholarship applies to the 2022-2023 school year and the following summer of 2023 (optional).
Please note: This scholarship applies to the 2022-2023 school year only. There is no guarantee the scholarship will be available in future years. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! Appication deadline is April 1, 2022. Applicants will be notified by email the week of April 18, 2022.
Where
Israel! Students who are awarded stipends will choose from one of several pre-approved Israel gap year experiences. Students who receive the additional $5,000 stipend may volunteer or work with Jewish organizations in Israel or the U.S. following the gap year program. Eligible programs have been selected based on a variety of criteria. If you are interested in a program that is not listed, please contact Masa directly at: SherylK@masaisrael.org, or the program provider for information on scholarships.
Additional Service Subsidy Opportunity
JumpSpark will award a limited number of additional $5,000 stipends for gap year scholarship recipients who commit to volunteering or working in the Jewish community during the summer following their gap year (May-August 2023).
Volunteer work may take place in Israel or the U.S. and may include work at a summer camp, an internship at a Jewish organization, working at an Israeli based NGO, and more.
Students and their families are responsible for covering program costs in excess of the scholarship. The additional cost ranges from $10,000-$15,000 depending on the program selected.
Find the Israel gap year program that’s right for you!
The eligible participating gap year programs span a range of focus areas, cities, and religious affiliations. There’s an Israel gap year experience for everyone and we will help you identify the one that’s right for you.
To help in this process, JumpSpark will be hosting a Gap Year Information Session Series in early 2022. There will be opportunities to learn about each program, meet the staff, and hear from current and past teen and parent participants. This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about which program might be a good fit. More dates and details coming soon.
Connect with current gap year students and parents
There are currently 25 Atlanta students on gap year programs in Israel who received this scholarship last year. We know that this process can be overwhelming and speaking with these students can help you figure out which program is best for you. Please let us know if you would like to connect with current students and/or their parents.
Hear from Emily Gavrielov, a 2021 AJA graduate, who is currently on Israel XP at Bar Ilan University.
Eligible programs have been selected based on a variety of criteria. If you are interested in a program that is not listed, please contact Masa directly at: SherylK@masaisrael.org, or the program provider for information on scholarships.
The Atlanta Gap Year Scholarship is made possible through the generous support of The Zalik Foundation Fund.
For over 60 years, USY has provided Jewish teens with transformative travel experiences, opening their eyes to new places, different ways of life, and some of the world’s most spectacular sights.
On a USY Summer Experience, you will gain independence and a better sense of self, form lifelong bonds of friendship with teens from across North America, be immersed in other cultures and see the world from a different perspective, develop a deeper understanding of global issues and conflict, repair the world in local communities through volunteer work and service, and discover the joy of Jewish living through fun, meaningful experiences that create a lasting impact.
Now, it’s YOUR turn to have the summer of a lifetime in the U.S., Canada, Israel, Europe, or the Dominican Republic. See where USY Summer Experience takes you, and register today.
Ramah Israel Seminar is a six-week travel program in Israel, designed for entering 12th graders who are graduates of the ten Ramah overnight camps in North America. For over 50 years, Ramah Seminar has been an outstanding way for teens to experience Israel. Seminar is an intensive experience of study and travel, combining hiking and trekking throughout Israel with text study, challenging discussions and hands-on learning. Seminar participants travel Israel from north to south, gaining an in-depth perspective of Israel’s history and future. Seminar is an opportunity to live the Ramah life in Israel, combining all that is central to camp – community, connection and growth.
Below are some examples of NSCY Summer Programs to Israel:
Euro— Travel around Europe for two weeks before journeying to Israel to visit Safed, Eilat, Tiberias and many more cities and sites on this co-ed trip.
Euro GO (Girls Only)– Travel with great girls from across the country around Europe for two weeks before journeying to Israel to visit Safed, Eilat, Tiberias and many more cities and sites on this co-ed trip
GIVE — Girls Israel Volunteer Experience (GIVE) is for exceptional high school girls who want to experience Judaism firsthand through the art of giving back in Israel.
Israel ID – Israel ID is a co-ed program that travels through the land of Israel.
JOLT Israel– Our leadership program will show you Israel in a whole new way while you create and run a 10-day camp for Israeli kids in need.
JSU GO Atlanta – Travel and see Israel in this once in a lifetime adventure for Atlanta public school teens.
Kollel — Spend an unforgettable summer in Israel filled with intense learning, world-class sports, and great trips.
Michlelet — An extraordinary program for teenage girls looking to spend their summer in a productive way by learning Torah and touring Israel.
Discover Israel’s many treasures on a transformative journey with a focus on historical exploration, exhilarating adventures in nature, and cultural connections.
Travel from the far north in the Galilee to the deep south at the Red Sea as we visit ancient Jerusalem, modern Tel Aviv, the lush Golan Heights, the vast Negev Desert, the unsinkable Dead Sea, and the stark mountaintop fortress of Masada. Along the way, you’ll take part in an authentic archaeological dig, sample the world’s very best falafel, spend a night sleeping under the desert stars, and experience the innovative energy of Tel Aviv first-hand.
More than a tour, this is an opportunity to understand Israel’s dynamic society first-hand while finding your own connection to this storied land. Explore what it means to be Jewish from an Israeli point of view, understand the complex politics of the Middle East with real-world insights, and practice Jewish values through hands-on volunteering and Shabbat experiences.
Some of our Israel Journey trips will have the opportunity to attend The Maccabiah Games. Often referred to as “the Jewish Olympics,” this is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition that takes place every four years in Israel.
NFTY in Israel is a chance for teens to experience the true culture and history of Israel through a variety of social and educational opportunities. Focusing on all that Israel has to offer, this trip is for the teen who is ready to explore their progressive Jewish values from a whole new angle! Come discover yourself on the adventure of a lifetime and make lifelong friendships along the way.
Touch ancient ruins visited by your ancestors for thousands of years. Eat delicious pita fresh off the fire. Climb sand dunes. Hike mountains. Swim in the Mediterranean. Float in the Dead Sea. Wander with your friends and meet amazing new people. Explore your progressive Jewish values from new angles. Discover yourself on the adventure of a lifetime.
Choose from several specialty trips, including a deep Hebrew immersion, a trip through the lens of social justice, a sports trip for athletes, and a sci-tech Israel trip.
Travel from the Golan Heights to the shores of Eilat and everywhere in-between. Swim in the Kinneret, visit archeological digs, hike through the mountains and float in the Dead Sea and much more.
Explore your Jewish Heritage
Judaism will come alive as you pray at the Western Wall, hike up Masada and visit all the holy sites Israel has to offer. Connect to the past and discover your future.
Meet Other Jewish Teens
JSU GO is designed for public school teens looking to learn more about their Jewish heritage through hands-on, meaningful experiences.
