Hevruta
While some gap years in Israel are exclusively for non Israelis, at Shalom Hartman Institute’s Hevruta gap year program, Israelis and non-Israelis learn together. Hevruta is a program based in Jerusalem which focuses on teaching Jewish knowledge and leadership skills. Lena Nadaner (‘24) wanted a gap year program that had a serious learning environment but pluralistic, so she chose Hevruta.
“I got to accomplish all of my goals in terms of meeting new people, spending time with my family, seeing the country, volunteering, learning about the country and trying something new,” Nadaner said.
Nadaner said that Hevruta is great for people who want to explore Israel and learn about the country, while doing some Jewish learning. Hevruta spends less time on Jewish texts than many other Israel gap year programs.
Additionally, she said that it was a great way to learn about Israeli society, given that she learned with Israeli counterparts who are a part of the Hevruta Pre-Army program from all different parts of the country with varying levels of religious observance.
“It’s a really good way to learn about [Israelis’] experiences,” Nadaner said, adding that she was able to spend Shabbats at her Israeli peers’ homes.
Nadaner said that her background knowledge of basic Jewish history, the history of modern Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict from classes at JDS helped her when her classes went in-depth in those topics. Also, the Hebrew grammar and basics she learned at JDS helped her when continuing to learn the language.
According to Nadaner, the program is great for JDS graduates, but there are also many difficulties that come with taking any gap year in Israel.
“I recommend it, but people should know that it is hard to move all the way across the world and be away from your family,” Nadaner said. “Everything is different. Living in Israel for a year is a lot different than visiting.”
Bar Ilan
Not many Israeli gap year programs offer the opportunity to live on a university campus and take college-level classes, but Israel Experience (Israel XP) at Bar-Ilan University in Ramat Gan does.
Taking Jewish studies, Hebrew and secular studies, students are able to earn college credits which can typically transfer when they continue their studies at university outside of Israel. Itai Topolosky (‘24) decided to participate in Israel XP after graduating, and transferred to the University of Maryland. He enjoyed the courses and how close students were able to get with the rabbis, who routinely hosted students at their houses.
In addition to studying, students participate in many other activities, including volunteering and traveling throughout Israel. Topolosky said he made “friendships to last a lifetime,” and spent this past summer with his friends from Bar Ilan.
“It was one of the best years of my life, and I think everyone should take a gap year,” Topolosky said.
Young Judaea Year Course
Founded in 1956, Young Judaea Year Course is the oldest gap year program in Israel. The nine month program blends internships, academics and community building into a unique experience that other gap year program don’t offer. As the official gap year of Young Judaea, a pluralistic youth movement, the program welcomes participants from a variety of Jewish backgrounds.
The year is split between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In Tel Aviv, students are placed in internships in settings ranging from high-tech companies to non-profit organizations. In Jerusalem, they engage in informal academic studies, study Jewish history and tour the land. Mid-year, the group chooses from volunteering tracks such as volunteering in Rwanda, exploring Jewish communities in Morocco or serving on IDF bases.
Director of Young Judaea Year Course Ariel Magal says that the program’s uniqueness lies in three different aspects: the integration of 20 Israeli participants living alongside participants throughout the year, a staff with more than a century of combined experience and the strong sense of community fostered through the whole program as a result of living together.
“We are first and foremost an educational non-profit organization,” Magal said. “At the end of the day, the main goal here is to connect young Jewish people from all around the world.”
Yeshiva
There are very few times in life when students can learn purely for learning’s sake, without any grades or assessments. Yeshiva offers an opportunity for students to spend their days immersed in Jewish texts, exploring ideas and deepening their connection to Judaism.
At Yeshiva, students spend ayear living in Israel while studying Jewish texts, following a structured schedule centered around Talmud and Torah, combining independent study, communal learning and daily prayer. Some JDS high school graduates choose to immerse themselves in Yeshiva programs in Israel.
This year, Zev Mendelson (‘25) and four other boys from the class of 2025 will attend Ye-
shivat Orayta, located in the Old City of Jerusalem. In the wake of Oct. 7, Mendelson became more connected to his Jewish identity, so he started looking into various Yeshiva programs and eventually landed on Orayta.
“The number one factor for me was the location,” Mendelson said. “I love Jerusalem. I’ve always been obsessed with it and the Old City, so to be able to live in the Old City for a year, for me, was what was amazing.”
Mechina
While many programs for graduates focus mainly on religious studies, others opt for a different kind of experience through the various Mechina programs. These are pre-army leadership programs in Israel that blend a variety of classes covering Jewish identity, Zionism, ethics and leadership with volunteering in underserved communities.
Originally designed for Israelis preparing to enter the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Mechinot have increasingly welcomed Americans who are not planning to enlist, but are interested in immersing themselves in Israeli culture and developing value-based leadership skills. These programs prepare participants both physically, through weekly exercises and drills, and mentally, through numerous classes and various guest speakers.
This fall, Shalvah Lazarus (‘25) will be attending Mechinat Beit Yisrael, a pluralistic, co-ed program in Jerusalem’s Gilo neighborhood. Lazarus is excited to be at a program that explores Judaism, accepts students from different religious backgrounds and is completely in Hebrew.
“I think that it’s definitely a pretty intense option, but I’m looking forward to being in an environment I’m not used to,” Lazarus said.
Seminary
Almost every year, at least one JDS student chooses to spend a year in seminary, seeking personal growth and Jewish learning. Seminary is similar to Yeshiva, as students study Jewish texts and laws (halachot), but it is exclusively for women. Many Orthodox and Modern Orthodox girls choose to attend in order to increase their Jewish education and have the experience of a year in Israel.
This year, Josie Silverberg (‘25) will be attending Midreshet Lindenbaum, a Modern Orthodox Seminary located in Jerusalem. Silverberg wasn’t sure she wanted to go at first, as there are large differences between male and female religious gap year programs, but ultimately she decided it would be a good experience.
“I’ll grow a lot because I’ll really just only be focusing on the internal as opposed to in college [where] there’s a lot of different factors you have to think about,” Silverberg said.
Students at Lindenbaum and other Seminaries generally regarded as Modern Orthodox engage in intensive Jewish text learning including Gemara, though in the traditional Orthodox world this is traditionally reserved for men’s Yeshivot. Students in both Yeshiva and Seminary also participate in tiyulim (hikes), chesed (volunteering) and are able to get a feel for and explore Israel.
“Lindenbaum just has incredible learning, and it’s a really self-selecting group of girls that are passionate and kind and really just interested in learning from each other, and I want to be in that
environment,” Silverberg said.
