College Students & Young Adults
What is an Israel experience program? Israel experiences are identity-building, peer group programs run by non-profit organizations that allow participants to learn in-depth about the land, culture and people of Israel. The list of approved Israel programs is constantly changing as new programs are developed. For your convenience, we have included links below to various suggested organizations to help find the best possible Israel experience for you. Since there are many other programs and not every one is approved, please contact us (israelexperience@juf.org) if you have a question about a specific Israel program.
Looking for high school trips or Gap Year programs? Visit
Trips for Teens.
Short-term programs for College Students and Young Adults
- Birthright Israel
Free 10-day trips to Israel for college students and young adults who have not previously traveled to Israel on a peer trip. **Please note that Jewish Federation Israel Experience Savings Funds and Scholarships may not be used for Birthright Israel** - Jewish National Fund
Jewish National Fund (JNF) programs provide a Zionist education to empower students with the tools to advocate for Israel on college campuses. - World Zionist Organization
Hagshama offers information on various short- and long-term programs in Israel. - Livnot U'Lehibanot
Livnot programs combine community service with hiking, touring and learning, allowing participants to explore their Jewish roots. Programs range from one week to five months. - Volunteers for Israel
The mission of Volunteers for Israel (VFI) is to connect Americans to Israel through volunteer service. - Jewish United Fund Missions
Travel to Israel with other Young Leaders on the YLD National Leadership Mission! Participants have the opportunity to tour, learn and discover Israel with other young professionals from Chicago and across the country. - Habonim Dror
Habonim Dror is the Labor Zionist youth movement, with links to its Israel programs. - Shorashim
Shorashim's programs connect Americans directly with Israelis. - Amirim
A program for students who want to spend their summer during college doing an internship in Israel. Participants will spend two months interning in a field of their choice while also having the freedom to explore Israel. - Camp Kimama Israel
Kimama is the largest and leading international Jewish summer camp in Israel, offering an unforgettable experience for children and youth (ages 7-17). Since 2004, Kimama has hosted a unique encounter for Jewish children, with over 1,800 campers from 42 countries around the world. Both English and Hebrew are the official languages at Kimama. - Friends of Israel Scouts - Tzofim
Information about Tzofim Chetz V'Keshet and Tzofim Keshet, programs of the Friends of Israel Scouts-Tzofim. - Honeymoon Israel
Spend nine exhilerating, romantic and memorable days exploring Israel with your partner, while building friendship and community with other couples from your city. - Kefiada
Each year, JUF's Partnership Together sends up to 16 counselors to KEFIADA, our English-speaking summer camps in our Partnership Together region. - Onward Israel
Onward Israel is a two month professional internship program in sunny Tel Aviv. Live in Israel, build your resume and tour the country with Onward's specialized educational programming.
- Israel Summer Business Academy
ISBA is a collaboration between the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis and the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) in Herzliya. This is an opportunity for undergrads to study and immerse themselves in the Israeli business environment. The ISBA is a six-week summer program and course credit will transfer back to a student's home institution. - Career Israel Short Track
The Career Israel Short Track is a 2-4 month professional internship program open to college/university students and graduates from all over the world. - Kibbutz Ulpan (Summer)
This Kibbutz Ulpan provides the unique experience of working with Israelis on a kibbutz while at the same time offering classes in the language itself. Participants work on the kibbutz for half of the week and study in Ulpan for the other half, thus having the chance to utilize the Hebrew they are learning in an authentic Israeli setting. - Magen David Adom
The Magen David Adom volunteer program is an amazing opportunity for you to serve Israel, where it is most needed. Volunteers are trained for one intensive week of study in Jerusalem and work on ambulances in all of Israel's major cities for 4-5 weeks. - Marva
The Marva Course was created in 1981 with the objective of giving young Jewish adults in the Diaspora ages 18-28 the opportunity to experience life in Israel through an army experience. - The Leadership Project at Oranim College
The Leadership Project at Oranim College is a unique, month-long, academic summer program that offers students the opportunity to experience the real Israel, in all its complexity and nuance, while studying Israeli history, society and leadership with top professors. Academic credit is available. Located in the beautiful, multi-cultural Galilee, we invite you to join us! - Pardes
The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, a nondenominational coed institute of Jewish studies in Jerusalem, offers one week sessions in January and one month sessions over the summer. - WWOOF
An organic farming organization that connects volunteers with different farms in Israel, including kibbutzim, moshavim, and smaller family farms. They provide an opportunity to work the land and learn about the movement for sustainable agriculture in Israel. - Jewish Helping Hands
A US-based volunteer/funding organization which works with non-profits in several countries, primarily Israel. - Israel Way (Destination Israel)
Israel Way (Destination Israel) offers a wide variety of options: Intern in Tel Aviv, become a social entrepreneur & volunteer in the North, teach English to children who live in co-existence, live on a kibbutz, learn how to become a winemaker, or work in the hospitality industry in Eilat - they have it all.
- Israeli Leadership Seminar for Teachers and Community Executives of the Jewish World
Sponsored by the MOFET Institute, this seminar will deal with models of Jewish/Israeli leadership by examining participant management styles and consolidating ways of promoting community leadership in the framework of the role they are currently performing or will perform in the future. July 9-18, 2013. - Technion- Israel Institute of Technology
The Technion is Israel's premier technology university. It is ranked among the world's most innovative universities. Technion programs have special appeal to top international students and researchers as a result of a successful combination of high-level academic standards and its relevance to the needs of modern society, and proven record for educating leaders in science and technology. - Hand in Hand - Project Harmony
Started in 2009 by two American college students, Project Harmony has grown into a well-established camp setting serving over 150 Arab and Jewish youth in Jerusalem each summer. The camp serves youth in grades 4 through 8 in an English immersion environment, and is staffed by English-speaking international volunteers and local high school students. Project Harmony brings Jewish and Arab youngsters together for four weeks (including a one-week staff training) of day camp during the month of July at Hand in Hand’s campus in Jerusalem. - Green Apprenticeship at Kibbutz Lotan
The GA trains participants to understand and create sustainable solutions for the issues facing the modern world. Short- and long- term options available. - Maccabi USA
Maccabi USA is a Jewish organization that uses sports as an engagement tool to build Jewish pride, identity, community, and connection to Israel for people of all ages. The Maccabiah features 10,000 Jewish athletes from 80 countries, making it one of the largest global gatherings of Diaspora Jewry. The competition is two weeks, though athletes are brought to Israel a week early for the Israel Connect program. The curriculum was created with partners at The iCenter and JNF, and professional educators will lead the young athletes around Israel and facilitate meaningful activities and discussions. Some of the educators will stay on as a resource during the competition since athletes will have free time in between their games to explore Israel.
Programs from 5 months to 1 year
- Masa Israel Journey
Masa Israel Journey, Your Gateway to Long-term Israel Programs, enables thousands of Jewish young adults to spend a semester to a year in Israel in over 150 approved programs by providing information, contacts, grants and more. To request information about specific Masa programs, contact Romi Rochwerger at RomiRochwerger@juf.org. - Frontier Israel (Jewish National Fund)
Designed to provide a real-life modern day pioneering experience via meaningful volunteer work in three regions of Israel.
Gap Year Programs
- Masa Israel Journey
More and more colleges and universities are encouraging teens to take a year between high school and college. Known as the Gap Year, this special year enables high school graduates to volunteer, learn, travel, and expand their horizons. Masa Israel Journey provides a directory of Gap Year programs in Israel. For more information about Masa gap year programs, contact Romi Rochwerger at RomiRochwerger@juf.org.
