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The UK Jewish Youth Movements Israel Gap Year Programme. An exploration of the Israel Gap Year programme: how can we best ensure the continuation, growth and quality of the Gap Year experience in Israel?

Author(s): Miller, Helena; Zeital, Lisa; Fraser, Ben; Goldstein, Richard; Saville, Adam

Date: 2009

Topics: Gap Year, Israel Experience, Volunteering, Youth Movements, Main Topic: Education

Abstract: Key issues and findings are as follows: 1. 30% of Jewish 18 year olds take a Gap Year after finishing school. 2. 17% of Jewish 18 year olds currently choose an Israel Gap Year. 3. That percentage is decreasing. 4. The cost of the Israel Gap Year has risen from £7,000 - £11,000 in three years. 5. That cost is within proportion of some non-Israel Gap Year programmes. It is higher than others. 6. For many families, the cost of Israel Gap Year is prohibitive. The finances of the Israel Gap Year must be reviewed. This must include issues related to length, structure and content of the year, bursaries, saving schemes, raising funds etc. 7. The variable quality of the Machon and the price of the Machon is making it a challenging component of the programme. 8. The volunteering programme must address the issues stated in the UJIA Review of Volunteering paper (2008) 9. Better marketing will lead to higher recruitment. Marketing of the UJIA Israel Gap Year needs to be as sophisticated as marketing for non-Israel Gap Years 10. Follow through of chanichim after Israel Tour must be better addressed by the Youth Movements in the UK. 11. The possibility of developing shorter options (5-6 months) must be explored seriously. 12. The option of making the programme modular – 3 month modules that participants can pick and choose from and opt in and out of – must be explored. 13. UJIA and the Youth Movements must explore the possibility of better integration between the sections of the Gap Year. 14. UJIA and the Youth Movements should explore the desirability and possibility of including a three month component overseas, possibly volunteering in Europe or in a developing country. 15. The staffing of the Israel Experience team should be reviewed to ensure adequate cover both in the UK and in Israel, particularly at present when staff cuts and turnover of staff is acute. 16. The impact of the Gap Year on its participants is one of its unique selling points and should not be under-estimated. It should be integrated into the marketing strategy.

Gap Year: Impact on our Jewish Journeys

Author(s): Scott, Karen; Miller, Helena

Date: 2015

Topics: Youth Movements, Israel Experience, Israel Tours, Jewish Students, Gap Year, Main Topic: Education

Abstract: Three previous research projects undertaken by the Research and Evaluation Department of UJIA between 2012 and 2014 have been re-analysed to extract anything relevant to identify the Jewish journey taken by key individuals within the Jewish community.

Gap year research data indicates that almost 40% of respondents who have been on a Gap year or Yeshiva/Seminary in Israel identify themselves as Modern Orthodox and almost 60% had also attended a Jewish school.

49% respondents stated they chose their Gap year organisation because they had previously been on Israel Tour with them and 65% regularly participated in their activities.

From those Gap year graduates amongst the Youth Commission respondents, more than 65% said they were currently involved with a Youth organisation. This is reinforced by nearly 60% of respondents to the Israel Experience survey who had also been on a Gap year stating they had attended a JSoc and a similar percentage were still part of their youth movement. 30% stated they had been fundraising for Israel or had donated to UJIA.

Most of the Gap year respondents felt that going on their Gap year had a positive influence on the likelihood to engage with the Jewish community in the future.

The respondents to the Israel Experience Survey (2012) who had also been on a Gap year, mostly thought their Gap year had been extremely important in shaping their Jewish life, even more so than their family or youth movement.

The Gap year research suggested that almost 70% of respondents, who had previously been on a Gap year, felt that the whole experience had positively affected their likelihood to make Aliyah.

16 individual stories from these previous research studies have been used to highlight some of the Jewish journeys completed by some of our leaders since their time on Gap year.

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