The Premier Jewish Gap Year Program

Travel the world. Experience new cultures. Engage in open dialogue.

Kivunim Gap Year is an immersive experience of focused international travel, serious academic study and cross-cultural dialogue. Based in Jerusalem, we travel to up to 12 countries throughout the year.

O U R P R O G R A M

We take a unique approach to enriching Jewish identity through international study, travel, and meaningful encounters with different cultures and religions. We aim to develop global citizens who are conscientious, capable, and committed to building a more just and peaceful world.

Kivunim fosters curiosity and intellectual growth among students and teachers alike. Our students build lifelong friendships and travel to places the typical tourist never sees.

We explore Israel's different spiritual, political, and ideological models and develop a unique appreciation of the vast Jewish Diaspora. Our goal is to guide and strengthen our students’ perspectives, with the hope that they will eventually lead us all into a brighter, more peaceful future.

  • Cultivate a Lifelong Relationship With Israel

    We explore Israel's magnificent archeology and meet Israeli artists, journalists, writers, musicians, politicians, religious leaders, scholars and philosophers. Through integrated classroom discourse and cultural immersion, students gain a deeper appreciation for Jewish history and the State of Israel, and claim their Jewish identity with a sense of pride, personalization and purpose.

  • Explore the Jewish Diaspora in up to 12 Countries

    Kivunim is on and off the beaten path. We see the major sites wherever we go, but we also study and visit places the typical tourist will never see. Our fully accredited academic courses build cultural awareness and literacy by exploring world religions, art and musical cultures, histories and traditions, together with the Jewish experience within all of them. We meet some of the most distinguished thinkers, writers, artists, musicians, political & religious leaders both in Israel and in the countries of our annual travels.

  • Volunteer Work in Israel

    Through our Social Responsibility program we dedicate a significant portion of each week in Israel to giving back and making a difference. We study and see first-hand the challenges to many in Israeli society and consider how our contribution can make a difference. Our program builds character and fosters a commitment to bring more kindness and compassion to the world.

  • Make Meaningful Connections

    We approach our studies and experiences with an optimistic worldview. Throughout the year, we explore issues that unite and divide. We emphasize the bright spots in both our past and present, to remind us of our collective humanity. At each stage of our year-long journey, our students are encouraged to find points of commonality, engage in open dialogue and build bridges with other countries and cultures.

S T U D E N T T E S T I M O N I A L S

  • I still consider my Kivunim gap year to be one of the most formative experiences of my life. It shaped my identity and enhanced my personal development…I consider myself a braver, more curious, and more confident citizen of the world.”

    - Adam

  • “It was life changing and completely unique... none of my peers at university got to experience that. It gave me an incredible perspective; not only an academic advantage, but a completely different mindset on freshman year at college.”

    – Jonah

  • “I made the greatest connections of my life. Most notably, I met my girlfriend of 3 years on the trip. Anywhere I travel in the world, from New York to Tel Aviv, I am greeted by Kivunim alumni...”

    – Adin

  • “Kivunim provided me with a strong historical background and the knowledge to have difficult conversations on campus.”

    – Aaron

  • “Going on these trips around the diaspora made me feel so much more connected to my Jewish identity. I felt proud to be a Jew and to be a Jew of the Diaspora.”

    – Meriav

  • “Not only did Kivunim help me expand my knowledge, but also provided personal growth and discovery. I would not be where I am today, or the person I am today, without Kivunim.”

    – Ari

"I believe that any educational program aimed at young people, even in these challenging times, must be fueled by hopefulness and driven by the optimism that is so characteristic of youth. It must not merely be a coincidence that our Jewish national anthem is called התקוה “The Hope”. It is hopefulness that has fueled our people across the ages. It is in our prayers and is expressed throughout our holidays. Why do Kivunim students visit Morocco each year? Because Kivunim’s educational decisions are driven by the value proposition stated in our mission: “Jewish education for the 21st century must help to minimize fears and maximize comfort with people, cultures and religions that are different than our own, both as Americans and as Jews.” This worldview is the natural outgrowth of re-appreciating the Jewish Diaspora, of encountering the richness and beauty of Jewish Civilization.

Peter Geffen
Founder, Kivunim