Young Jewish leaders are discovering a groundbreaking pathway to personal growth and community impact through the JLIC Yavneh B’Aretz Israel Gap Year Fellowship. This innovative program stands out from traditional gap year experiences by offering a transformative approach to leadership development that blends professional training, Torah learning, and real-world community engagement.
What sets Yavneh B’Aretz apart is its dynamic leadership model. The program brilliantly combines the expertise of professional Yavneh staff with the lived experiences of Yavneh alumni. Participants benefit from a unique two-pronged approach: professional staff provide structured leadership training, while alumni bring fresh, relatable perspectives that resonate with emerging leaders.
The fellowship takes an immersive approach to leadership development. Yavneh’s team visits students in yeshivahs and seminaries, bringing leadership training directly to emerging 100 college students at 5 schools. They use Torah learning as a powerful lens to showcase leadership skills and community involvement, demonstrating how traditional Jewish wisdom can inform modern leadership principles.
Yavneh B’Aretz allows students on their gap year to consider the unique contribution that they can make not only on their campuses, but in the Jewish world more broadly. Every year, we are blown away by the talent, drive, and innovative thinking of these young leaders. We have seen time and again that entering campus after intentional reflection on their goals and purpose in community work, their impact is significantly magnified. I leave our training sessions confident that the Jewish future is bright. – Rav Jeremy Tibbetts, Yavneh B’Aretz, Program Director
Participants of Yavneh B’Aretz are not just passive learners – they are active architects of their future Jewish leadership journey. The program’s comprehensive curriculum covers critical topics that challenge and inspire:
- Redefining leadership through personal connection
- Crafting compelling personal narratives
- Exploring Jewish identity in the contemporary American context
- Developing skills in community assessment and creative problem-solving
- Building values-driven Jewish communities
The fellowship doesn’t end with the gap year. It offers a direct pathway into Yavneh on Campus, connecting participants to a robust network spanning over 95 campuses. Fellows gain access to extraordinary opportunities, including subsidized winter break missions to Israel, ongoing leadership training, inspiring shabbatonim, and even programming funds to implement their vision.
Commitment is minimal but impactful: three Friday seminars and one transformative Shabbaton retreat throughout the year. These concentrated experiences promise to be game-changers for participants, providing them with the tools, connections, and inspiration to make a meaningful difference in the Jewish world.
Yavneh B’Aretz is more than a program – it’s a launchpad for the next generation of Jewish leaders. By bridging traditional learning with innovative leadership training, it offers young Jews a unique opportunity to explore their potential, connect with their heritage, and prepare to make a lasting impact on their communities.
For emerging leaders looking to transform their gap year into a transformative leadership experience, Yavneh B’Aretz offers an unparalleled opportunity to grow, learn, and lead.
Yavneh gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Jewish National Fund-USA. Their commitment to empowering young Jewish leaders and investing in innovative educational programming makes initiatives like ours possible.
Reach out to any of our Directors to learn more about and to support JLIC and our programming.
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