Teens : Israel Experience Center

About Us Things to consider when choosing an Israel Trip Summer Programs High School Academic Programs Post High School Programs Links to Teen Programs in Israel Links to Grants Passport to Israel Support Israel Attractive Land Israel Map St. Louis Young Adult Israel Trip

The Possibilities are Endless...


About Us

A trip to Israel should be the highlight of your teenage years.  Hike, climb, discover, and explore Israel’s history with teens from across North America. Return home with endless personal accomplishments, meaningful memories and stories you'll never forget. While most trips occur during the summer break, there are numerous programs for travel and study during the school year as well.  Israel experience programs are sponsored by each national youth group in addition to independent trip providers.

The CAJE Israel Experience Center is your local resource for teen travel to Israel.  We will help you to identify the program that meets your needs and interests.  The Israel Experience Center also administers a scholarship fund that distributes financial support on the basis of need and merit.  Please contact Karen Rader (314) 442-3756 or krader@cajestl.org for more information on Israel programs and financial assistance.

Things to Consider When Choosing A Teen Israel Experience

Sponsor and Program Philosophy

  • What organization sponsors this program? What is the sponsor's primary mission and philosophy?
  • What are the sponsor's "teaching objectives" for the program? What components of the itinerary and other aspects of the program are designed to accomplish these objectives?
  • How comfortable am I with this sponsor?

Health and Safety

  • What kind of medical services are available?
  • What provisions are made to accommodate individuals with disabilities or chronic conditions?
  • Is any special insurance coverage needed or advisable?
  • How are emergencies handled? How are parents contacted?
  • What safety standards do subcontractors like bus companies meet?
  • What arrangements are made to ensure security?
  • What modes of travel, other than bus, are used?

Religious Observance

  • Is kosher food always available? Required? (Are there vegetarian menu options?) Are all food arrangements handled by the program?
  • What is the level of religious observance? How are Shabbat and other holidays observed?
  • What are the arrangements and expectations regarding prayer?
  • Are there opportunities to attend services in settings compatible with participants' background and practice?
  • Are participants exposed to diverse cultures and approaches to Judaism?

Program Rules

  • What are program policies on alcohol, drugs, physical intimacy, smoking, and being away from the group during time that is not "free"?
  • Under what circumstances are participants sent home?

Keeping in Touch with Home

  • Does the program have offices in the U.S. and Israel for easy communication with parents?
  • How do parents contact participants if there is an emergency at home?
  • How does the program communicate with parents during the trip? How are participants encouraged to communicate with parents?
  • If participants have friends or relatives in Israel, can arrangements be made for getting together?

The Group

  • What is the age range of participants?
  • How many participants (and groups of participants) are in the program? In each group? Where do most participants come from? New York? Nationwide? International?
  • Is everyone from similar religious and ideological backgrounds?
  • Are men and women together or separated?

Staffing

  • What is the staff/participant ratio?
  • Will a tour educator travel with the group?
  • How have counselors, tour guides or tour educators been trained?

Itinerary

  • What sites are visited in Israel?
  • Will the group go to the West Bank? Jordan?
  • Does the trip include travel to Eastern Europe?
  • What makes this trip special? The arts..science..archaeology..sports..outdoor adventure..intellectual challenge..leadership development?
  • Does everyone stay together, or are there options for small groups/individual choices?
  • Are there formal classes? Scholars-in-residence? Special speakers?
  • Does the program include volunteer work experiences? What kind? For what portion of the trip?
  • Does the group spend time with Israeli teens? Israel families? New immigrants?
  • How are evenings programmed?
  • Is there free time? How much? Where? Will it be supervised?

Accommodations

  • What is the program's home base? Are there overnights away? Where and for how long?
  • In what types of facilities is the group housed?
  • Do participants have single rooms? Doubles? More than two to a room? How are roommates selected?
  • Is there home hospitality?

Other Important Things to Know

  • What is the complete cost of the program (air, land arrangements, special fees, recommended spending money)?
  • Is financial aid available from the program or sponsoring movement?
  • What is the screening process for applicants?
  • Is the program sensitive to the needs (cultural and other) of all teens, including New Americans?
  • Can I get names and phone numbers of trip alumni in my area, so I can call and ask about the program?
  • What kind of pre- or post-trip programming does the program sponsor offer? Is pre-trip study or follow-up activity required?

The following is a selection of Israel Experience programs that teens from St. Louis have attended in the past.

Summer Programs

Discover Israel during the summer months.  There are over one hundred trips to choose from that range in length from 3-8 weeks.  Are you interested in the arts, sports, volunteering?  There’s a trip that’s just right for you.  Explore the endless possibilities for spending an unforgettable summer in Israel.

High School Academic Programs

Continue your academic studies as you experience your "classroom without walls," the land of Israel.  Over five thousand years of history will come alive as you travel throughout the country with this hands-on approach to learning.  Half and full semester options are available. 

Explore Israel for either 8 or 16 weeks during the school year.  In addition to completing regular course work, these fully accredited high school programs will immerse each student in the culture and history of Israel.  The entire country becomes your classroom.   

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Post High School Programs

Consider spending a year in Israel while earning college credit.  Take a semester or year in Israel and take back more than just memories.  Nothingelse can put a lifetime of Jewish education into context as well as a long-term Israel program in which participants can unpack their bags, study, volunteer and experience the country in an authentic, genuine way. 

Visit www.masaisrael.org for information on the myriad of opportunities available to post high school students.  Project Masa is a joint initiative of The Jewish Agency for Israel and the Government of Israel.  Masa provides need-based scholarship funds for long-term programs in Israel.  Visit their website for additional information

An Israel Experience is a journey that lasts a lifetime! The Israel Experience Center is a resource for Jewish teens, families, educators and the entire Jewish community.

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The Israel Experience Center provides:

Funding Opportunities

•   Scholarships for Jewish teens needing financial assistance are available through a generous grant from the Sam, Charles and Mamie Rich Education Fund of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis

MERIT-BASED ISRAEL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION-CLICK HERE

$500 awards will be given to 30 students currently in grades 9-12
going to Israel in 2008.

Complete submissions are due by February 18, 2008.
Send to:
Karen Rader, Central Agency for Jewish Education
12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO  63146

ISRAEL EXPERIENCE CENTER 2008 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
-CLICK HERE

Need-based Scholarships and Interest-free Loans

Complete applications are due by March 28, 2008.
Send to:
Israel Experience Center, Central Agency for Jewish Education
12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO  63146

2008 STUART I. PESSIN MERIT-BASED ISRAEL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION-CLICK HERE

Two high school students will be awarded $1,250 each from the Stuart I. Pessin Scholarship Fund.

Complete applications are due by March 14, 2008.
Send to:
Karen Rader, Central Agency for Jewish Education
12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO  63146

Click here to find out more about the Stuart I. Pessin Scholarship Fund.

•   Interest free loans from the Jewish Federation of St. Louis

•   Participation in the Passport to Israel Saving Plan

•   Brochures and applications for a wide variety of teen programs

•   Program videos and CD-roms that may be checked out for viewing

•   In-house experts to answer questions about all aspects of the Israel experience for teens

Education

•   Variety of educational programs and workshops for youth, teens, families, adults and teachers

•   Teaching resources that include: videos, games, curricula, text books, stickers, posters, maps and more

•   CAJE consultants who will present a variety of Israel educational programs for all ages

•   Attractive Land super size floor map of Israel

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2006 Stuart I. Pessin Award winners
Donna Iken and Alana Baron
Photo (from left to right): Donna Iken, Joyce Becker, and Alana Baron

 

Stuart I. Pessin Award

The Central Agency for Jewish Education and the Jewish Federation annouced the availability of merit-based scholarships for high school students participating in Israel experience program in 2005.

Israel scholarships will be awarded to two outstanding teenagers on the basis of their activities in the Jewish Community and their commitment to continued Jewish education and participation.

The two awards, which are allocated from the Stuart I. Pessin scholarship fund, compliment the existing Israel grant program that is already administered by CAJE and distributed on the basis of financial need.  The merit-based scholarships provide an alternative means or select students to receive community funds by demonstraing their commitment to Judaism and the St. Louis Jewish community.

The Pessin Fund recipients join the winners of the Jewish Opportunites and Learning for Teens community high school's Ilene Senturia Israel Merit Scholarship.  Upon return, students will also be expected to speak about their experiences in Israel to their peers and the community as advocates for Israel travel and educational programs.

Past Winners

2006 Winners:  Alana Baron and Donna Iken

Alana is a junior at Block Yeshiva High School.  She is active in NCSY, a member of the St. Louis Teen Leadership Council, participates in the JCRC's Student to Student program and is the founder of the St. Louis chapter of Yachad.  This summer Alana will at attending the Jewish Overseas Leadership Training which will include travel to the Ukraine, Poland and Israel.

Donna Iken is a senior at Clayton High School.  She is also active in NCSY, a member of the St. Louis Area Model United Nations, the JCRC Student to Student Program and a founding member of ITAG, the St. Louis Teen Advocacy Group.  Donna will be attending Midreshet HaRova in the fall.

Application Details

In order for a student to be considered for the Stuart I. Pessin Israel Merit Scholarship, we request that he/she submit a resume on their activities, a recommendation from a Jewish professional, and an essay on the topic of Jewish interest along with the scholarship application. 

Completed submissions are due by March 14, 2008.

Send completed Aplication, Resume of Activities and Essay to Karen Rader, CAJE, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63146.

2008 Stuart I Pessin Merit-Based Israel Scholarship Application

For any details about the Stuart I. Pessin Award, please contact Karen Rader at (314) 442-3765 or e-mail krader@cajestl.org.

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Links to Teen Programs in Israel

Israel – What an Experience!

There are a myriad of ways to “experience” Israel – hiking and rafting in the Galilee, camping in the desert, visiting the old city of Jerusalem, working on a kibbutz, climbing Masada, placing a message in the Kotel – and much, much more! Contact the Israel Experience Center for information about the wide variety of Israel Experience programs for teens or go to www.jewishagency.org (click Israel Experience on the left side) to learn about all the available short term programs.

Also check the Complete Guide to the Israel Experience web site for a full listing of teen and college programs in Israel.

For more information about the Israel Experience Center, contact Karen Rader at (314) 442-3756 or krader@cajestl.org.

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Links to Grants

Grants are also available for Israel experience programs. For more information about these grants you can contact Karen Rader at (314) 442-3756 or krader@cajestl.org.

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Passport to Israel

We can help you start saving now for your child’s teen Israel experience. Now is the time to enroll in Passport to Israel, a savings plan that helps you save money for the journey that lasts a lifetime.

Passport to Israel ...
•   enables your high school students to have an Israel experience as part of their Jewish education.

•   is a cooperative program of the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, congregations, and families, with each congregation determining its own level of financial support.

•   allows matching funds to be contributed from third until tenth grade.Federation will earmark $100 a year, up to a maximum of eight years, while families and congregations will contribute a combined minimum total of $200 each year to a special Israel trip fund.

•   helps families accumulate a minimum of $3,000 over an eight-year period of contribution. Additional “gift deposits” can increase that amount.

Even at the age of nine, your child will begin to develop a connection to Israel by looking forward to receiving this extraordinary gift.

Application: Passport to Israel is administered through the St. Louis Israel Experience Center of the Central Agency for Jewish Education.

For more information about the Passport to Israel program, contact Karen Rader at (314) 442-3756 or krader@cajestl.org.

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Support to Israel

There are many ways to support Israel. Click here to find out about various Educational Sites, Israeli Products and Advocacy opportunities that can assist you find ways to support the State of Israel

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"Attractive Land" Israel Map

A huge Israel "Attractive Land" map is available for groups to use as part of their educational activities about Israel. For further information about this map, please contact Karen Rader at (314) 442-3756 or krader@cajestl.org. Israel Attractive Land Map

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