NEW FOR YEAR COURSE 20-21: ALL YEAR COURSERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A TRIP TO POLAND AT NO EXTRA COST!
We are thrilled to offer our educational trip to Poland to all Year Coursers included in the regular tuition beginning in program year 2020-2021. Each section will travel together – Kedma in November and Yama in April – to learn and reflect while bearing witness to history and working for a better future.
Our other international trips take Year Coursers to some of the world’s most interesting destinations – whether volunteering and touring in Rwanda, repairng the world in Mumbai, India, or learning about Jewish history in Morocco – Year Coursers become true world citizens, enriching their futures and figuring out just what they’re made of!
In addition to an action-packed year taking classes, volunteering, and interning in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Year Course is also the perfect opportunity to explore your interests and personalize your gap year.
Specialty tracks can help you form an intimate group of like-minded friends within the larger Year Course community and to enjoy extracurricular activities related to topics of your choice. You’ll meet with experts, participate in workshops, hear lectures and go on trips related to your track.
The best way to understand Israel’s diverse history, culture and geography is to live like a real local on our Israel gap year. The Year Course experience is fostered by the time participants spend volunteering, learning and speaking Hebrew, traveling all over the country, and living with fellow participants. Instead of seeing Israel through the windows of a tour bus, Year Course participants become intimately involved with Israeli communities and develop deep understandings of what it means to live in Israel.
In addition, there are weekly kvutzah (group) meetings run by madrichim (counselors), weekly siyurim (excursions), and free evenings and weekends during which chanichim are encouraged to explore on their own. Between the components of our program and the many opportunities to travel on your own, you’ll quickly to get feel like a local!
Year Course’s unique format allows our participants to experience Israel in 3 distinct ways. Their year is split into three unique experiences:
- Four months will be spent in the historic city of Jerusalem as part of the Machon l’Madrichei Chul, on an academic track that involves both formal and informal education, including an option to earn up to 30 college credits.
- Four months will be based in Tel Aviv-Yafo, where participants choose between a variety of volunteering options: some special experiences include a two-month Marva experience training with the Israeli Defense Forces and volunteering with MDA (Magen David Adom).
- Adventure Month which takes place mid-way through the year, offering more than 20 unique ways to explore Israel.
The Year Course cohort is split into 2 sections: Yama and Kedma. One section will start their program in Jerusalem, while the other section will start in Tel aviv-Yafo. After winter break the two sections switch places, so all participants will experience both cities for the ultimate Israel gap year. Check out our Facebook and Instagram to see what we’re up to right now!
What You’ll Learn While You Study in Israel
Study in Israel with Year Course! We offer a full range of dynamic and fun classes for you to take during the year. Unlike regular university classes, we’ve customized our academics and created a comprehensive curriculum that combines classroom learning in small groups with experiential and informal educational experiences meant to get you out into Israel, learning far beyond the classroom.
Accreditation
Young Judaea Year Course provides an academic program in partnership with the American Jewish University College in Israel. The American Jewish University’s main campus is located in Los Angeles and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), one of six regional accrediting associations in the United States.
All of our local courses and academic faculty meet the standards set by the American Jewish University/WASC and are supervised by the senior staff members of Young Judaea Israel.
Below are some of the courses that have been offered in recent years. This will give you a good idea as to offerings you’ll be able to choose from when you come on Year Course! Please note that courses may differ each year.
Siyyurim (Excursion) Courses (3 – 4 Credits)
Some things can only be learned in Israel and only out in the real world of Israel! Year Course offers intense, ‘field’ based courses that combine classroom study with in-person excursions. You’ll see the places and meet the people who make this country unlike any other in the world and get a first-hand view of reality while you study in Israel taking the following courses:
- The Jerusalem Idea (HIS111) Syllabus
- The Zionist Idea (HIS170) Syllabus
- The Tel Aviv Idea (SOC178) Syllabus Coming Soon
