(Courtesy of Mizrachi) For decades, the post-high school or “gap year” experience has been identified as one of the most transformative opportunities for young Jews looking to forge a closer bond with their Judaism and the land of Israel. Over the years, hundreds of thousands of young Diaspora Jews have embraced these experiences, studying in dozens of yeshivot and seminaries, all focused on leveraging this time to strengthen themselves as individuals and members of the broader Jewish community.
Once again, a major fundraising initiative has been launched under the banner of the Fifth Annual World Mizrachi Day of Giving, specifically intended to support students without the financial means to come to Israel on their own.
“Study in Israel is not simply a rite of passage for young Jews but it is truly an experience that is building the next generation of Jewish leaders by exposing them to the core values that link Torah with the centrality of Israel in Jewish destiny,” explained Rabbi Doron Perez, executive chairman of World Mizrachi. “In the face of so many challenges facing the Jewish community today, both physical and spiritual, instilling these values in our youth is more critical than ever.”
World Mizrachi works with a network of over 40 yeshivot and seminaries, all united by the common vision of Religious Zionism, that the traditions of the Torah and connection to the land are central elements in forging a stronger and more inspired Jewish future.
According to organizers of the annual drive, demand on these programs has grown significantly over the past year and a half. Many students who might previously have gone straight to university are embracing Israel study with the recognition that the tools they’ll gain will be critical as they head off to university. The programs themselves are investing more heavily in mental health services to help students cope with unprecedented fears surrounding the war, alongside immediate costs to expand security and safety infrastructures.
“No student should be turned away from studying in Israel because of financial constraints,” Rabbi Perez said. “This stage in their lives brings with it many questions about who they are as individuals and as Jews and provides a pivotal opportunity to address those concerns through the prism of an immersive Torat Eretz Yisrael experience. We invite everyone who understands the unique power of the Yeshiva and Seminary experience in Israel to join us in support of this fundraising initiative. By choosing to embrace our core values Jewish values, we are directly investing … in these students, but as importantly, in a stronger Jewish future.”
