Masa Israel Journey gives 18-to-30-year-old Jews long term immersive experiences in Israel, connecting them gap year, study abroad and post college work and volunteer programs that meet their interests, offering scholarships, providing expertise, and supporting them throughout the entire process.

Through these immersive experiences, lasting between five and twelve months, participants develop a deep, personal connection to Israel and Jewish life, thereby ensuring the continuity of the Jewish people and creating a community of future Jewish leaders. 

Conceived by former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Jewish Agency For Israel’s Alan Hoffman, and others, Masa Israel was established in 2004 as a joint project of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel. They envisioned that all Jewish young adults will spend a semester to a year in Israel. They believed that long-term experiences in Israel could effectively shape and inspire the next generation of Jewish leaders--and also result in a lifelong commitment to the Jewish people and to Israel.

"Today, we are taking a giant step towards the time when living in Israel for a period of time will be an inseparable part of the life of every Jewish youngster around the world, just as the land of Israel is an inseparable part of our identities as Jews." (Ariel Sharon, 2005)

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Masa Israel Journey is a joint project of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel and is made possible by the generous contributions of the Jewish Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod-UIA. ​