The UK’s largest Israel charity has opened applications for its gap year scholars initiative, providing funding for up to half the cost of the experience.
Launched last summer, UJIA’s programme has already identified and supported 10 of the most promising young leaders in the Jewish community.
For the 2025/2026 cohort, the organisation, supported by Wohl Legacy, will again provide the financial assistance for a select group of future leaders.
UJIA Chair Zvi Noé said their research shows that Israel experiences, particularly immersive gap year programmes, “play a vital role in strengthening young people’s sense of belonging to the Jewish people, which in turn inspires them to become the communal leaders of the future.”
He added that this belief, shared by their partners at Wohl Legacy, “is why we are making funds available to support more young people in 2025-2026, who in turn will join the leadership pipeline that our community relies on.”
Each Scholar will have access to a range of professional coaching and personal mentoring opportunities, participate in exclusive Shabbatonim and seminars, and continue to engage as a cohort on their return to the UK.
Current UJIA gap year scholar Leo Arazi said he applied to the scheme “to improve and strengthen my leadership, and teamwork skills specifically within a Jewish environment. I felt the programme would provide me with opportunities that would not only benefit me, but also the future of British Jewry.”
He added that the grant that the programme provided was a great incentive. “If you’re even thinking about applying, then I say: what do you have to lose? Why not give it a shot? As long as you’re a committed individual and somebody who isn’t scared to be themselves then fill in the application and put in the effort. Both the programme and the grant are extremely beneficial and it’s an opportunity you will not regret applying for.”
In 2017 just 66 young people went on post-secondary school gap programmes; this has nearly doubled to 112 in 2024-2025. In 2010 just 37 young people went on post-university career-development programmes; in 2024-2025 this has risen nearly five-fold to over 150.
The total average number of young people on UJIA-supported long-term programmes in Israel is now more than 420.
- To apply you must be a UK resident, a participant on a Masa approved gap-year programme of 4 months or more, have an intention to return to the UK and be an active member of the UK Jewish community. For more information, click here and and apply by 30 April.
