Masa Israel Journey

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Israeli government and Jewish Agency project that funds and approves long-term programmes in Israel for young Jews from abroad

Masa Israel Journey

Logo Masa Israel Journey logo.png
Type Public benefit company; joint project of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel
Founded 2004
Founder(s) Government of Israel; Jewish Agency for Israel; Jewish Federations of North America; Keren Hayesod
Location Israel
Area served Young Jews aged 16 to 40 outside Israel
Services Grants and need-based scholarships for Masa-recognised programmes in Israel of six weeks to a year
Website masaisrael.org

Masa Israel Journey (Masa, Hebrew for "journey") funds and approves long-term programmes in Israel for young Jews from abroad. Masa calls itself "a joint project of the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Government of Israel".[1] The footer of its website describes it as "a Public Benefit Company (PBC)" and "a joint project of the Government of Israel, the Jewish Agency for Israel and its partners, the Jewish Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod – UIA".[2] Bnei Akiva UK tells applicants more simply that "Masa is a project of the Israeli government".[3]

Masa does not run the programmes itself. Its FAQ calls Masa "the umbrella organization that provides the funding for and support for long-term programs in Israel", while "the actual trips are operated by a wide variety of educational organizations".[4] These include gap years run by British Zionist youth movements. Several of the Masa-approved gap years offered to British school-leavers include Marva, an army course of about two months, as an option. World Bnei Akiva describes Marva as "run by the IDF";[5] the Israel Defense Forces describe it as run by the IDF and the Jewish Agency for Israel, one of Masa's founders.[6] Participation in a Masa-approved programme is also a condition of some bursaries from the United Jewish Israel Appeal (UJIA).[7]

Founding, funding and scale

Masa's "Our Story" section says that in 2004 "the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren HaYesod, The Jewish Federations of North America, and the Government of Israel came together" to create it.[1] Its FAQ describes it as "a public-service organization founded by the Prime Minister's Office of the Government of Israel, together with The Jewish Agency for Israel".[4] Its partners page states that it "was established as a joint venture of the Government of Israel and The Jewish Agency for Israel and its partners, the Jewish Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod – UIA". The same page credits "strong partnerships and generous donations from Israel's Prime Minister's Office, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Hayesod – UJA, the Jewish Federations of North America, Genesis Foundation, Ministry of Education, Azrieli Foundation, and more" for its grants and scholarships.[8]

Masa says that "more than 220,000 Fellows from over 60 countries" have taken part. It describes itself as linking "young Jews between the ages of 16 and 40" to programmes "ranging from 6 weeks to a full year", grouped as Gap Year, Jewish Studies, Academic Fellows, Israel Teaching Fellows, Career and Volunteers.[1]

British participants

The United Jewish Israel Appeal's accounts for the year to 30 September 2025 report that "458 young British adults (2024: 321) participated in long term Masa programmes". They add that "During the June escalation with Iran, UJIA and Masa coordinated closely to ensure safety and support repatriation where required".[9]

Grants

Masa lists its grant conditions as being Jewish, being aged from "9th-grade graduates" to 40, and not having been on an organised post-high-school programme of more than four months in Israel since September 2004. Israeli citizens qualify only if they "left Israel before the age of 14" and have lived abroad for at least four consecutive years. Funding must be applied for "prior to the start date of your program". Need-based scholarships are available on "Masa Israel-recognized long term programs" and are reduced proportionally for programmes shorter than ten months.[2] Its FAQ says that "The amount of Masa funding that you will receive depends on your age, nationality and the length of your program". All participants can apply for "universal grants", and those from some countries can also apply for need-based scholarships.[4]

World Bnei Akiva tells applicants to its Kadima gap year that "MASA grants all participants a minimum $200 grant and offers additional need-based scholarships". It also says that Masa "offers Hachshara participants an automatic grant, with further needs based funding available, which can be much more than offered to Yeshivot/Seminaries".[5]

Combination with UJIA bursaries

The United Jewish Israel Appeal's financial assistance page says that participants from the UK on gap-year programmes "are eligible to access UJIA's 'Access Israel Fund' support". It adds that "there must be also be a financial contribution from MASA and the youth movement or programme provider to be eligible for UJIA awards".[10] UJIA's Gap Year Scholars scheme requires applicants to be "a participant in a MASA-approved gap-year programme (minimum of 4 months)".[7] Neither page excludes programmes that include military options. UJIA also tells applicants that "Participants on Birthright Israel Onward programs receive a grant from Masa",[11] and it promotes Masa Career internships.[12]

Approved gap years taken by British school-leavers

Masa's programme directory, checked on 23 October 2026, lists the following gap years, among others, that are run by British youth movements or promoted to British applicants. UJIA's own directory lists the FZY Year Course,[13] Habonim Dror Shnat[14] and LJY RSY Shnat Netzer[15] among its gap years.

Masa listings for gap years offered to British school-leavers (checked 23 October 2026)
Programme Organiser Military option Masa alumni figure Source
Kadima World Bnei Akiva, recruited in the UK by Bnei Akiva UK Listing names "MDA/Marva"; World Bnei Akiva's schedule gives "Electives: MDA Ambulance / Marva IDF" 459 [16][5]
FZY Year Course Federation of Zionist Youth Listing: "the chanichim have the option to take part in Marva, Magen David Adom or volunteer at Yemin Orde youth village" 443 [17]
Aardvark Israel Classic Aardvark Israel Not mentioned on the Masa listing. Aardvark's own site offers Marva "as PART OF the Aardvark Israel Classic Track experience" 2,166 [18][19]
Shnat Netzer Olami Netzer Olami Not stated on the listing 32 [20]
Habonim Dror Shnat Hachshara Anglo Habonim Dror Not stated on the listing 654 [21]

FZY Year Course

The Masa listing for the Federation of Zionist Youth's Year Course includes Marva in its "Israel Experience" section. It also mentions "UJIA programming" and activities run by "Israeli Scouts".[17] FZY's own page states that the fee "includes return flights from London to Tel Aviv, the option to participate in MDA or Marva (subject to acceptance), a partial food subsidy, and more".[22] According to its entry on the Charity Commission register, the Friends of the Federation of Zionist Youth "raises funds to provide grants and interest free loans to members of the Federation of Zionist Youth participating in the movements year course programmes in Israel".[23]

Bnei Akiva programmes

World Bnei Akiva states that "As an approved MASA program, all World Bnei Akiva Hachshara Israel programs follow the safety and security guidelines outlined by MASA".[5] The Bnei Akiva UK catalogue for Kadima, Torani and Mechina Olamit says: "As an approved MASA gap year programme, we follow the security advice of the relevant security agencies in Israel". It tells applicants to "Register with MASA". The same catalogue describes Mechina Olamit as including "army preparation" and "IDF Basic Training", and says its participants from abroad are "either taking a gap year, becoming 'lone soldiers' or are olim chadashim".[3] See Kadima (World Bnei Akiva).

Aardvark Israel

Aardvark Israel's Masa listing gives a UK telephone number among its international contacts.[18] Aardvark's Marva page says that participants live "on an army base for six to eight weeks" and "wear an Israeli army uniform, carry a gun". It says the course is "based in the south of Israel on a Gadna base", with time in "Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Galilee and more".[19] On 10 July 2026, Middle East Eye reported that participants could sign up for Marva "as part of the UJIA-promoted Israel Classic Track".[24]

Marva and the Israeli military

Accounts differ on who runs Marva. World Bnei Akiva calls it "an Israeli army experience, run by the IDF".[5] Middle East Eye says it "is run by the Israeli military and the Jewish Agency for Israel".[24] The Israel Defense Forces list Marva among their volunteer programmes as "an army simulation program run by the IDF and the Jewish Agency for Israel".[6] Accounts also differ on its length: World Bnei Akiva gives a "two - month experience",[5] Aardvark gives "six to eight weeks",[19] and the IDF gives "eight weeks".[6]

Garin Tzabar

Masa lists Garin Tzabar as one of its programmes. The listing describes it as "founded in 1991 and run by Tzofim Tzabar Olami, with the support of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, The Prime Minister of Israel's office, The Social Security Department, The Jewish Agency For Israel and Masa Israel Journey". Its members "choose to move to Israel and serve in the IDF", and "The core of the program is carried out during their military service". The listing records 2,793 alumni and gives a "Garin Tzabar main office in Europe" with the London number +44 (0)20 8371 5285. On arrival the group "is adopted by the Israel Scouts and placed in a hosting kibbutz", which serves as their home "throughout the duration of their army service".[25]

See also

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Masa Israel Journey, About Masa Israel Journey masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Masa Israel Journey, Masa Israel Journey Grants masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bnei Akiva UK, Kadima, Torani, Mechina Olamit: catalogue 2025 bauk.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Masa Israel Journey, FAQs masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 World Bnei Akiva, Kadima: World Bnei Akiva, Modern Orthodox Israel Gap Year worldbneiakiva.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Israel Defense Forces, Volunteer Programs idf.il, 30 October 2017, accessed 23 October 2026.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 United Jewish Israel Appeal, Gap Year Scholars ujia.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  8. ↑ Masa Israel Journey, Partner with Masa masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  9. ↑ United Jewish Israel Appeal, Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended 30th September 2025, via the Charity Commission register (charity 1060078), accessed 23 October 2026.
  10. ↑ United Jewish Israel Appeal, Financial Assistance ujia.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  11. ↑ United Jewish Israel Appeal, Onward Israel ujia.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  12. ↑ United Jewish Israel Appeal, Masa Career ujia.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  13. ↑ United Jewish Israel Appeal, FZY year course ujia.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  14. ↑ United Jewish Israel Appeal, Habonim Dror Shnat ujia.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  15. ↑ United Jewish Israel Appeal, LJY RSY Shnat Netzer ujia.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  16. ↑ Masa Israel Journey, World Bnei Akiva - Kadima masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Masa Israel Journey, FZY Year Course masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Masa Israel Journey, Aardvark Israel - Classic masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Aardvark Israel, Marva: Israel Army Simulation Gap Year Program aardvarkisrael.com, accessed 23 October 2026.
  20. ↑ Masa Israel Journey, Shnat Netzer Olami masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  21. ↑ Masa Israel Journey, Habonim Dror Shnat Hachshara Anglo masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
  22. ↑ Federation of Zionist Youth, About fzy.org.uk, accessed 23 October 2026.
  23. ↑ Charity Commission for England and Wales, Register of Charities public extract, entry for Friends of the Federation of Zionist Youth (261241), extract dated 14 October 2026.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Melissa Muller, Settlement stays and army days: How UK charities promote migration to Israel Middle East Eye, 10 July 2026, accessed 23 October 2026.
  25. ↑ Masa Israel Journey, Tzofim Tzabar masaisrael.org, accessed 23 October 2026.
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