Yeshiva Inclusion Project

The JQY Gap Year Program is designed for queer post-high school students spending their gap year in Israel. This initiative is a collaboration between JQY & Havruta (Havruta.org.il), created to provide support, community, and meaningful programming for students during their time in Israel. The program offers a variety of exciting and educational activities, as well as social meetups, all conducted in English. Open to all gap-year students ages 18-20, the JQY Gap Year Program is a welcoming space to connect, learn, and build friendships.

• School Guidance

YIP aims to provide individually tailored guidance and support for high school seniors to enable the most positive and supportive Jewish gap-year experience possible. All guidance is based on our research, conversations with Yeshiva hanhala (administration), and the collective experience of past LGBTQ students.

Prospective students and educators are invited to contact us for guidance on how to achieve a welcoming and meaningful gap-year experience.

• Shabbat experiences in Israel

YIP has recently expanded to include the “AnyQueer in Israel” program; a resource designed to provide yeshiva and seminary students with a list of queer and ally shabbat hosts. Yeshiva and seminary students can reach out to pre-vetted hosts and experience Shabbat in a safe and accepting environment. 

*Want to host JQY gap year students for shabbat? Visit jqy.org/host to apply today. 

• Connecting current Seminary/Yeshiva students

Additionally, YIP serves to connect current queer gap-year attendees informally and formally, through the JQY app community groups and through organized dinners during the year.    

Attending a gap-year program and want to find other JQY-ers doing the same? Been on a gap-year program and want to find other queer people from your year? 

Download the JQY App to connect with queer Jews all over the world!