Camp YavnehCamp Yavneh
(נעלה (קיץ בארץ

Na’aleh
(​Summer in Israel)

Yavneh’s Leadership Seminar in Israel for Rising 12th Graders

At Yavneh campers develop deep love and appreciation for the place of Israel in contemporary Jewish life. We believe that there is no greater gift than an immersive leadership seminar in Israel.

Since 1995, over 500 Yavneh alumni have spent their summer before senior year in Israel on Na’aleh. Many of our alumni return to Israel for extended periods of time on a gap-year, junior year abroad, volunteering post college, studying, or making aliyah. Naaleh is Camp Yavneh’s capstone leadership summer seminar. This summer, we will be using Routes Travel Company in Israel as a partner with Yavneh to offer an immersive educational experience to enhance our campers’ Jewish personal growth, foster a love of Israel, and develop their potential as future leaders of the Jewish community. Campers learn about the complexities of life in Israel, spend time in different communities, and learn from people from a range of backgrounds and perspectives.

Building Leaders Through an Immersive Israel Experience

We know that rising seniors have many choices about how to spend the summer before applying to college. The pressure to “build a resume” is stronger than ever. We have designed Na’aleh with this in mind – to give participants opportunities to meet with those in Israel on the cutting edge of society, change makers, and creative leaders who are making a difference in Israeli and Diaspora Jewry.

We intentionally keep Na’aleh small so that we can go to places, meet with people, and do things that larger groups just can’t do.

Na’aleh’s intensive seminar format builds on the experiences of those who have already been to Israel and is also immersive enough to give those who have never been the opportunity to experience Israel for the first time. In addition to visiting some of the most important religious and historical sites in Israel, Na’aleh is also designed to address the most important contemporary issues facing Israeli society. For instance, we  

  • Learn about kibbutz and moshav life by spending time with a host family.
  • Address the important role that environmental issues play in the geopolitics of the region by focusing on water issues.
  • Visit the Knesset and Supreme Court to learn firsthand about Israel’s political system.
  • Discuss the careful balance between Israel’s Jewish and democratic identity by meeting with representatives of different organizations working to improve society, and meet with a range of groups and individuals who constitute the diversity of social, religious, and political life.
  • Begin to understand the richness of the many peoples that call Israel home by interacting with the different cultures of Israel.
  • Experience Shabbat in different kinds of Jewish communities
  • Visit with African migrant workers and refugees in Tel Aviv to address the migrant experience.
  • Challenge participants physically and in terms of leadership through a series of  tiyulum (hikes) in the Negev desert. 
  • Develop a more nuanced understanding of the various political and security dynamics involved in the Conflict.

Na’aleh is a multi-faceted leadership and learning program that provides participants with a continuation of the Yavneh’s Klal Yisrael view on Judaism and Israel. Campers immerse themselves into the society and people of Israel through travel, lectures, volunteer sessions and other hands-on experiences. Dynamic tour leaders are selected for their ability to bring the sights, depths and nuances of Israel to life, leaving participants yearning for what the next day has to offer.

Eligibility

Na’aleh is open to Yavneh campers who have completed 11th grade. Na’aleh is intended for teens who want to expand their Jewish identity, deepen their knowledge of Israel, and improve their facility in modern Hebrew. Participants will observe Kashrut and Shabbat, and pray and study daily.

For more info email Jane-Rachel Schonbrun.