Summer Programs and Scholarships

and other funding opportunities

Jewish overnight camping and Jewish travel programs provide special opportunities for children and teens to connect to Judaism and Israel on their own terms, in their own environments. Here are a few ways to make those connections happen:

USCJ Summer Programs

Softball warm-up at Ramah. Photo courtesy of Camp Ramah.

Camp Ramah: Campers develop strong friendships and a Jewish consciousness through sports, nature, music, drama, study, Shabbat, and Judaica.

Elevate Your Summer!
Camp Ramah in New England

Info Session: Wednesday, January 27, 7:30pm

Camp Ramah, the official camp of the Conservative Movement, offers great sports, creative arts, exciting outdoor adventures, expert instruction in a wide range of activities and just plain off-the-wall fun, wrapped into an experience of Jewish living that is relevant and real. It offers two week sessions for children currently in grades 2-3 and four or eight week sessions for children currently in grades 3-10.

On Wednesday, January 27, at 7:30pm, there will be an informational meeting to hear more about camp from the Assistant Director, ask questions and get to meet some current campers who will share their experiences with your child. Please contact the NOVA Ramah Liaison, Talya Kalender at talyak@campramahne.org for more information and to rsvp for January 27.

Financial Aid Available

This year there are $1,000 incentive grants that reduce tuition for new campers from the Greater DC Area. Additionally, Ramah is committed to helping find financial aid for all families; please do not allow finances to stop you from thinking about the experience of a lifetime for your child.

Ramah Israel Seminar: The Israel Seminar offers former Ramah campers realistic insights into Israel, its people, achievements, dreams, and challenges.

USY Summer Programs: USY offers five different U.S. travel programs and six Israel and Israel-Europe summer programs for teens.

There are many other excellent Jewish summer programs for children and teens. The Foundation for Jewish Camping, (212) 792-6222, is a good resource for more information.

Israel Teen and College Programs

Legacy Heritage Internships for Young Scientists is a six-week summer program that takes scientifically gifted high school students to Israel for the summer, at no cost. For more information about the program, please contact Marci Karoll, (212) 578-8190 x126.

Ramah Israel Seminar: The Israel Seminar offers former Ramah campers realistic insights into Israel, its people, achievements, dreams, and challenges.

USY Summer Programs: USY offers five different U.S. travel programs and six Israel and Israel-Europe summer programs for teens.

Weizmann Institute Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute is a fully-funded four-week summer program for for students who have just completed 12th grade. Students spend three weeks working on a project at the reknown Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, and then attend a field school in the Judean Desert for their last week.

Nativ – Gesher is a gap-year program for high school graduates from North America that will focus on the centrality of Israel for one’s Jewish identity while creating a relationship with Masorti communities (Conservative Movement) in Europe. The first half of the program will match an academic semester, with a second half composed of visiting and volunteering in Masorti communities in Europe. Living in Israel at the beginning of the program will not only accomplish the Nativ program goal of connecting with the land and the people, but it will give more substance to serving the European communities. The first semester will be spent at Oranim College, Israel’s leading education school, located outside of Haifa. This opportunity for academic credit will focus on Jewish identity, history of European Jewry, and Israeli society. Students will also participate in an Ulpan program. The second semester will be centered around two stays in European cities, each four to five weeks. The program will commence in September 2009 and run through May 2010. Information regarding this new program can be found on the Nativ website at www.nativ.org. Online applications will be available as of September 1st 2008. For more information please contact the Nativ office at 212-533-7800 ext 1119.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Free Programs

Camp Ramah: Need-based scholarship applications may be requested by e-mailing Erica Silverman.

CamperQuest: Subsidies available for youth ages 8-11 to attend Jewish overnight camp for the first time! The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s CamperQuest program provides subsidy awards that range from $250-$1000. For qualifying details and an application, call 301-348-7330 or email camperquest@shalomdc.org. 

Capital Camps: Need-based scholarships are available.

Holland & Knight Charitable Foundation Holocaust Remembrance Project is a national essay contest for high school students that awards scholarships and other prizes to students in first, second and third place categories. Scholarships of $2,500 to $10,000 will be awarded to the ten first-place winners.

Israel Quest: Please contact Rachelle Palley, (703) 425-1880, for information about subsidies for youth travel to Israel. Israel Quest grants are co-sponsored by Federation and Olam Tikvah. You may download the application (PDF), or see the Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning Israel Quest page on the PJLL web site for more information.

Koach Birthright Israel is an incredible worldwide program that sends thousands of college students to Israel, at virtually no cost. The program exists thanks to the philanthropy of many generous individuals and the government of the State of Israel.

Legacy Heritage Internships for Young Scientists is a six-week summer program that takes scientifically gifted students to Israel for the summer, at no cost. For more information about the program, please contact Marci Karoll, (212) 578-8190 x126.

Olam Tikvah Carol Samuels Memorial Youth Fund: Need-based scholarships for Jewish camping and travel (excluding travel to Israel). Please contact Debbie Weber for more information about aid from OT or USCJ.

USY Yellow Candle Scholarship: Need-based scholarships for USY programs to Israel and Eastern Europe are available from the Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs.

Weizmann Institute Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute is a fully-funded four-week summer program for for students who have just completed 12th grade.  Students spend three weeks working on a project at the reknown Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel, and then attend a field school in the Judean Desert for their last week.

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