What Makes Tivnu Different
If you’re searching for meaningful Jewish gap year programs, you don’t have to leave the country to find one rooted in community and justice. At Tivnu, you’ll spend nine months in Portland — living with peers, interning with nonprofits, supporting tiny house villages for the formerly unhoused, and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, you’ll share work, meals, traditions, and adventures with a cohort that grows into a real community.
What is the Tivnu Gap Year? Here’s how one alum explains it.
Hands-On Internships
Intern with nonprofits during your Tivnu gap year to support housing justice, food security, and healthcare access, including projects that help people transitioning out of homelessness.
Outdoor & Urban Adventures
Discover Portland’s music, cafés, and creative scene, then head out for hikes, river trips, and overnight adventures across the Pacific Northwest — all as part of this gap year program.
Welcoming Jewish Community
Experience the only U.S. choice among Jewish gap year programs through Shabbat, holidays, and a community that welcomes every level of practice and identity.
What Teens Say About
Our Jewish Gap Year Program
Financial Support for Your Tivnu Gap Year
If gap year programs feel out of reach, there’s support here. Tivnu offers financial aid and scholarships, and more than half of our participants receive funding. If cost is on your mind, reach out and we’ll walk through your options together.
Help Us Build a More Just World
Tivnu is powered by community — families, alumni, partners, and supporters who believe in Jewish gap year programs grounded in action, learning, community, and connection. Your support ensures cost is never a barrier to a Tivnu gap year.
