What Makes Tivnu's Gap Year Different
Many Jewish gap year programs take you overseas for the year. Tivnu does things differently. We spend most of our time in Portland, Oregon, with monthly trips throughout the Pacific Northwest and a 12-day trip to Mexico.
Portland, Oregon: Your Home Base
You’ll live with peers, intern with nonprofits, support tiny house villages for people who were formerly unhoused, and explore eclectic, world-renowned Portland. You’ll share work, meals, traditions, and adventures with a group that grows into a close-knit community — building practical skills and deepening your understanding of social justice.
Experiencing the Pacific Northwest and Mexico
Take a half-dozen trips throughout Oregon and Washington, exploring deserts, mountains, deep forests, the vibrant city of Seattle, and the Pacific Ocean.
In the middle of the year, after winter break, you’ll travel to breathtaking Nayarit* on Mexico’s Pacific coast. There, you’ll engage in hands-on volunteer work on an organic farm, learning directly from local partners about food systems, sustainability, and community-based agriculture. You’ll also have time for snorkeling, whale watching, salsa dancing, and cooking Mexican dishes with new friends.
*We closely monitor regional conditions and plan travel with safety as our top priority.
Planning a Group Trip for Jewish Teens or Adults?
Tivnu designs unforgettable trips for teens and adults who want to engage in hands-on service and immersive learning. Tivnu trips explore issues of social justice through a Jewish lens. Programs are developed in partnership with trusted local organizations and can be built for synagogues, schools, camps, Federations, staff teams, community organizations, and groups of friends.
Participants take part in experiential learning and service that responds to community needs, along with Jewish learning and thought-provoking conversations that connect the work to larger social issues. Programs also include time to explore and enjoy each destination, share great meals, and experience the energy, beauty, and distinct character of each place together.
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.
12 Days in Nayarit, Mexico
Spend 12 days on Mexico’s Pacific coast volunteering on an organic farm, working with your hands, and enjoying snorkeling, whale watching, and other adventures with new friends.
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.
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