Live in Portland, work with nonprofits,
and enjoy Jewish community
Are you feeling burned out by deadlines, applications, and the pressure to decide what comes next? A gap year program can give you space to reset, experience adult life without locking into a path, and see what you enjoy when school isn’t running the show.
That’s where Tivnu comes in.
Tivnu is a nine-month gap year program based in Portland, Oregon. You’ll take part in gap year internships with local nonprofits, live with other young adults, and settle into daily routines that include work, shared meals, Jewish life, and time exploring the city and the surrounding Pacific Northwest. Tivnu gives you a way to experience independence, responsibility, and community without leaving the U.S. or committing to a long-term plan before you’re ready.
What Is a Gap Year Program, Really?
Tivnu’s gap year program is a year of guided experience, not a year off and not a year on your own. It’s a way to spend time after high school with enough structure to keep moving forward and enough flexibility to explore life beyond school. You’ll have commitments, routines, and people counting on you, but you won’t measure success by grades, deadlines, or test scores.
Instead, you learn by showing up consistently, managing your time, living with other people, and making decisions without a prescribed path. For many students considering gap year programs after high school, this kind of year makes the next step clearer and more intentional. Whether that’s college, another program, or something different altogether, a gap year program helps you move forward with perspective rather than pressure.
Why take a gap year? Hear from a Tivnu alum.
Gap Year Internships Across Portland
Internships are a core part of the Tivnu gap year program. You’ll work with Portland nonprofits and take on real responsibilities as part of a team, not one-off volunteer shifts. These gap year internships give you the chance to try different roles, work alongside adults in the field, and see what different kinds of work actually look like day to day.
Through Tivnu, you can participate in one or more internships over the year in areas like:
Housing and
Houselessness
Work with organizations helping people access safe, stable housing and navigate the systems around it.
Women’s, Gender, and LGBTQIA+ Issues
Support groups focused on safety, dignity, and belonging for people of all identities.
The Environment and Environmental Justice
Take part in hands-on projects that protect land, water, and communities in the Pacific Northwest.
Education and Literacy
Work with schools and community programs to make learning more accessible and inclusive.
Labor and Immigration
Support workers and immigrant communities through education, organizing, and advocacy.
Food and Food Justice
Get involved in food access and distribution, and see how communities respond to need.
Tivnu gap year internships give you a chance to test interests, build useful skills, and come away with experience that helps you decide what comes next.
What It’s Like to Live and Learn Together
As you explore gap year programs after high school, you may be wondering what it’s actually like to live with your peers day in and day out. With Tivnu, community living brings energy and connection to your year, without feeling crowded or overwhelming.
You’ll have people to eat with, explore the city and region with, and unwind with after internships, while still having space to step back and recharge when you need it. Jewish life shows up naturally through shared meals, Shabbat, and holiday celebrations, alongside people from a range of backgrounds and identities. Over time, everyday moments turn into friendships that make the year feel full and memorable.
A Gap Year Program Centered in Jewish Community
In many gap year programs after high school, Jewish life may be optional, peripheral, or absent altogether. At Tivnu, it’s woven into the fabric of the program, and we meet you where you are. You can take part in Shabbat, holiday celebrations, and conversations about identity, justice, and values without being told how to believe or practice.
Tivnu participants come from a wide range of backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. Some arrive deeply connected to Jewish tradition, others are just beginning to explore it, and some are not Jewish at all. Learning happens through experience and discussion, as you hear various perspectives and engage with Jewish life in ways that feel authentic to you.
Experience Portland and the Pacific Northwest
Portland is known for creativity, community, and access to the outdoors. You’ll explore neighborhoods on foot or by transit, discover local music, art, bookstores, and cafés, and feel at ease moving through a city that values individuality and justice.
Throughout the year, you’ll travel the Pacific Northwest with friends, taking in mountains, rivers, and the coast through adventures built into the Tivnu gap year program. Navigating new places, trying things you wouldn’t do at home, and spending time outside your routine help you become more independent and better prepared for whatever you choose to do next.
