An Extraordinary Year
in Portland & Beyond

The Tivnu Gap Year

Our Transformative Gap Year Program

Tivnu is the only Jewish gap year in America. It’s nine months of hands-on social justice internships, Jewish community, and self-discovery—all based in Portland, Oregon. Join us for a transformative experience of purpose, discovery, and friendships that will last a lifetime.

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I love Oregon. A lot of my friends at Tivnu are from the East Coast and everything here is huge and magnificent to them and I’m like, “Yup. I told you so.”

— Sophie R.W.

Wesleyan University ‘25

Important Dates

  • Arrive in Portland: September 1, 2025
  • Thanksgiving Break: November 23-30, 2025
  • Winter Break: December 18, 2025 – January 13, 2026
  • Passover Break: March 31 - April 12, 2026
  • Depart for Home: May 20, 2026
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Social Justice Work

We match your passions to the needs of Portland’s grassroots organizations

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Communal Living

Real support for all the things you dream of doing

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Exploration and Adventure

Pack a bag — we’re gonna take your breath away

The Tivnu Gap Year is a nine-month immersive experience that weaves together purpose, adventure, and community. Based in Portland, Oregon, Tivnu offers participants the opportunity to do hands-on, grassroots social justice work—like working in tiny house villages, helping in under-resourced schools, or supporting local mutual aid—while living in a pluralistic Jewish community of peers. Through communal living, weekly learning, and meaningful internships, participants explore the deep and powerful links between Jewish life and the fight for justice.

 

Whether hiking through the forests of the Pacific Northwest, cooking dinner with housemates, or having thoughtful conversations about equity and identity, Tivnu participants grow in ways that traditional paths often don’t allow. This isn’t a year “off”—it’s a year that launches you forward. With mentorship, real-world experience, and friendships that last far beyond the program, Tivnu gives young adults direction, connection, and a deeper sense of self.

36 Weeks of Amazing Accomplishments

A Week in the Life

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A week in the life

You’ll make each week your own, and find the things that motivate and inspire you. Or, as Ben L. said, “Tivnu has opened my eyes to new things I would never have thought possible!”

Your Year with Tivnu

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Your year with Tivnu

Your Tivnu Gap Year, means stepping up for justice, stepping out for adventure, and stepping into a whole world of possibilities.

A Year in 4 Minutes

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A year in 4 minutes

Check out Aliza's fantastic video showing glimpses of daily life with Tivnu!

Frequently Asked Questions

We love it. Every week, Tivnuniks cook and eat dinner together, lead a group conversation about justice in the weekly Torah portion, sing some Shabbat blessings, and share the triumphs and challenges of the week. Sometimes you’ll join in with prayers, songs, or other Shabbat activities before dinner, organized by your friends and Tivnu staff. Maybe dinner’s a picnic? Maybe it’s a themed party with a mystery to solve? It’s up to you. Saturday is wide open: go for a hike, pick up lunch at the farmer’s market, sing at a synagogue, or just chill after a full week. Ending Shabbat with a Havdalah gathering is a lot of Tivnuniks’ favorite part. There are lots of directions a Tivnu Shabbat can go, and we’ll check in a few times each year about how we want it to look and feel.

You can do this! Our program is specifically designed for people of different skill levels, and our construction coach works with everybody, novices to experts. Even if you have no building experience, you’ll be able to participate fully, learn construction skills, and gain strength and self-confidence. Plus, you’ll get to meet some of Portland’s most inspiring makers, from hands-on engineers creating tools for the space program to artists working by hand in wood and metal.

You will stay in a Tivnu house, a bayit, in Portland, Oregon. You’ll have one (or occasionally two) roommates and share all-gender communal space and an ample kitchen. Both houses are in Irvington, a popular, walkable neighborhood with shops, restaurants, and parks nearby. Your tuition includes rent, utilities, communal food shopping and other household expenses.

Tivnu provides a weekly budget for communal food shopping, which covers meals you prepare for yourself and a few weekly communal meals. Beyond that, you can always branch out with personal food shopping or picnic with some take-out. Not feeling the entrée inspiration? We’ll help out with guest chefs and hands-on workshops to raise your kitchen game, whether you’re a beginner or a Top Chef.