Tikun Olam in Tel Aviv

  Israel

• Tel Aviv: 
Tel Aviv

Term: Academic Year, Fall, Spring 
Dates: September - June

Description: Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa offers English-speaking college graduates from around the world the opportunity to live, volunteer and study in Tel Aviv or Jaffa in Community Service or Coexistence work.

Part I: Ulpan Orientation
The program begins with 4 weeks of intensive Hebrew language study with highly qualified Hebrew Ulpan teachers. All levels of Hebrew speaking ability are welcome. During this time, participants will tour different volunteering places in order to choose their volunteering jobs for the main part of the program.

Part II: Volunteer, Study and Travel
During the main portion of the program, participants will choose between two tracks in which to focus volunteer and study time.

Community Service Track: Participants live and volunteer in a poor neighborhood of South Tel Aviv, and volunteer in communities of underprivileged immigrant and veteran Israelis, as well as with South Tel Aviv's foreign worker and refugee population from Darfur, Eritrea and Southeast Asia. Volunteer work often takes place in failing public schools, community centers for at-risk youth and day care centers for children of African refugees. Study days focus on the Jewish tenets of Tikkun Olam and Gemilut Hasadim, as well as issues facing Israeli society.

Coexistence Track: Participants live and volunteer in a mixed Jewish-Arab neighborhood of Jaffa.   Volunteer work takes place in integrated public schools and Jewish-Arab Community Centers. Participants will enroll in a Conversational Arabic course, and have the opportunity to take part in the Daniel Centers' prestigious Jaffa Tour Guide Training program, which in turn will enable them to guide tours of Jaffa for the Daniel Centers' English-speaking tour groups. Study days focus on issues of Arab-Jewish coexistence.

Participants from both tracks will study topics of Jewish identity, and take part in monthly overnight trips around Israel, as well as periodic cultural activities and educational tours in and around Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

Highlights:
1. Be Independent - Spend a year on your own in the city. In Tikun Olam in Tel-Aviv you have the opportunity to be independent most time of the week. You can have a room for yourself in the apartments we rent for you and your friends.
      
2. Be a part of a group - Tikun Olam in Tel-Aviv is group program and there for provide you with the framework of accommodations, seminars, trips, and study together with your partners.
      
3. Experience the real Israel Experience Israel as it really is: a multi cultural society. develop new relationships with young people from Israel.
      
4. Meet young people like you from around the world Tikun Olam in Tel-Aviv and BINA is the place were idealistic young adults meet.

5. Live in Tel-Aviv - soak up the sun on the beach. Enjoy the bit of the city with its museums, cinemas, festivals, and night life. Tel-Aviv is the New York of Israel
      
6. Explore your heritage BINA is providing with seminars and studies that enable you to interact with Jewish texts and traditions. Find your Jewish side in one of the many facets of Israel's Jewish heritage.
      
7. Tools for your future - Take a giant step towards your future by acquiring the tools you need to succeed: leadership skills, independence, working with people from a myriad of cultures, developing responsibility these are just some of the skills you will develop in Tikun Olam in Tel-Aviv.
      
8. Make a big difference Israel is a small country where everyone counts. You can make a big difference by being here By volunteering, with Tel-Aviv Jaffa less fortunate population.

Qualifications: This program offers Jewish English-speaking College graduates from around the world the opportunity to spend five to ten months engaged in volunteer service in south Tel Aviv with a community of Israeli activist
we are looking for young idealist jews who are seeking for meaningful expirience in Israel, to volunteer and study with the isralies.

Minimum Education: Bachelors

Cost in US$: 5500-9000

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Participants volunteer 15-20 hours per week, spread out over 3 days per week at 3-4 different regular volunteering jobs. Participants choose between two tracks in which to focus volunteer and study time: Community Service Track -- Participants live and volunteer in South Tel Aviv with underprivileged communities of immigrant Israelis and veteran citizens, as well as foreign workers and refugees from Darfur, Eritrea, Southeast Asia and elsewhere. Volunteer work often takes place in failing public schools, daycare centers for children of refugees and community centers for children coming from broken homes. Coexistence Track -- Participants live and volunteer in Jaffa amongst a diverse community of Jewish and Arab Israelis. Volunteer work takes place in integrated schools and community centers that seek to build bridges between these two demographics. Participants may also participate in a Conversational Arabic course, and a Jaffa Tour Guide training seminar (10-month participants only).

Age Range: 21-27

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Israel Independently or in Groups

Scholarships are Available. The MASA Grant covers roughly half the cost of our program (apply online at http://www.masaisrael.org). Almost all of our participants are eligible (not needs-based). MASA also offers additional needs-based scholarships, with more scholarships for 2009-10 than ever before. Please visit MASA on the web at http://www.masaisrael.org for more information. Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa will be offering additional needs-based scholarships. Please contact us at tikunolam@takam.co.il for more information.

Application Process Involves:

• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Phone Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Resume
• Written Application

Post-Program Services Include:

• Alumni Network

Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa's Mission Statement: Alongside with our partners The Daniel Centers for Progressive Judaism and the Union For Reform Judaism, Bina facilitates a volunteer program in Tel Aviv-Jaffa called Tikkun Olam In Tel Aviv-Jaffa. This program offers Jewish English-speaking college graduates from around the world the opportunity to spend 5 or 10 months living, volunteering and studying in South Tel Aviv or Jaffa. Participants choose between a Community Service Track and a Coexistence track in which to focus their volunteer and study time.

Year Founded: 1995

Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa is a Jewish Program based organization. We do require our participants to be of the same faith. Our volunteers will not be involved in religious proselytizing.