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HABONIM DROR
Israel Programs
Why Workshop?
Why Spend a Year in Israel?
Taking a gap year between high school and college offers young people incredible benefits. Gap years exist to help you discover and strengthen your sense of self, meet new friends, learn new languages, figure out what you want to study in college, and gain new experiences that will boost your communication and leadership skills. Gap years also exist to prepare you for independence, helping you better adapt to new environments as you begin to live on your own.
Spending a year in Israel offers you the opportunity to explore the society's unique social, religious, and cultural diversity, strengthen your connection to Judaism, directly address the country's contemporary issues and challenges, and be a direct part of shaping the future of the country.
According to the Gap Year Association, over 90% of gap year participants return home to share that their year has allowed them to interact with people from different backgrounds and gain greater respect and understanding of different cultures than their own.
Still Curious About the Benefits of Taking a Gap Year?
Read About it Here!
"How Taking a Gap Year Can Shape Your Life" - The New York Times, October 2016
"Need Some Perspective Before University? Take a Gap Year" - The Guardian, August 2018
"5 Reasons to Consider a Gap Year" - Time Money Magazine, August 2016
"Want to Help Kids Succeed in College? Let Them Take a Gap Year" - The Washington Post, June 2015
"The Value of a Gap Year" - Psychology Today, February 2014
70 Years
Habonim Dror North America's Workshop is the longest running gap year program in Israel.
75% of Habonim Dror alumni consider themselves politically progressive.
75%
40,000+
Habonim Dror alumni.
19%
19% of Habonim Dror alumni hold leadership positions in multiple Jewish or Israel-related organizations.
Personal Growth
Workshop is situated at an ideal time in the life of a young individual. Having just completed one stage in your life, and about to embark on the next, the experiences gained give you the chance to discover independence, responsibility and an outlook on the future.
Have an Unbelievably Fun Year!
While Workshop strives to create an open environment for participants to challenge themselves and gain new skills, it also creates an environment for participants to get creative and have loads of fun with their friends! A Workshop tradition for many years has been for participants to make silly music videos! Don't believe us? Check some of these videos from the past few years below!
Check out Blu, a music video made by Kvutzat Geshem on Workshop 65 while they were on Anafim!
Check out Come on Eileen, a music video made by participants on Workshop 64 while they were on Shorashim!
Check out Stam, a music video made by Kvutzat Tamuz on Workshop 66 while they were on Anafim!
Check out 3 Nights a music video made by Workshop 69 while they were on Shorashim!
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