Travel and volunteer: Learn more here about our 2-week cultural exchange trip to Nepal.

Synagogue – Many synagogues have scholarship funds to assist young members in participating in Israel programs. In addition, some Rabbis and Cantors have discretionary funds which they may award as they deem responsible. Call your family’s synagogue and inquire what assistance may be available to you. Ask your Rabbi if s/he knows of other sources of possible funding. Jewish / Hebrew Free Loan – Many communities have branches of the Jewish Free Loan Association (also known in some communities as Hebrew Free Loan). This organization offers interest free loans to qualified individuals. To find a branch near you, click here. Other Community Organizations – Other Jewish community organizations may have scholarships available or be able to assist you in identifying other sources of funding in your area. Contact the local JCC, Hebrew Free Loan Association, and other Jewish and Zionist Organizations (such as B’nai Brith, Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs, etc.) Masa Website – Additional sources of scholarships that participants may qualify for are listed on the Masa website which you can find by clicking here. The Amy Adina Schulman Scholarship Fund – Grants are awarded to applicants from the US and Canada who will spend time in Israel engaging in volunteer work or internships in progressive social action projects. Recipients must commit to educate and encourage their peers in their home communities to participate in similar social action. For more information, click here. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program – Grants are available for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. For more information, click here. College Scholarships – As an accredited university program, many “regular” college scholarships (for example, the Rotary Club), may also be applied to the Aardvark Israel Year and Semester Programs. Talk to your high school guidance counselor and ask for his/her help in identifying scholarship sources that you may qualify for. Also, check out online college scholarship databases, by searching on the internet for “college scholarship.” To get you started, here are a few of the search results you’ll find:

• www.fastweb.com
• www.college-scholarships.com
• www.scholarships.com
• www.financialaidfinder.com
• http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_ss/welcome.jsp

Here is a partial list of Federations that may grant Israel scholarships. If you do not find your community listed below, you may find the contact information for your local Jewish Federation by clicking here.

“UJIA develops informed, confident Jews who are inspired by Israel, and supports vulnerable communities in Israel. As part of our programme, UJIA provides means-tested bursaries for Israel Gap Years, including Aardvark, to help ensure that financial constraints do not prevent young people from experiencing a long term programme in Israel.”

Max and Lena Sharp Foundation of Shaarei Shomayim Congregation – available to members and friends of Shaarei Shomayim.  For more information, click here. Additional resources in Canada may also be found by clicking here. Dennis Waldman Foundation for Jewish Education – open to Canadian students in their graduating year from either a Jewish or a public secondary school who intend to pursue university-level study. In either case, the applicant must provide a demonstrated history of involvement in Jewish communal life. For more information, click here.

Encourage friends, family, supporters of Israel, and anyone who will listen to help you raise funds towards your trip! There are several ways which you can generate contributions towards your trip (some of which are even tax-deductible for the donors):

• Crowdfunding – If you are ready and excited to start planning your trip, but discouraged by a financial roadblock, Aardvark Israel has another solution for you. We have teamed up with FundMyTravel, who provides us with an online platform where you can fund-raise for your meaningful travel experience. You create a campaign page, complete a brief profile to build trust, add a video and tell your story!FundMyTravel has a team of dedicated staff who want to help Aardvark participants reach their fundraising goals. They can provide tips and insights on the best ways to spread your word and offer sharing tools to get your campaign greater exposure through social media and email. Click the button below to learn more and get started!

• Plant Your Way To Israel – sponsored by the Jewish National Fund, you simply sell trees to be planted in Israel by JNF. 50% of the funds raised will be awarded to you towards your Israel program tuition. Contributions are tax-deductible. For more information, click here.
• Be’chol Lashon – this organization promotes positive, pluralistic, multicultural expressions of Judaism that embrace ethnic, racial and cultural diversity within the Jewish people. They have established a scholarship fund to which tax-deductible donations may be made and specifically earmarked to individual students attending Aardvark Israel.  Students will receive 90% of the funds raised. For more information, click here.