KIVUNIM: Summer Exploration for High School Students

Kivunim is more than just a program; it is a profound search for identity—both personal and collective. This journey fosters critical growth for our participants as individuals while also exploring the identity of the Jewish people as a whole. Where do we come from? What formative experiences shape who we are today and who we aspire to be tomorrow? What informs our values and worldview? Can we truly reach our full potential without a deep understanding of our inner selves? These are the essential questions we seek to answer. At the heart of Kivunim’s mission is a commitment to making the past come alive, encouraging it to resonate deeply within our consciousness and our souls. This is why we begin in the desert, the cradle of our identity as a people. We believe that a profound understanding of our past serves as a powerful foundation for designing and creating a meaningful future.The journey begins with our departure from New York to Tel Aviv on Monday, June 29. Over the course of four weeks in Israel, participants will engage in a variety of enriching activities and educational programs—integrating the experiential with the academic. Kivunim’s international perspective will be reflected in the carefully curated programs and events that will be central to our Israel Experience. Ironic you say? The national home of the Jewish people is filled with people from all over the world (Jews lived in over 50 different countries) and their native cultures remain alive in music, dance, cuisine, language and so much more. Almost 25% of the country are not Jews and maintain religious traditions from both East and West. We will experience and encounter the Jewish people against the backdrop of our unique international identity and history.And then we will travel to Amsterdam where so much of contemporary Jewish life finds its origins, hundreds of years ago. And everywhere we go Kivunim will introduce you to experts in the field: to artists and musicians and journalists and religious leaders. Kivunim wants you to deepen your understanding of the increasingly complex issues before us, both as Jews and as members of the broader human family.And it is summertime! So we will swim, and hike, and cookout, and picnic, and sing and dance…and help…help those who have suffered in body and soul over these past many months of war.Kivunim staff have been involved with youth programming in Israel for decades with more total collective experience than any in the field (Our Founder, Peter Geffen, began bringing teenage groups to Israel in 1969!). Join us on this extraordinary journey of self-discovery, cultural immersion, and unparalleled adventure. Kivunim 2026 promises to be an unforgettable summer, shaping not just memories but the very essence of identity and purpose.