Y2i’s goal of creating affordable Israel programs has seen a significant uptake in participation, with over 2000 students having participated in Y2i approved programs since 2015.
It has been shown that Israel-based experiences of five weeks or more with fellow 16 year-olds is one of the major determinants of Jewish continuity.
In 2014, Y2i set out with the goal to increase participation in Year 10 Israel programs. Nine years later, we have more than achieved what we have set out to do.
In particular Y2i has:
- helped fund over 2,000 Year 10 students to participate in Year 10 Israel programs.
- supported the four NSW Jewish Day Schools and BJE to provide these programs.
- achieved participation rates in the Jewish Day Schools consistently exceeding 85% since the introduction of Y2i.
- contributed to BJE sending in 2022, its largest ever contingent of 125 non-Jewish Day School students from NSW, ACT and QLD – a 290% increase since 2015.
In planning for 2023 and beyond, it is now time for Y2i to refine our focus and move into our next phase – ensuring Y2i’s long term financial sustainability and viability for future generations.
For 2023 and going forward, Y2i is still providing subsidies of up to $5,000 towards the cost of participating in a Year 10 Israel program, with the grant of any subsidy remaining subject to Y2i’s discretion . We also are continuing to work with schools and BJE to try and provide additional support where necessary.
So that we can ensure that the Y2i subsidy pool helps as many families as possible, the Y2i subsidy application process now includes additional questions so that we can better assess applications and determine at our discretion whether to grant some or all of the available subsidy.
Y2i wants children from all families to participate in these life changing journeys. We recognise that families are experiencing different pressures, both financial and otherwise, and our communal demographics are changing. We therefore need to use our donor funds wisely, and ensure we exercise our discretion and allocate funds in a way that enables us to maximise the number of students participating in Year 10 Israel programs.
Together we can ensure that Y2i still makes these life changing opportunities possible and sustainable, as we move forward.
Each year the number of students participating in Year 10 Israel Programs continues to rise. While the participation rate in the Jewish Day Schools is very high, increasing the non-Jewish Day School student participation in the BJE Israel Program, remains a high priority for Y2i.
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 (went in Yr 11 2022) |
2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masada College | 7 | 15 | 36 | 40 | 32 | 15 | 43 | 17 | 26 |
| Moriah College | 85 | 90 | 102 | 118 | 128 | 133 | 114 | 131 | 137 |
| Emanuel School | 0 | 26 | 56 | 75 | 70 | 48 | 73 | 69 | 70 |
| BJE | 27 | 26 | 32 | 43 | 66 | 56 | 73 | 0 | 123 |
| Kesser Torah College | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 24 |
| Total | 85 | 139 | 226 | 276 | 333 | 252 | 320 | 217 | 380 |
A truly communal Initiative
Y2i has the support of, and representation from, the five major NSW communal organisations – the JCA, UIA, JNF, Executive Council of Australian Jewry, and Jewish Board of Deputies (NSW). By coming together, we are able to collectively address one of the biggest issues facing our community – Jewish continuity.
“Coming in I only knew one person. I’m going back to Sydney with a whole group of friends, Jewish friends who I can connect with for the rest of my life.”
Charley, BJE Nesiah 2022