Masa Israel Journey

Masa Israel Journey is more than just a travel program — it’s a transformative experience that opens the door to Israel’s vibrant culture, rich history, and dynamic innovation. Designed for young adults from around the world, Masa offers immersive, long-term programs that blend personal growth, professional development, and deep cultural connection. Whether you’re seeking career opportunities, academic enrichment, or a stronger connection to your heritage, Masa provides a unique gateway to explore Israel from the inside out.

What Is Masa Israel?

The Masa Program in Israel is an educational initiative that was created to give people the opportunity to learn more about the state, its culture, language, and Jewish heritage. The project is organized by the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency.

Masa Israel programs are established to strengthen ties between the diaspora of Jews and the country, to provide participants the opportunities to integrate into local society and traditions, and to foster professional development.

The Masa Israel project includes courses on certain specialities, Hebrew or English studies, internship in some professional spheres, and academic programs. The journey also suggests guided tours, the lessons on Jewish history, customs and traditions.

Candidates for the program must meet certain requirements. The main parameters are a Jewish origin, secondary education, the appropriate age. Adults between 18 and 30 can become candidates. However, for Masa Tech participants and doctors, the threshold is increased to 40 years. Participation in the program implies a certain payment, but there is a chance to receive a grant that will cover 80-90 percent of the cost.

Masa Programs in Israel

The project offers various types of education and training, including academic, internship, and professional courses. As well as general, volunteer, and religious programs. All the  variants of the journey have some features. First of all, there is a large selection of variants. About 160 options of Masa programs are offered to candidates. And these variants are divided into several categories. The second peculiarity is the opportunity of participation for those who do not have the citizenship of Israel. Candidates are provided with free housing and mobile communications. Thanks to the journey, they have a possibility to gain experience in their field of activity, acquire new skills. Financial support for the participants of the Masa Israel project is provided primarily at the expense of the state. Additionally, payments are provided.

Here are a few options of the Masa Israel Journey:

1. A general one. Participants get an opportunity to explore Israel during the journey through cultural, educational, and tourism activities. This is an immersive program that gives you a chance to get acquainted with the culture, sports events and other aspects. The main feature is the maximum intensity of the learning process. One of the examples of such a program is Tlalim “Extreme Surfing”. It suggests sports such as surfing, windsurfing and kayaking on the Red Sea coast in Eilat.
2. Professional courses. This variant was created for participants who want to obtain or improve qualifications in a particular field. The project includes receiving education in professional institutions, participation in specialized courses and training.
3. Academic programs. They are offered to prepare for admission to universities in the country, to obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree. For example, Ariel University B.A. offers undergraduate studies in economics, mathematics, or business administration.
4. The main goal of the journey is to gain work experience in Israeli companies and enterprises. One of the examples of this option is “Betar”.
5. Volunteer programs. Their main aim is work at Israeli enterprises. The participants are also engaged in volunteering. They can work in schools, hospitals, social services, and other organizations. As a result, during this journey a person gets important experience, undergoes full socialization and improves communication skills with local residents in Hebrew.
6. Religious programs. This is a specific variant. The main aim of the program is receiving detailed information about Judaism. Masa project participants can study Torah, Jewish texts, and religious rituals under the guidance of experienced mentors.

The full list of Masa programs is presented on the official website of the project.

How to Apply for Masa Israel?

First of all, confirm your candidacy. To do this, visit the official website of the Masa project and take a survey. Then, contact the Massa program organizer. Each area of activity has its own manager. The staff are responsible for the implementation of the program and for a successful realization of the learning process. After that, candidates must submit an application form on the Masaisrael website. You can do this only before the program starts. If a participant presents an application after it starts, he will not receive a grant. After completing the registration, carefully read each item of the questionnaire and fill in all the fields.

Benefits of Participating in Masa Israel

The participation in the project provides a lot of advantages for people of various professions and interests. Let’s enumerate some of the pluses of this journey:

1. Additional free Hebrew courses. After the Masa Israel Journey, you can use two more vouchers: public and private. This will provide additional opportunities for improving language skills and a deeper immersion in the culture of Israel.
2. A chance to get acquainted with the country. The program of the journey suggests a trip to Israel. It gives you the opportunity to experience independent life and make your choice.
3. Participation in the project allows you to make useful international acquaintances for a career, friendship or romantic relationships. During the journey you can meet fellows from all around the world who also have an interest in the traditions of the state and Jewish customs.
4. The accelerated process of getting to Israel. Thanks to the program, you can fulfill all the necessary procedures faster and start living in the country.
5. Assistance with repatriation. With this kind of help a participant can begin the process of obtaining citizenship in the future. So, when the program ends, the person will have all the necessary documents. The project makes the repatriation process easier.
6. Free housing, mobile communication and opening a bank account during the term of participation in the project can significantly reduce expenses during the journey.

How Is Masa Israel Funded?

The grant system of the project is funded by two structures. It’s the Israel government and the Jewish Agency. These organisations finance the programs in equal proportions. The essence of the Masa Israel project is that young people from Diaspora countries who fall under the “Law of Return” are given the opportunity for subsidized training, internships or volunteering in Israel for a long period of time, from 4 to 8 months.

Grants cover most of the cost of participation. As a rule, this is 80-90%. The participants of the Massa project pay for the rest on their own. Grants cover accommodation, excursions, as well as some other expenses. Despite the fact that the amount is intended for a certain individual, it is given to the organizer of the chosen program.

Those who take part in the Masa project receive additional amounts of money every month. The scholarship is used to cover everyday expenses. The amount of payments of this type may vary. The exact quantity of money depends on the specificity of the program and other criteria.