Financial Aid

Heller Scholarship Fund

Thanks to our generous scholarship endowment from the Heller family, URJ Heller High is now able to offer scholarship support that could cover close to 40% of the cost of tuition.

Heller High offers need-based scholarships (need is somewhat liberally determined) to our students. We are deeply indebted to our many donor families whose generosity has made it possible for hundreds of high school students to have this extraordinary immersive experience in Israel.

Interested applicants must complete the Heller High semester application and then may submit the Heller High Scholarship Application.

Scholarship applications must be received by the last Monday in May for the Fall semester or the last Monday in December for the Spring semester. To be considered for a scholarship award of $1,000 or more, a copy of your latest tax documents must accompany the scholarship application.

All scholarship information received is treated with the utmost confidentiality.

Heller High Scholarship Application

Samis Foundation

Thanks to the generosity of the Samis Foundation, Washington State teens are eligible to receive a $7,500 grant. Applicants should contract Robin Kulwin, rkulwin@urj.org, for more information.

Other Sources of Funding

Many organizations support our mission of sending students to Israel for a fun, educational and meaningful journey. To help offset the cost of a high school semester in Israel, local communities, we recommend exploring all of the following resources:

Dream Israel: Teen Travel Initiative
Local synagogue
Local Jewish community federation or Bureau of Jewish Education. Virtually every federation has an Israel Programs Coordinator and Scholarship Fund. See below for full list.
JNF Plant Your Way helps you raise money by having friends and family plant trees for forestry projects in Israel. Contact the Jewish National Fund for more information.

Our goal is to help you put together a financial package that will make participation in this extraordinary program possible. For additional information, please contact hellerhigh@urj.org or 212-650-4073.

URJ Teen Israel Organizing Fellowship

The URJ Teen Israel Organizing Fellowship is an immersive nine-month fellowship for North American high school students (ages 14-18) to learn about the society and culture of Israel and learn how to organize within their communities.

Participants will receive a $15,000 scholarship to Heller High as a part of the program.

Learn More

Scholarship Payments

Please contact HellerHighBursar@urj.org for scholarship confirmations and payment instructions.

Most local Jewish Federation offices offer financial aid for teen Israel travel. If you don't see your area below, try to find your Federation here!

East Coast

Connecticut	Delaware	Maryland	Massachusetts	New Jersey
New York	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island	Virginia	Washington D.C.

Connecticut

Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven - The Israel Scholarship program is open to high school students who live in the Greater New Haven are. Applications are due by March 9, 2019.

United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford - The Rabbi Alex J. Goldman Memorial Essay Contest is available for sophomores, juniors and seniors who reside in Stamford, New Canaan or Darien. First prize wins $1,000.

Delaware

Jewish Federation of Delaware - The GRATZ High School Scholarship Fund of the Jewish Fund for the Future is awarded to high school students who are attending a summer Israel program.

Maryland

The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore - The Community Fund for Israel Experience provides limited, need-based scholarships to high school students who are residents of Baltimore City/County. Applications are due by April 1, 2019.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington - Israel Quest offers up to $1,850 to high school students who reside in the Great Washington area.

Massachusetts

Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston - In partnership with the Jim Joseph Foundation, CJP offers scholarship for Israel travel programs that last a minimum of 12 days.

Jewish Federation of Greater New Bedford - Grants for travel to Israel made possible by the Harvey Friedland Israel Youth Experience Memorial Fund and the Evelyn Rosen Youth Israel Travel Fund are available to Jewish teens residing in the Greater New Bedford area.

New Jersey

Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey - Grants up to $1,000 are available for all high school students in the Greater MetroWest community.

Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey - Grants up to $1,000 are available for high school students who reside in Middlesex and Monmouth County.

Jewish Federation of Somerset, Hunterdon & Warren Counties - Scholarship is available for high school students visiting Israel for the first time with a recognized youth program.

Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey - Scholarship is available teens in grades 9-12 to attend an organized teen Israel experience for three weeks or more.

New York

Jewish Federation of Central New York - The Israel Experience Grant offers scholarship for high school students who have not participated on an organized trip to Israel.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Orange County - The Israel Experience Scholarship Fun offers partial scholarship for Jewish teens residing in Orange County.

Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York - Scholarship is available for teens wanting to participate on summer program to Israel.

Jewish Federation of Ulster County - Scholarship for summer programs in Israel is available for teens age 16-18.

UJA-Federation of New York - Israel Experience Center at UJA provides scholarship to teens in New York, Westchester and Long Island participating in a summer Israel program.

Pennsylvania

Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia - Israel Program Scholarship Aid Fund offers scholarship for teens from the five-county Greater Philadelphia area who wish to travel to Israel.

Greater Altoona Jewish Federation - Jewish Y.E.S. provides needs based scholarships up to $2,500 for teens wishing to participate in an Israel program.

Jewish Community Alliance of Lancaster - JCAL helps students attend a summer trip to Israel.

Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh - Offers both need-based and non-need based scholarships up to $1,750 to send teens to Israel.

Jewish Federation of Reading - High school students who participate in NFTY in Israel can apply for an award up to $250 toward the cost of registration.

Jewish Federation of Lehigh Valley - Scholarship is awarded for teens in 9-12 grade who reside in the Lehigh Valley area who wish to travel on an Israel program.

Rhode Island

Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island - The Jewish Alliance offers grants and needs-based scholarships for trips to Israel.

Virginia

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington - Israel Quest program provides up to $1,850 for participants from the Greater Washington area.

Washington D.C.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington - Israel Quest program provides up to $1,850 for participants from the Greater Washington area.

Midwest

Illinois	Indiana	Kansas	Kentucky	Michigan
Minnesota	Missouri	Nebraska	Ohio	Wisconsin

Illinois

Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago - The Jewish United Fund and the Naftali Steinfeld Memorial Scholarship fund offers need-based scholarships for Israel travel for teens coming from the Chicago Metropolitan area.

Indiana

Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis - Offers scholarship for Israel youth experiences to individuals up to 12th grade in the greater Indianapolis Jewish community. Application is due March 1, 2019.

Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley - Offers scholarship for Teen Israel trips for teens currently enrolled in high school.

Kansas

Mid-Kansas Jewish Federation - The Israel Experience scholarship provides non-need based scholarships up to $1,250 for teens in grades 10-12.

Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City - The Rabbi Gershon Hadas Guardian Society for Children is a community fund to assist families in sending their teens on an Israel program.

Kentucky

Jewish Community of Louisville - The Ellen and Milton Cantor Israel Scholarship Fund provides an annual scholarship to a high school junior or senior from the greater Louisville area to subsidize the cost of an Israel trip.

Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass - Offers up to $1,000 for Jewish youth of central Kentucky who wish to participate in a high school Israel program.

Michigan

Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor - High school students from the Greater Ann Arbor area provides up to $1,000 for travel to Israel on a summer program.

Minnesota

Minneapolis Jewish Federation - The Louis Herman Israel Experience Fund and the Israel Center Scholarship Fund both offer scholarship for teens ages 15-18 traveling on an Israel summer program.

Jewish Federation of Greater St. Paul - St. Paul Israel Experience Scholarship offers scholarships for teens living in St. Paul who are participating on an approved Israel experience program.

Missouri

Jewish Federation of St. Louis - Offers up to $750 for teens between 9th-12th grade who reside in St. Louis.

Nebraska

Jewish Federation of Lincoln - Provides funding for teens attending a program in Israel.

Jewish Federation of Omaha - There is a wide variety of financial-need base scholarship and grant funds available for teens traveling to Israel.

Ohio

Jewish Federation of Cincinnati - Offers up to $6,500 for teens aged 16-18 who currently reside in Cincinnati.

Jewish Federation of Columbus - Israel Experience grants are for recipients of at least 14 years of age who became bar/bat mitzvah in Columbus, Ohio. Teens participating on a 4+ week high school trips can receive up to $2,000.

Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton - Dayton area Jewish teens are eligible to apply for the Wolfe Marcus Trust Youth Travel to Israel Scholarship.

Wisconsin

Jewish Federation of Madison - Stipends up to $1,500 are avialble for high school students from Dane County participating in an Israel program for three weeks or longer.

South

Alabama	Arkansas	Florida	Louisiana
North Carolina	Tennessee	Texas

Alabama

The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama - Offers up to $1,000 for high schools students to visit Israel for the first time.

Arkansas

Jewish Federation of Arkansas - The Thalheimer Israel Scholarship fund offers scholarships for teens to travel to Israel.

Florida

Jewish Federation of Broward County - High school students from Broward County seeking to go to Israel for 3-8 weeks. Application opens in early 2019.

Greater Miami Jewish Federation - Offers need-based scholarship for Miami-Dade County residents for teens over the age of 15.

Jewish Federation of Greater Naples - Offers partial scholarships for educational programs and experiences in Israel for families residing in Collier County. App is due February 1, 2019.

Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County - Applicants must be living in Boynton Beach north through Vero Beach and have not received an Israel Experience Program scholarship in the past.

Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee - Provides up to $2,500 for Jewish high school students from Sarasota or Manatee County participating in an experiential or volunteer base program for at least 3 weeks.

Louisiana

Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans - The Edie and Paul Rosenblum Gift of Israel Program scholarship provides funding for high school students participant in an Israel summer program.

North Louisiana Jewish Federation - The Federation provides scholarship for trips to Israel for contributing members of the Federation.

North Carolina

Greensboro Jewish Federation - Greensboro Jewish Federation Greensboro Israel Experience Grant (residents of greater Greensboro) and The Jacke W. and Lottie K. Samet Israel Scholarship Fund (residents of Guilford country) are open to teens looking to participate in a program to Israel.

Jewish Federation of Durham-Chapel Hill - Offers up to $1,000 for high schools students who wish to participate in a summer program to Israel.

Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte - The Jewish Experience Fund and the Gorelick Teens to Israel Fund both offer scholarship for teens travel to Israel.

Tennessee

Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga - The Israel Grants provides up to $2,500 for teens who wish to participate in a travel program to Israel.

Memphis Jewish Federation - The Lemsky Fund offers subsidies for high school students to participate in summer programs in Israel.

Jewish Federation & Jewish Foundation of Nashville and Middle Tennessee - The Mary & Harry Zimmerman Youth Exchange Endowment Fund offers grants for 9-12 graders traveling to Israel.

Texas

Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas - Offers need-based scholarship for Dallas teens to participate in a summer program in Israel.

Jewish Federation of Greater Houston - Offers need-based scholarship for a summer trip to Israel for Houston residents in 10-12 grade.

Jewish Federation of Greater El Paso - Offers finaincial aid for families who wish to send their teen on an Israel experience.

Arizona

Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix - The Harold & Jean Grossman Teen Israel Experience Scholarship Fund is available for teens 15-18 years old who live in Greater Phoenix and are attending a program in Israel that lasts at least 16 days.

California

Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, The Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties - Provides multiple scholarship options, including need-based and need-blind scholarship for high school students in Sonoma and Marin Counties, San Francisco and the Peninsula from Mountain View north.

Jewish Federation of the East Bay - Scholarship is available for high school students who reside in Alameda, Contra Costa, Napa, or Solano Counties.

Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles - The POST Partnership Grant offers up to $500 for participants traveling to Israel for the first time on a group trip.

Jewish Federation of San Diego County - My Israel Journey Teen Subsidy Program offers up to $1,750 for teens from San Diego County.

Jewish Federation & Family Services of Orange County - JFFS offers need and merit-based educational grants for high schools traveling on an Israel program.

Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley - Scholarship applications are accepted year-round for 9-12 graders affiliated with NFTY who wish to travel to Israel.

The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region - The Jewish Federation provides up to $500 towards an approved organized trip to high school students.

Nevada

Jewish Nevada - Israel Program Scholarships are for high school students participating in a peer-based Israel experience.

Oregon

Jewish Federation of Greater Portland - Offers up to $1,800 for high school students traveling on an approved Israel program for at least 3 weeks. Application is due March 1, 2019.

The Jewish Federation of Lane County - Offers scholarship to local Jewish teens for travel to Israel.

Washington

Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle - Offers up to $3,000 for high school students who are permanent residents of Washington State. Apply by January 22, 2019 for the first round of applications.