YALLA ISRAEL
For 2025 High school graduates only
What is
Yalla Israel
With geopolitical events in Israel disrupting student participation in 2024 Year 11 Israel programs, Yalla Israel offers an alternate opportunity that is open to all 2025 Year 12 graduates from around Australia.
Yalla Israel is a unique, 4-5 week Israel experience, designed specifically for young adults to explore Israel, create new friendships and connections, and develop their independence.
Subsidies and means tested financial assistance is available for those who are eligible* (see “Options for Financial Support”).
To register your interest in Yalla Israel click here. We will keep you up to date with information regarding this program.
(*Conditions apply)
Who is
Yalla Israel for
The January 2026 Yalla Israel program is available to Australian students graduating High School in 2025.
Participants must:
reside anywhere in Australia
have at least one Jewish parent
Register your interest now and we will keep you up to date with information regarding this program.
Who is behind
Yalla Israel
Yalla Israel is a collaboration between Y2i, who support the Year 10 Israel Trips in NSW, ACT and QLD and the Israel for Youth Foundation who support the UJEB Year 10 Israel Experience in VIC, TAS, SA, NT & WA.
Together, we ensure that students who missed out on their Year 10 or alternate Year 11 High School Israel trip can still have a fantastic experience after school finishes.
Yalla Israel aims to make this trip as accessible and affordable as possible and communal donors have made it possible for us to subsidise this program for those who require it and meet eligibility criteria.
About the program
January 2026
The program runs approximately from early January 2026 and is open to students who finish Year 12 in 2025. Register for the program.
Program outline and content
Yalla Israel is a 4-5 week program covering Israel from top to bottom. This is not a school trip, it is being offered to young adults who are graduating High School in 2025 across Australia.
Highlights of the trip include:
- Tel Aviv night scene
- Jeep riding and snorkelling in Eilat
- Visiting Israel’s most popular sites including Masada, Rosh Hanikra, Dead Sea, Caesarea, Tzfat, Be’er Sheva and Golan Heights
- Mixing with diverse communities including dinner at Bedouin tents and spending time with an Ethiopian community
- Volunteering projects
- Free weekend to visit family and friends
- Options week
Program outline and content
While the program is still being finalised, it will be including meeting minority communities, learning about the pioneers, the impact of the Holocaust, geo-politics, Zionism, modern Israel, choosing from a series of 5 day mini-program options and most importantly, time to party.
Participants will experience wineries, hiking, a Bedouin tent, boat rides, rappelling, thought provoking discussions, museums, archaeological digs and celebrating Shabbat. There should also be a free weekend to visit family and friends.
Yalla Israel is an apolitical program which explore all sides and spectrums of the political and religious landscape. It is also not a religious program, however all food is kosher and participants wanting to keep Shabbat will be able to do so.
- Golan Heights
- Gallillee
- Kinneret
- Caesarea
- Jerusalem
- The Negev
- Eilat
- Tiberias
- Meeting with Druze & Ethiopian communities
- Atlit
- Zichron Yaakov
- Workshop at Yad Vashem
- Tel Aviv
- Masada Ein Gedi & the Dead Sea
Program Cost
This program will be approx. 30 days on the ground in Israel. The total cost of this program is yet to be determined but will be in line with traditional Year 10 or Year 11 Israel programs.
Program costs WILL include flights, all food, accommodation, Israeli medical insurance, options, laundry (three times during the program), tours, tour guides, entrance fees, Israeli SIM card
Program costs will NOT include travel insurance, spending money, expenses during free time, expenses over the free weekend, and accommodation on the free weekend if you choose to arrange your own.
WE WILL NOT BE PROVIDING TRAVEL INSURANCE. This will be up to each participant to arrange based on their length of travel, additional countries they may be visiting before and after the program, and pre-existing medical conditions.
Options for Financial Support
Yalla Israel is not funded by Y2i or I4Y. A small group of funders have agreed to support this program, understanding that many students were unable to go on their Year 10 or Year 11 Israel program and who also understand the challenges faced by many families.
Who Is Eligible?
The following participants are able to apply for a Yalla Israel discretionary subsidy up to the value of $5,000 and additional means tested financial assistance if required:
- Participants from NSW who attended Jewish-Day schools
- Participants from anywhere in Australia who attended non-Jewish-Day schools
Discretionary subsidy
Eligible Yalla Israel participant families are able to apply for a discretionary subsidy up to $5,000, subject to the availability of funds. The subsidy is discretionary which means that the Yalla Israel team must approve each application. It is designed to support families who cannot afford the full amount of the program.
Applying for a subsidy should be based on each family’s need, and not on what they may have been able to access for a Year 10 program. It is not an entitlement and we ask families to be honest about their financial position. Families who have elected not to take the subsidy will help support other families who genuinely need assistance for their financial situations.
Additional means tested financial assistance
Additional means tested financial assistance, above the $5,000 subsidy, is available. Anyone applying for this additional assistance will be required to travel to and from Israel directly and will not be able to do further travel outside of Israel before or after the program.
For further information or to apply, please email info@yi.org.au
Financial assistance application deadlines will be communicated to those that apply.
FAQs
Conditions
The January 2026 Yalla Israel program is available to Australian students graduating High School in 2025.
Participants must:
a) reside anywhere in Australia
b) have at least one Jewish parent
Travel and medical insurance
Program participants must provide their own travel insurance and provide details to Yalla Israel. Yalla Israel will provide medical cover in Israel as part of the program.
Travel extensions and return travel date options
Participants are able to travel before and after the program but must be in Israel for the full duration of the Yalla Israel program.
Flights are included in the overall cost of the program for those flying to and from Israel with the group. If you plan to make alternative travel arrangements, please email us at info@yi.org.au.
Security
The security of participants is paramount. As such the following precautions are taken to ensure their safety:
- In Israel, relevant and up to date security information is received daily from the appropriate authorities.
- Each Yalla Israel Tour bus has an armed security guard present to ensure the safety of participants.
- Program itinerary will be adjusted to accommodate any security concerns, as the safety of each participant is paramount.
- Participants must always check in and out with their madrichim (leaders) when leaving their accommodation.
- Upon arrival in Israel, participants are given clear security instructions and emergency procedures.
- In the event of any special circumstances, parents will be kept updated with information as it becomes available.
Links to other Masa Gap Year Programs
If you are considering extending your Israel experience after Yalla Israel with a MASA Gap Year, this is possible, but needs to be arranged and finalised before your departure with Yalla Israel.
For further information on Gap Year Israel programs, please visit israelprograms.com.au
REGISTER
Tentative Dates
We are currently exploring date options based on the best available fare. We are aiming for January 2026.
Yalla Israel Advertising Launch
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