JSF was an incredibly meaningful and impactful experience for me. It was a space for me to nurture my observant identity. The highlights for me were the connecting with the Rabbis, program participants, and the other people on the campus. I am very grateful to have joined for the 2020 summer!
Adam Benezra
University of California, Berkeley, 2020
Ivy League is rigorous summer intensive, but there is lots of room to breathe. The campus is pretty and cozy, with a small river winding around the back half (and baby goats wandering around the quad). The Rabbeim are accessible and open, and there is a great little library full of books to ask them about. The environment rewards the curious, intellectually oriented student looking for experiential learning. I had a great time at Ivy League and made friends who I’m still close with now. I proceeded on to Yeshiva and I feel that Ivy League definitely prepared me for that transition.
Noah Plotkin
Oberlin College, 2022
As a college student, it’s is so important to take time out of one’s traditional studies to take find and think about their selves and their Jewish identity. JSF provided me a new appreciation for Judaism I didn’t know I was missing and helped me discover such powerful things about myself through different classes and experiences. The daily Tanya class was my favorite. You leave off with such a Wonderful sense of community and family.
Chana Jaimovich
Florida Atlantic University, 2022
The program helped to give me the skills to know how to grow in my Judaism while also balancing who I am as an individual. All the staff really cared and went above and beyond their job title. If you want to learn more about who you truly are and the beauty of being Jewish, this program is for you.
Bryce Raizes
Arizona State University, 2025
One of the most powerful parts of the program has been experiencing Shabbos. Sitting around Shabbos tables, singing, speaking about Torah, and temporarily stepping outside the ordinary pressures of the week made me feel connected not only to the people around me, but also to my ancestors and to Jewish history as a whole.
Jonah Sills
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 2026
