Israel Experience at Bar Ilan

What Israel Experience at Bar Ilan does

Israel Experience at Bar Ilan, operating as Israel XP at Bar-Ilan University (legal entity: The Israel Experience at Bar-Ilan), is a private Modern Orthodox gap-year program that serves approximately 120 English-speaking students annually, predominantly Jewish high school graduates from North America. The program combines university-level general and Judaic studies taught by Bar-Ilan University faculty on the BIU campus in Givat Shmuel with transferable credits accepted at 50+ North American universities, alongside experiential travel across Israel, Shabbatonim, volunteer and leadership opportunities, optional Ulpan Hebrew, internships, an Art Portfolio track, and Magen David Adom first responder certification. Students live in dedicated dormitories in Ramat Ef'al (near Ramat Gan) with 24/7 security and on-site staff families, with an optional kosher meal plan redeemable at on- and off-campus restaurants.

The business model is fundamentally a single annual tuition contract: $29,500 per student for the 2026-27 academic year (October 7 to June 13), inclusive of classes, credits, trips, dormitory, and programming. Ancillary revenue streams are small — optional meal plan, branded apparel ($15-$25 per item), and donations. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via a rolling online application (with $180 fee, essays, references, and interview), supported by NCSY/JSU referrals, alumni referrals, and outreach across 11 NCSY regions in the US and Canada. Distribution advantages are reinforced by MASA approval and membership in the Yeshiva University Joint Israel Program, which unlock Israeli government grants and US federal funding, alongside internal financial aid including $500-$3,000 need-based grants and $300-$500 merit grants. A small leadership team (Executive Director Rabbi Eli Menaged, COO Dr. Natalie Menaged, CFO Rabbi Adam Siegel, CXO Meir Balofsky, plus campus and alumni directors) oversees operations, with no public revenue disclosure. The program has no proprietary technology, AI capabilities, or funding history; its competitive position rests on brand association with Bar-Ilan University, MASA approval, NCSY distribution, and an active alumni network running worldwide reunions and weekly online classes.

Name

Israel Experience at Bar Ilan

Legal name

The Israel Experience at Bar-Ilan

Website

https://israelxp.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Israel Experience at Bar Ilan (Israel XP) operates a private Modern Orthodox Jewish gap-year program for approximately 120 English-speaking students annually, combining Bar-Ilan University courses with Israel travel, spiritual growth, and dormitory living, and charging $29,500 per academic year.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Jewish Gap Year Programs

NAICS

Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

akta.pro primary industry

Gap Year + Study Abroad Hybrid Programs (EDAIAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Structured Gap Year Programs (Multi-Sector & Rotational) (EDAIAGAJ)

Keywords

• Jewish gap year programs
• Study abroad Israel
• Judaic studies education
• Experiential Israel travel
• University gap year

Headquarters

HQ city

Jacksonville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: Primary revenue from tuition fees for the gap year program. Tuition for 2026-27 academic year is $29,500, including classes, credits, trips, dormitory, volunteer options, and night activities. Additional revenue from optional meal plan, apparel sales, and donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Israel Experience at Bar Ilan operates a Jewish gap year program for approximately 120 English-speaking high school graduates annually, combining accredited university courses at Bar-Ilan University with Judaic studies, structured trips across Israel, spiritual development programming, and on-campus dormitory living. The program runs from October through June, includes transferable credits to 50+ North American universities, and operates under Modern Orthodox observance standards with MASA and Yeshiva University Joint Israel Program affiliations.

Product overview

Israel XP at Bar-Ilan University operates as a unified gap year program that combines multiple interconnected components: the core Gap Year Program offers university-level courses at Bar-Ilan University with transferable credits, supplemented by experiential learning through trips across Israel, spiritual development via TorahPlus Track and Shabbatonim, on-campus housing with 24/7 security, optional kosher meal plans, and financial aid services. The program targets approximately 120 English-speaking students annually and is MASA-approved and affiliated with Yeshiva University Joint Israel Program. Additional merchandise (Apparel) is available for purchase.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Gap Year Program at Bar-Ilan University

Quantifiable outcome

• Credits accepted at 50+ North American universities including Cornell, NYU, UCLA, McGill, and others

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Stand With UsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Israel Advocacy training course. Students receive advanced training on communicating for Israel and answering difficult questions, with resources for campus activism.
• MASAcoreOthersIsrael XP at Bar-Ilan University is a MASA approved program, providing students access to MASA grants (government of Israel funding for eligible participants).
• Bar-Ilan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsrael XP works in conjunction with Bar-Ilan University to provide students with university classes and credits. Classes take place at BIU campus. University provides academic infrastructure, faculty, and credit transferability.
• Yeshiva University Joint Israel ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIsrael XP at Bar-Ilan University is a member of the Yeshiva University Joint Israel Program, allowing eligible students to access federal and state funding through the YU S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Masa Israel Journey: Israel's flagship government-sponsored gap year platform that aggregates and funds dozens of approved programs including Israel XP. Directly comparable as the umbrella grant-administering body and ecosystem coordinator for North American Jewish gap year students.
• Bar-Ilan University: Israeli research university with 33,000 students and 1,700 faculty that hosts Israel XP's classes and provides transferable credits. Functions as the academic backbone and brand credential underlying the program.
• Yeshiva University S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program: YU's umbrella gap year initiative of which Israel XP is a member program. Provides federal funding access to affiliated programs and competes at the institutional level for students seeking Jewish studies at a US-affiliated Israel program.

Direct peers

• Yeshivat Ohr Somayach: Long-established Jerusalem-based yeshiva gap year program for English-speaking Jewish students, combining Judaic studies with introductory university coursework. Directly competes for the same Modern Orthodox North American gap year applicant pool.
• Midreshet Moriah: Women's seminary gap year program in Jerusalem offering combined Judaic studies and university-level coursework with credit transfer. Compares to Israel XP's women-focused programming within the Orthodox North American market.
• Yeshivat Sha'alvim: Israeli hesder yeshiva that runs affiliated gap year and post-high-school programs for English-speaking students, blending intensive Talmud study with university credits. Directly competes for the same Modern Orthodox male gap year demographic.
• Aardvark Israel: Masoret-recognized gap year program offering Judaic and academic tracks in Jerusalem for English-speaking students. Targets an overlapping North American Jewish demographic with combined academic and experiential components.

Others

• Jewish National Fund (JNF): Major Jewish philanthropic organization that funds Israel experience programming and has historically subsidized gap year participation. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem funder and programming partner rather than a direct competitor.
• Stand With Us: Israel advocacy organization that delivers Israel advocacy training to Israel XP students. Comparable as a complementary ecosystem provider supplying curricular content to gap year programs.

Emerging players

• NCSY: Orthodox Union's youth movement that recruits students for Israel gap year programs and partners with schools like Israel XP for referrals and grants. Functions as both a feeder channel and an adjacent programming provider in the same Orthodox youth ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/barilanxp
• Facebookfacebook.com/israelxpatbiu
• Instagraminstagram.com/israelxpbarilan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/israel-xp-at-bar-ilan-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Israel Experience at Bar Ilan