Nativ College Leadership Program is the gap year program in Israel, run by United Synagogue Youth. It includes an academic component in fall semester, travel, and a community service component in spring semster. It is associated with Conservative Judaism.[1][2]
The program had a record enrollment of 106 participants in 2007, which was prior to the recent recession in the United States. This came at a time of increased enrollment for several gap year programs in Israel, which was attributed by Keith Berman of Young Judaea's Year Course to calm in Israel. Others cited growth in financial aid, and growing acceptance of gap years in general in North America.[3]
Nativ numbers fell 30% with the North American recession in 2008–2009 along with other gap year programs, but recovered in 2009–2010 from 80 to 95 students. David Keren of United Synagogue Youth said that people were getting used to the financial crisis and that Nativ conducted aggressive marketing.[4]