Inspiring Women and Families
MOMENTUM YEARLONG JOURNEY
The MOMentum Yearlong Journey is an immersive experience that empowers women to connect to Jewish values, engage with Israel, and take action in their homes and communities, while fostering unity without uniformity. It includes a profound, personal eight-day experience in Israel, during which women explore our shared Jewish homeland, take in inspiring Jewish wisdom, and join a global sisterhood.
Momentum is a leader in the IETA (Israel Educational Travel Alliance) – a collective of immersive Israel experience organizations that act as a voice for participants and providers, work together to establish standards for safe travel, and innovate in this growing field.
HOW WE DO IT
Yearlong
approximately 60% is
covered by the Momentum
Scholarship
approximately 20% is
covered by the Israeli
Government
approximately 20%
is covered by our
Partner Organizations
* This is the approximate total cost for each MOMentum Yearlong Journey participant. The eight-day MOMentum Trip to Israel is always free for participants, excluding application fee, airfare, and some meals.
ACHIEVING MOMENTUM’S GOALS
Evaluate for Impact surveys MOMentum Yearlong Journey multiple times: before the trip, on the last day of the trip, three months later, and one year later. 2022 participants shared the data in this report:” to “Evaluate for Impact surveys MOMentum Yearlong Journey participants multiple times: before the trip, on the last day of the trip, three months later, and one year later. 2022 participants shared the following:
Strongly agree or agree that Momentum brings more meaning to Jewish practice
Feel extremely or very connected to Jewish people whose cultural backgrounds differ
Made a new or increased contribution to local Jewish cause
Connect to Jewish Values
Regularly consider Jewish values
when making life decisions:
Regularly celebrate shabbat with friends and family:
Strongly agree or agree that Momentum brings more meaning to Jewish practice
Engage with Israel
Feel confident speaking about significance of Israel to family:
Feel extremely or very knowledgeable about Israeli culture:
Foster Unity without Uniformity
Feel extremely or very comfortable conversing with people who have diverse opinions on Jewish issues:
Feel extremely or very connected to Jewish people whose cultural backgrounds differ from their own
Feel extremely or very connected to Jewish people whose religious commitment differs from their own
Take Action
Feel extremely or very responsible for their family’s Jewish journey
Made a new or increased contribution to local Jewish cause
MOMENTUM’S IMPACT ON THE FAMILY
During their extraordinary Year of Growth, our participants welcome Jewish wisdom and traditions into their lives, enroll their children in Jewish programming, and live their Jewish values every day – building strong, sustainable Jewish homes. Here’s what they shared with us during the year after their MOMentum Trip to Israel:
I regularly speak to children about
a global Jewish family:
Feel extremely or very confident answering my
children’s questions about Jewish values:
Impact on Family
I regularly speak to children about
a global Jewish family:
I regularly talk (weekly or more often)
about Israel with their family:
I regularly talk with my family/children about the benefits of tzedaka, or generous giving:
91% agree with the statement, “Momentum helps connect me and my family to Jewish life”
Feel extremely or very confident answering my
children’s questions about Jewish values:
I feel confident answering my children’s
questions about Jewish practice:
Following their experience, many enrolled their children in formal and informal jewish programming.
THE LONGER-TERM IMPACT: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY
By far, the most important measure of Momentum’s success is our continued impact on our alumni. We’re changing lives – and we know this because they tell us so themselves! In the fall of 2020, we surveyed almost 1,000 MOMentum Yearlong Journey alumni (2014-2018) across the globe to find out how their experience is still impacting their lives today. Here is what we learned:
Agree with the statement, “I feel connected to God/A Power greater than myself.”
Agree with the statement, “The MOMentum Yearlong Journey helped me feel connected to Jewish life”
Agree with the statement, “I feel connected to God/A Power greater than myself.”
Feel connected
to Jews with different levels
of religious commitment
Agree with the statement, “The MOMentum Yearlong Journey helped me connect with my local Jewish community.”
Agree with the statement, “The MOMentum Yearlong Journey helped me feel connected to Jewish life”
Specialty Trips
Lone Soldiers
Israel’s “Lone Soldiers” (those who move to Israel to serve in the armed forces) require extra strength, determination, and love. In partnership with Nefesh B’Nefesh, Momentum welcomes mothers of these brave young adults on a profound eight-day journey. Together, these “mothers in arms” connect with themselves and each other as they soak up Jewish values, wisdom, and learning – all against the beautiful backdrop of the land their children now call home. On the final day of their MOMentum Trip to Israel, Mothers of Lone Soldiers participants shared with us:
I feel extremely connected to other women whose
children have made that same decision to serve:
I feel extremely encouraged that Momentum supports mothers of Lone Soldiers like me:
I feel extremely proud of my child’s decision
to serve in Israel:
I feel extremely connected to other women whose
children have made that same decision to serve:
I feel extremely encouraged that Momentum supports mothers of Lone Soldiers like me:
I feel extremely understanding of the importance of defending the land and people of Israel:
One year after their MOMentum Trip to Israel, Mothers of Lone Soldiers trip participants shared with us:
rated their MOMentum Yearlong Journey “superior” or “very good”.
feel extremely or very connected to their Momentum sisters.
feel extremely or very connected to the land of Israel.
feel extremely or very connected to the people of Israel.
feel extremely or very equipped to speak up for Israel.
feel extremely or very confident speaking to others about Israel’s significance in their family’s life.
agree or strongly agree that the post-trip Year of Growth sessions were engaging.
agree or strongly agree that the post-trip sessions helped further their Jewish journeys.
Heroes
appreciate the opportunity to connect with other Jewish first responders.
have a better understanding of the healthcare system in Israel.
Healthcare Heroes surveyed on the last day of their MOMentum Trip to Israel shared with us:
appreciate the opportunity to connect with other Jewish first responders.
have a better understanding of the healthcare system in Israel.
feel encouraged that Momentum, as an organization, supports women first responders.
feel a connection to Israeli health care providers.
Healthcare Heroes surveyed one year after their MOMentum Trip to Israel shared:
Rated their MOMentum Yearlong Journey as superior or very good:
Take responsibility for their family’s Jewish journey:
Feel very attached to Israel:
Indicated the MOMentum Yearlong Journey influenced them to register their child/children for Jewish educational programs:
“I just want to thank Momentum and this wonderful group for giving me the opportunity to witness such an important moment. Thank you to all our madrichot for really being there and making this moment a reality.”
— Davida Rubin Baker, Bedford, NH
MOMENTUM MEN
Inspiring
Since launching our first MoMENtum Men’s Trip in 2013, we have welcomed more than 2,600 participants from 11 countries, in partnership with more than 100 Partner Organizations.”
The MoMENtum Men’s Trip is a boot camp for living awesome lives that are guided by Jewish values. MoMENtum Men’s Trip participants enjoy empowering classes led by world-class Jewish educators and Israeli thought-leaders; explore spiritual Tzfat and Masada’s desert magic; enjoy Shabbat in Jerusalem; and discover how to connect more deeply with themselves, their families, and their communities. In 2022, we welcomed:
Since 2013:
“This was a fantastic, life-changing week for me. I’ve experienced personal and spiritual growth way beyond my expectations. The men in my group are amazing and they will be my brothers for life. I have been to 31 countries – this one trip meant more to me than all of those trips combined.”
— Don Levy, Orange County, California
