Quick Answer
A gap year in Israel costs Miami families $28,000–$40,000 all-in for a full-year program in 2026. Florida Prepaid cannot be used. MASA grants cover $1,000–$4,500. Israel Prepaid's Gold Plan starts at $234/month for a newborn— locking in today's prices before they rise further.
Miami's Jewish Community and Israel
South Florida is home to one of the most vibrant and Israel-connected Jewish communities in the United States. The greater Miami area — encompassing Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties — has a Jewish population of approximately 600,000, with deep roots in Israel through community organizations, synagogues, day schools, and personal family connections.
Communities across the region contribute significant numbers of teens to Israel programs each year: Aventura, Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Weston, Parkland, and Delray Beach are among the highest-sending communities in the country. Many Miami Jewish families have dual citizenship or relatives in Israel, giving the Israel connection a personal dimension that goes beyond program brochures.
Miami's Jewish day school system is robust. Donna Klein Jewish Academy serves students from Boca Raton through Palm Beach County. Hebrew Academy (RASG) in Miami Beach and Scheck Hillel Community School in North Miami Beach are among the largest Jewish day schools in the state. These schools actively promote Israel experiences and often partner with gap year programs and MASA-affiliated organizations.
The result is a community where Israel gap years are not unusual — they are an expected part of the post-high school journey for a significant share of Jewish young adults. Planning for that experience, financially and logistically, is something Miami Jewish families think about early.
Top Israel Programs Miami Teens Choose
Miami-area families send their teens to a wide range of Israel programs. The most popular options in 2026 include:
| Program | Duration | MASA Grant | All-In Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aardvark Israel | 10 months | Yes (up to $4,500) | $28,000–$37,000 |
| Young Judaea Year Course | 10 months | Yes (up to $4,500) | $26,000–$32,000 |
| MASA Semester | 5 months | Yes (up to $2,500) | $10,000–$18,000 |
| Hevruta | 12 months | No | $30,000–$38,000 |
| March of the Living | 2 weeks | No | $5,000–$8,000 |
| Israel XP | 10 months | Yes (up to $4,500) | $27,000–$34,000 |
Full Cost Breakdown for Miami Families
Miami families should budget for more than just the program fee. Here's a realistic all-in cost for a full-year program from South Florida:
| Expense | Amount |
|---|---|
| Program tuition (full year, before grant) | $22,000–$30,000 |
| MASA grant (if applicable) | –$1,000 to –$4,500 |
| Roundtrip flights (MIA → TLV) | $900–$1,400 |
| Spending money ($350/month × 10 months) | $3,500 |
| Visa and registration fees | $200–$300 |
| Optional excursions | $500–$1,200 |
| Total all-in (full-year, after grant) | $27,700–$31,000 |
Why Florida Prepaid Can't Help
Florida Prepaid is one of the best-known education savings programs in the country. Thousands of Florida families — including many Jewish families — contribute to Florida Prepaid accounts for their children each year. It is an excellent tool for funding Florida public colleges.
But Florida Prepaid has a hard boundary: it covers Florida public universities and colleges only. It cannot be used for programs outside the Florida State University System, and it has no mechanism for international educational experiences.
This leaves a gap that Miami Jewish families run into regularly. A family that has diligently funded a Florida Prepaid account realizes, when their child wants to do a gap year in Tel Aviv, that none of those savings apply. They must find another source — either out of pocket or through a purpose-built savings vehicle.
Florida Prepaid + Israel program = incompatible. Plan specifically for Israel experiences with a vehicle designed for that purpose.
Miami-Specific Grants and Financial Aid
Miami families have access to local grant programs that can reduce the net cost of an Israel experience:
- →Greater Miami Jewish Federation: Offers Israel experience grants for teens and young adults from Miami-Dade County. Contact the federation's Israel and Overseas Department for current grant cycles.
- →Jewish Federation of Broward County: Provides grants for Broward County residents participating in recognized Israel programs. Amounts range from $500–$2,500 depending on program length.
- →Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County: Offers youth grant programs including support for Israel gap year experiences for Palm Beach County families in Boca Raton, Delray Beach, and Boynton Beach.
- →MASA Israel Journey grants: Up to $4,500 per participant for qualifying programs. Available to all Miami-area applicants regardless of local federation affiliation.
- →Day school alumni networks: Some Miami Jewish day schools maintain alumni scholarship funds that include Israel experience grants. Contact your school's alumni office.
Tip: Grants are additive — a Miami family can stack a local federation grant ($1,500), a MASA grant ($4,500), and Israel Prepaid coverage to substantially reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Miami Jewish Day Schools and Israel Programs
Miami's Jewish day school network actively promotes and facilitates Israel experiences. Schools including Donna Klein Jewish Academy, Hebrew Academy (RASG), and Scheck Hillel Community School have long-standing relationships with Israel program providers and often host information sessions for parents of 10th, 11th, and 12th graders.
Many of these schools offer structured guidance for families planning an Israel gap year — from program selection to financial aid applications. If your child attends a Jewish day school in the Miami area, the guidance counselor's office is an excellent first stop for program information and local scholarship resources.
Miami Hebrew schools and synagogue youth groups affiliated with NFTY (Reform), USY (Conservative), and NCSY (Orthodox) also offer Israel programming and sometimes maintain scholarship funds for members pursuing longer Israel experiences.
How Miami Families Are Planning Ahead
The most financially prepared Miami families are not scrambling to find $30,000 when their child is 17. They started planning years earlier — locking in today's program prices while their children were still in elementary school.
Israel Prepaid serves families across South Florida — Boca Raton, Aventura, Coral Springs, Weston, Parkland, and Delray Beach are among our highest-enrollment communities. The pattern is consistent: families who enroll when their children are young pay the least per month and receive the most coverage.
Real Example: Boca Raton Family
A Boca Raton family enrolled their newborn in the Gold plan at $234/month. When their daughter is 18, she has $94,604 in guaranteed coveragewaiting — enough for a full-year gap year plus MASA, at today's locked price, regardless of what programs cost in 2044.
Gold Plan Pricing by Child's Age — For Miami Families
Israel Prepaid's Gold Plan covers top-tier gap year programs popular with Miami families, including Aardvark Israel and Young Judaea. Here's what it costs based on your child's current age:
| Child's Age | Monthly Payment | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn (0) | $234/month | $94,604 |
| Age 3 | $276/month | $85,179 |
| Age 5 | $314/month | $79,004 |
| Age 8 | $398/month | $69,907 |
| Age 10 | $487/month | $63,951 |
| Age 13 | $740/month | $55,181 |
The earlier you start, the less you pay — and the more coverage your child receives.
Use the Calculator for Your Child's Age →Florida Prepaid vs. Israel Prepaid — What Each Covers
Many South Florida families are already familiar with Florida Prepaid — the state-sponsored college savings program for Florida university tuition. The confusion is understandable: both programs offer prepaid pricing and monthly installments. But they are completely different in what they cover.
| Factor | Florida Prepaid | Israel Prepaid |
|---|---|---|
| What it covers | Florida public university tuition only | All Israel programs: Gap Year, MASA, Yeshiva, university |
| Israel gap years | No | Yes |
| MASA programs | No | Yes |
| March of the Living | No | Yes |
| Israeli universities | No | Yes |
| Price lock | Yes (Florida tuition) | Yes (Israel program costs) |
| Minimum monthly | ~$30–$120/month | $89/month (Bronze, newborn) |
Florida families can — and often should — have both. Florida Prepaid covers the Florida university path. Israel Prepaid covers the Israel path. The two plans work in parallel and serve completely different purposes.
How Miami-Area Families Are Planning Ahead
The families who fund Israel experiences most comfortably in South Florida tend to share a common trait: they started planning before their child was in middle school. Here are two composites of the decisions that work:
The Boca Raton Family
At their daughter's birth, they enrolled in the Gold Plan ($234/month). Eight years later, they have a plan in place for Aardvark Israel or Young Judaea — whichever she chooses. They are not scrambling. The Florida Prepaid plan they opened at the same time covers her UCF option. Both paths are funded at today's locked prices.
The Aventura Family
They started at age 9 after attending a Jewish federation information night. The Gold Plan at age 9 costs $438/month — more than if they'd started at birth, but still manageable. Their son is now 14, and the plan is on track to fund his gap year. They wish they'd started earlier. Their second child was enrolled at birth.
Practical Logistics for Miami Families
Miami-area families have some specific logistical advantages when sending teens to Israel:
- →Flights from Miami (MIA): El Al and Delta operate direct or one-stop service to Tel Aviv (TLV). Flight times are 13–14 hours nonstop. Roundtrip tickets typically cost $900–$1,600 from Miami.
- →School calendar fit: Most Florida Jewish day schools operate on a calendar that aligns well with Israel gap year timing. Programs typically begin in August or September — two to four weeks after high school graduation.
- →Local support networks: Miami has a strong network of families who have sent children to Israel. The local Jewish day schools and BBYO, USY, and NCSY chapters maintain active alumni networks that can connect current students with program alumni.
- →Hebrew language preparation: South Florida's large Hebrew-speaking Israeli-American community means many Miami Jewish teens arrive in Israel with stronger Hebrew than their national peers.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
Miami is one of the most Israel-engaged Jewish communities in the country. The day school system, the synagogue network, and the family connections all point in the same direction: Israel is not optional. It is part of what it means to raise a Jewish child in South Florida.
The cost is real — $28,000–$40,000 for a full-year gap year. Florida Prepaid and 529 plans can't help. But with local federation grants, MASA subsidies, and a price-locked savings plan started early, Miami families can make this happen without a financial crisis at age 17.
Use our calculator to see what a plan costs for your child's current age — and lock in today's price before it rises further.
Calculate Your Monthly Cost →Israel Prepaid serves Jewish families across South Florida — Miami, Boca Raton, Aventura, Coral Springs, Weston, Parkland, and Delray Beach. Gold Plan starting from $234/month.
Written by
Uri Goldenberg
CEO & Co-founder, Israel Prepaid
Uri Goldenberg is the CEO and Co-founder of Israel Prepaid, the first price-locked savings plan for Jewish families funding Israel Gap Year, MASA, Yeshiva, and university programs. A former IDF Medic and 4x Birthright Trip Leader, Uri holds an M.S. in Finance from the University of Florida and brings a background in investment banking and fintech. He has helped Jewish families across Florida, New York, and California plan and fund their children's Israel experiences — from March of the Living to full university degrees at Reichman University, Hebrew University, and Tel Aviv University.