I've started this campaign to help Max attend a gap year program with Young Judea in Israel between his high school graduation and his first year of college.

Max never considered taking a gap year.  A driven workaholic practically from birth, he spent most of his time in high school studying.  Max had aspirations of attending a prestigious engineering program in college as a first step towards a career in Computer Engineering and he was laser-focused on this goal.  He worked really hard in high school, got great grades and, participated in two sports.  To his dismay, all his effort went unrewarded when the pandemic threw a monkey wrench in his plans.  Not only did Max lose almost two years of his high school experience, he graduated into the "perfect storm" of college admissions.  Max was closed out of every one of the colleges he applied to.  

After a traumatic and teary month, Max came up with an idea.  Maybe he should use his "lost" year to take a gap program in Israel with Young Judea's Year Course.  At first, I was surprised he would consider something like that.  Then, on reflection, I was ecstatic.  This college admission tragedy might actually turn out to be a blessing in disguise.  In all honesty, learning coding or economics isn't what Max needs right now.  He desperately needs to learn how to live and be a human being — appreciate the now, learn about his heritage, make good friends.  He needs to pick his nose up from the grindstone to see and experience the world outside his room.   Most kids need to be encouraged to stop socializing and get to work.  Max is the opposite - he needs to stop working and learn what it is to be a human being.  Young Judea's Year Course can give him that in a way that college never could have.

Of course, this opportunity does not come cheap. Our family's finances have been hit hard by the pandemic.  We can't afford something like this, but as his mother I am determined that he be able to go.  Funding Max's trip to Israel is going to take a herculean effort - or a miracle.  Normally, I am the last person who would reach out for help like this.  But (apologies for the cliche) desperate times call for desperate measures.

If you want to help, please donate whatever you feel comfortable affording to help our family achieve this dream.  It will make all the difference to the life of a young man who has a great future and, with the perspective he will gain from his trip, has the potential to be a true mensch who will go on to change the world for the better.

Thank you so much for your consideration and support.