OLAM is a network of Jewish and Israeli organizations working in global service, international development, and humanitarian aid. Our mission is to convene and mobilize leaders and organizations to take meaningful action in support of the world’s most vulnerable people. 

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The purpose of our study trips is to engage Jewish leaders in global issues and empower them to mobilize their communities around global responsibility. OLAM’s staff has vast experience in leading immersive experiences.

OLAM is funded by The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Pears Foundation, Anne Heyman and Seth Merrin Family Fund, Adnim Foundation, Kirsh Foundation, Laurie and Jeff Franz Fund, and Toleo Foundation.

The 1994 genocide served as a critical and defining moment in Rwanda’s history. In the country’s post-genocide shift towards peace and reconciliation, the Rwandan government prioritized service, instituting Umuganda, a monthly national holiday committed to local volunteerism. Over the past several decades, Rwanda has become an incubator for local changemakers, some of whom successfully mobilize volunteers in their work. It has also attracted interest among Jewish nonprofits and philanthropists, motivated by a shared experience of genocide.

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Today, Rwanda is home to numerous OLAM partner organizations, serving a broad range of populations – in partnership with local communities – and providing excellent case studies of potential models for Jewish engagement in global service and international development. Together, these elements make Rwanda an ideal location to consider our responsibility – as individuals and as a community – to people across the globe. Its rolling green hills, temperate climate, and rich culture also offer a beautiful setting for this trip.

February 18-23rd, not including travel days to and from Rwanda.

This trip is designed for current Wexner Field Fellows and key members of Repair the World’s Jewish Service Alliance.

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We can accommodate a maximum of 15 people. If more than 15 people apply, our selection process will prioritize a diverse cohort, considering relevant positions aligned with our work.

An OLAM study trip will expose participants to innovative Jewish and Israeli organizations and individuals working in the developing world. During the 6-day trip, we will learn about the development of Rwanda in a post-genocide reality, we will meet Rwandan individuals driving positive change, meet with OLAM partners, and learn about Rwanda’s unique ability to heal and develop after the genocide, all while exploring the underlying questions about our responsibility as Jews to the wider world. We will also engage in daily Jewish study and reflection.

• Jewish learning and daily reflection & education sessions: Delve into Jewish sources to explore our responsibility to broader humanity, locally and globally
•  Global responsibility: Exploring our responsibility as Jews to broader humanity, both locally and globally, and looking at various models for global service
•  Rwandan society: Learning about Rwandan history, its current growth, and the role of service in civil society
• Implementing learnings: Working together to consider optimal ways to implement our learnings in our organizations and lives

• Increased knowledge about some of the world’s most pressing issues, as well as the Jewish and Israeli organizations working on these issues
•  A cohort experience in which you can share experiences relating to Jewish responsibility, Jewish identity, and global causes 
•  Skills and knowledge to embed best practices into service programs
•  Relationships with other senior-level Jewish communal professionals

The program fee is $5,500 (not including flight).

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FOR WEXNER FELLOWS

In addition to the program fee, you will be responsible for: 

• Flight 
• $50 visa
• Necessary vaccines and malaria pills
• Additional health insurance
• Souvenirs 
• Add-on excursions before or after the study trip 
• Cell phone plan 
• Any fees associated with flight upgrades, adding an additional leg to the flight, changes of dates, or cancellation fees for flights 
• $315 cancellation fee if you cancel your participation

This is not a Wexner-sponsored event, but the expenses associated with it are an approved use of Jewish learning and/or Professional Development funds for most of this. (The following expenses are not covered by the OLAM program fee, but may be reimbursable by Wexner: A $50 visa fee, vaccines and malaria pills, transportation to and from your local airport, and travel insurance, which is about $100). 

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This trip will include daily Jewish learning, and can most likely be covered by Jewish learning funds, or a combination of Jewish learning and professional development funds.

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FOR JSA PARTICIPANTS

The OLAM Study Trip is heavily subsidized by OLAM and Repair the World, enabling us to offer this opportunity at a minimal cost. There is a non-refundable program fee of $500, to be paid by you or your organization at the time of your registration. Additional financial information: 

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Expenses covered by OLAM:

• Accommodation (single-occupancy)
• Group meals
• Group tourist experiences
• Site visits
• Travel subsidy for flight to/from Kampala (reimbursed) up to $1,200 USD

Mandatory expenses NOT covered by OLAM:

• $50 travel visa fee
• Ground transportation to and from your local airport 
• Cost of vaccinations or other medical expenses related to the trip. Please note – vaccines can be expensive. To understand costs, consult your doctor or your local Passport Health travel clinic. 
• Travelers insurance that covers medical expenses and ‘any reason’ trip cancellation insurance

Please note that in addition to the aformentioned costs, purchasing a telephone SIM card or phone plan, food during free time (outside of group meals), souvenirs you choose to purchase, and any post-trip excursions, add-ons, or flight upgrades are at your own expense.

Wexner participants are required to attend one meeting at the Fall Institute in September during a meal or free time. Other than than, all participants will be required to attend 3 mandatory pre-trip webinars and 1 mandatory post-trip webinar.
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Pre-trip meetings and webinar dates:

• First meeting at Fall Institute 2024
• Webinar 1: December 3rd, 2025 
• Webinar 2: January 8th, 2025
• Webinar 3: February 4th, 2025 
• Post-trip Webinar: March 11th, 2025

JSA participants who take part in the trip commit to:

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Communications: Each participant will be required to post on social media (personally and/or professionally) and share their experiences with their organization through a presentation or discussion. OLAM also encourages participants to publish op-eds or articles, either as individuals or co-authored with fellow study trip participants.

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In addition, OLAM expects you to take action in one (or more) of the following areas:

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‍Global service experiences: Creating (or scaling) a global immersive service trip and/or signposting relevant members of your community to existing global service opportunities. This includes, but is not limited to: running an opportunity fair featuring global service programs, regularly featuring global service opportunities in your organization’s communications channels, etc.

Connecting the dots between global and local service: This can include, but is not limited to: signposting local service alumni to global service opportunities, identifying special opportunities for global service alumni to partake in your local service or other educational programs, and incorporating relevant global themes into existing local service curricula.

Applying learnings from the JSA trip to your local service programs: This can include, but is not limited to: deepening the Jewish learning aspects of your local programming, developing sessions around ethical best practices, etc.

Global education and engagement: Creating and implementing a strategy to integrate education and conversations around global Jewish responsibility into your organizations. This can include, but is not limited to, the creation of learning circles, a lecture series, a comprehensive curriculum around global Jewish responsibility, Shabbat and Holiday programming, etc.

While every study trip is unique, you will visit a combination of neighborhoods, museums, and organizations while in Rwanda. Some highlights from previous trips included visits, panels, and interactions with:

• Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village 
• Kigali Genocide Memorial
• MindLeaps 
• SolidAfrica 
• Segal Family Foundation
• Nyamirambo Women’s Center

Yes! OLAM can provide boxed lunches and dinners from Chabad throughout the trip. Most meals will be eaten at restaurants and hotels, and as per OLAM’s food policy, all food will be vegetarian. 

Yes! We will spend Shabbat at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV). There will be no mandatory activities that are not Shabbat-friendly.

Most likely, yes, but it will depend on what vaccines you already have. There are required vaccines for travel to Rwanda. In addition, you will need to take malaria pills throughout the experience. For more information, please refer to the CDC Travel Site and your local doctor or travel clinic.