Abstract
In 2007, UJA-Federation of New York launched Break New Ground (BNG) a Jewish service learning initiative that enabled high school and college-age young adults to participate in immersive, short-term service learning experiences. This report describes the findings of an evaluation of the second year of the BNG service learning initiative. Building on findings from the program’s inaugural year, researchers examined characteristics of participants, their reactions to fundamental components of the BNG program, and the impacts of BNG on participants’ development of a Jewish perspective on service, commitment to volunteerism and social action, and connections to Jewish life.