In 2010, AVI CHAI provided support toward Young Judaica, a program led by young FSU Jewish scholars the focus of which is to provide Jewish high school students, primarily those who study in public schools, with opportunities to participate in one-week Jewish study seminars organized during school fall, spring, and summer breaks, leading ideally to enhanced interest in university level Judaic study programs (approximately 40% of Moscow’s Department of Jewish Studies freshman class were participants in Young Judaica programs). Since then, participation in the fall and spring schools held in St. Petersburg and Moscow grew from 50 to 75 students and special Jewish texts and materials were prepared for each school with student input. Classes, led mostly by young graduate and PhD students pursuing degrees in Jewish studies, with the addition of Jewish study educators from the FSU and Israel, were also enhanced by additional educational materials and study guides, providing students with on and off line opportunities to continue their studies and networking with one another beyond the formal conclusion of the one-week school programs.
AVI CHAI concluded its general grant making on December 31, 2019.