Millstone Scholars is a weekly Jewish history and Zionism seminar for NYC 7th and 8th graders, $845 for 2026-27. See the curriculum, schedule, cost and how to apply.
Millstone Scholars is a once-a-week honors seminar in Jewish history and modern Israel for 7th and 8th graders, run by the Tikvah Fund, with tuition of $845 for the 2026-27 school year. Cohorts are capped at 15 students and meet in person for 75 minutes a week, and the program begins the week of October 18, 2026, according to Tikvah. It targets students in public or secular private schools.
What does Millstone Scholars offer?
Millstone Scholars groups students into regional cohorts of up to 15 who meet weekly in person for seminar-style classes, according to Tikvah's program FAQ. Over the eight-month academic year, students meet for 75 minutes a week and are expected to do 30 to 40 minutes of reading before each class. Classes are typically hosted at local Jewish community spaces, and some cohorts meet in private homes.
Tikvah describes Millstone as a national honors program that was entering its fifth year with about 30 cohorts around the U.S. on its opportunities page. It is run by the Tikvah Fund's network of Jewish leadership programs.
How is the Millstone Scholars curriculum structured?
The Millstone Scholars curriculum runs in three trimesters, according to Tikvah's teaching-fellow posting. Fall covers the foundations of Jewish thought, winter covers the founding of modern Israel, and spring covers the Jewish experience in America. Tikvah's program description adds that students study Jewish and Western civilization, Zionism and the story of modern Israel.
What does Millstone offer beyond the weekly seminar?
Millstone hosts three national debates on Zoom each year that bring students from different cohorts together, according to Tikvah. It also typically hosts one or two NYC-based field trips and runs writing contests and family events. These activities take place outside the weekly class and are not mandatory, though Tikvah strongly encourages students to attend.
Who is Millstone Scholars designed for?
Millstone Scholars is designed for 7th and 8th graders in public or secular private schools, according to Tikvah. The program argues that students often leave Jewish life soon after a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, and it presents Millstone as a way to keep them engaged through that period.
Families already in a day school with its own Judaic studies program should compare what Millstone adds, since its curriculum centers on Jewish thought, Zionism and Israeli history. Students who continue can move into other Tikvah programs, including the Tikvah Scholars summer program for 10th to 12th graders, which Tikvah lists at $3,095 tuition for summer 2026 with about 65 students accepted.
Is Millstone Scholars selective, and is it still open?
Millstone Scholars is an application program rather than open enrollment, and Tikvah reviews applications on a rolling basis. New students complete an application and a virtual interview with a team member, then wait for an acceptance notification and finish enrollment. Returning students receive a re-enrollment email instead of reapplying.
Tikvah's Millstone page, last updated September 3, 2026, still invited families to apply for Fall 2026. Student orientation was set for September 23 and the program starts the week of October 18, 2026, according to Tikvah's application FAQ. With the start days away, families should contact Tikvah's team to confirm whether a cohort has space.
How much does Millstone Scholars cost?
Millstone Scholars tuition is $845 for the school year, which includes physical copies of the course books and can be paid in full or in installments, according to Tikvah's FAQ. Early-bird pricing of $50 off applied to applications submitted by June 30, so that discount has passed.
Tikvah says the program has a generous financial aid policy and directs families to email its Millstone team. An earlier Tikvah FAQ listed tuition at $720, so families comparing older sources should use the current figure.
Is Millstone Scholars the right fit for my child?
Millstone Scholars suits a middle schooler in a public or secular private school who has no other weekly Jewish education and can commit to a weekly evening class through the school year. It is not a replacement for Hebrew language instruction or religious-practice classes, so parents focused on those should compare it with a synagogue's supplementary school.
Olam also covers a later stage of this pipeline in its report on the Ackerman Program and Rosenthal-Levy Scholars at UT Austin.
Millstone Scholars FAQ for NYC parents
How much does Millstone Scholars cost?
Tuition is $845 for the 2026-27 school year, with installment payments and financial aid available, according to Tikvah.
How do families apply to Millstone Scholars?
Families apply online, complete a virtual interview, wait for an acceptance notification and then enroll, according to Tikvah. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
When does Millstone Scholars start?
The 2026-27 program begins the week of October 18, 2026, after a student orientation on September 23, according to Tikvah.
Does Millstone Scholars replace Hebrew school?
No. Tikvah says Millstone adds a serious study of Jewish ideas, Zionism and Israel, and students who already attend Hebrew school are welcome to join.
What comes after Millstone Scholars?
Students can continue into other Tikvah programs such as the Tikvah Scholars summer program for 10th to 12th graders. See Olam's Tikvah Fund pipeline profile for the full ladder.
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