As part of its efforts in building the field of Jewish service-learning, Repair the World commissioned Informing Change to conduct an exploratory study on the impact of short-term immersive Jewish service-learning (IJSL) on the organizations and communities that host these groups.

The study included interviews with representatives of host community CBO/NGOs involved in IJSL projects in the US, Israel, Nicaragua, Ghana and Ukraine as well as an in-depth review of recent relevant research and writing about best practices in secular and faith-based service learning. Informing Change found that when short-term IJSL projects are well planned and executed, negative impacts are anticipated, and potential problems are addressed proactively, then positive impacts for host communities predominate.