The program is open to capable volunteers, age 21+. Volunteers under age 21 may participate under the supervision of a parent/guardian companion traveler.

While it is true that Israel is engaged in an active military conflict along its southern and northern borders, all of our travels will be in the center of the country – in the vicinities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem where rocket alerts have become uncommon. Our overnight base will be in Jerusalem, where rocket alerts have been especially uncommon. We will travel with an armed escort at all times, we will use hotels with a saferoom, and we will exercise common sense decision-making like the people of Israel do every day.

Plan to volunteer 4-6 hours each day, apart from Shabbat. Much of our volunteering will involve light manual work, and you should plan to participate in this program if you feel physically capable. Outdoor harvesting work will be offered optionally.

Sadly, yes, the nature of the volunteering needs may evolve over time, but the need for support in Israel is significant now and will remain significant for some time.

If there is sufficient demand, we will seek to provide volunteering options based on your interest. Ultimately, we will facilitate volunteering based on where there is a need and where groups of volunteers can be accommodated together.

Yes, the program is offered weekly, and travelers can participate in multiple sessions for a longer volunteering experience. Each 7-day session must be registered for individually. The program cost is the same per session, however, we include the cost of the hotel on Sunday night between sessions.

We expect to publish a detailed itinerary about 10 days before arrival. Each day will include 4-6 hours of volunteering as well as non-volunteer experiences (e.g., pertinent site visits, community encounters, travel experiences, expert meetings). Breakfast will be at the hotel. Most lunches will be packed/catered, and dinners will be either at the hotel or at restaurants.

The program is based in Jerusalem, and our overnight accommodations will be in well-rated, centrally located, 4-star hotels such as the Bat Sheva Hotel, the Ibis Jerusalem City Center Hotel, and the Eyal Hotel

Authentic Israel has organized similar volunteer initiatives on behalf of leading national organizations such as Momentum and Birthright Israel. We have also organized solidarity missions on behalf of Jewish communal leaders since the early days following the October 7th attack.

While you can make your own arrangements, we do not recommend it.

Travelers are responsible for booking their own travel to and from Israel, and we recommend flying on EL AL Airlines for maximum reliability during these times. A VIP airport greeting and transfer to our hotel will be provided for anyone arriving to Ben Gurion Airport between 6:00am and 5:35pm on the program arrival day. Guaranteed hotel check-in is available starting at 3:00pm (luggage can be stowed earlier). On the final evening of the program, a transfer will be provided back to Ben Gurion Airport in time for flights departing between 11:00pm and 1:00am.

Yes, you may arrive early and meet the group at our Jerusalem hotel on the first day at the appointed time. To streamline the operations of this program, we are not offering pre/post hotel extensions.

In the event the security situation in Israel worsens while you are in Israel, we will make adjustments to our approach, including relocation of the group, if warranted. We appreciate our responsibility for your well-being, and our decision-making will be guided by this understanding.

Travelers will be briefed ahead of arrival on the standard security protocols we follow and should be aware that there is a possibility they will be present for a rocket alert siren during our travels. Fortunately, Israel has sophisticated anti-rocket protections, and we will only travel in parts of the country that are away from the border areas where there is reasonable time to seek protection in the event a siren sounds.

Yes, all food served will be kosher, and we will not use a bus over Shabbat for group programming.

Subsidies are not available for this program, however, we are offering a similar program for ages 18-40 that is subsidized.