Laser focus on agriculture - Israel Food Rescue's farming volunteer trips are dedicated to supporting needy farmers and securing the country’s food supply. Committed to smaller farms - Our agricultural volunteer program in Israel is designed to work with family farmers who are not receiving the same governmental intervention as larger kibbutzim and moshavim Flexible start - begin every other Monday Flexible duration - stay a minimum of 5 volunteer days or for as long as you can for your Israel farming volunteer trip. Some of our volunteers stay for 3, 4, even 5 weeks! Flexible agricultural volunteer program options in Israel - join our All Inclusive program or choose your own accommodations and meals, and join only for the farming.

30-80 years YOUNG! (medical insurance available up to age 75) You can also join if you are between the ages of 18-30 and have a family member over the age of 30 accompanying you on the trip Able to do 6 hours of light to medium manual labor each day Valid passport for at least 6 months after your end date, from a country that grants an automatic tourist visa to Israel LOVE OF ISRAEL!

All participants must register a minimum 10 days in advance.

Check out our available regular mission dates here. Check out our available grant mission dates here.

No. Sorry, the experience is rewarding and challenging. While it isn't "skilled labor," there is a learning curve. Each farm and each crop has its own needs; repetition and consistency improve your value to the farmers we assist. Hence the 5-day minimum. Participants can extend in daily increments if they wish to volunteer for longer. Please visit the Pricing Options page for more pricing details.

Typically there’s not a choice. This is a fluid program and we respond to the daily needs of the farmers who rely on us. We will be sure you’re deployed to a farm that needs your help.

All farms are within an hour drive from Jerusalem. Out of security concerns, we are not sending volunteers to the West Bank, or within 20 kilometers of the Gaza and northern borders.

Sunday: Arrive to the hotel Monday - Thursday: Farm volunteering (fields, greenhouses, packing facilities) Friday: Volunteering in Jerusalem (schools, hospitals, etc.) Saturday / Shabbat: Relax with the group, or visit friends and family. While there will be no programming on Saturday, participants are welcome to enjoy breakfast and lunch at the hotel. Sample Volunteer Day Schedule: 6:30am: Breakfast at hotel 7:00am: Leave for farm 8:00am: Arrive at farm 12:00pm: Kosher lunch 3:00pm: Leave for hotel 6:00pm: Bonding dinner with group at hotel This schedule is only an example and may change based on conditions in Israel such as weather and security.

Yes, you can provide your own transportation and enroll in the Farm Experience program.

Participants begin the program on Monday mornings. You may stay with the group at the hotel or arrange your own accommodations. The experience is rewarding and challenging. While it isn't "skilled labor," there is a learning curve. Each farm and each crop has its own needs; repetition and consistency improve your value to the farmers we assist. Therefore, IFR requests a minimum of 5 volunteer days, and participants can extend in daily increments if they wish to volunteer for longer. Please see the Pricing Options tab for more information on Program Schedule, pricing, and extending your stay.

Our group will be staying in a boutique hotel or upscale and comfortable hostel in Jerusalem. The bus will pick up volunteers (between 6 am and 7 am depending on the farm) and drop them off at the hotel. As part of our program, we provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner from Sunday to Friday and breakfast and lunch on Saturday. Participants are free to select other lodging options and join us in the morning at the hotel for transport to the farms. Participants’ first volunteer day needs to be on a Monday morning.

There are not any volunteering or organized activities over Shabbat. Most volunteers visit family and friends and choose not to sleep at the hotel on Friday night. Here are a couple of options: 1. Stay for Shabbat -Sleep at the hotel Friday night and have it count towards one of your initial 5 hotel nights. Israel Food Rescue will provide breakfast and lunch on Saturday. 2. Substitute Night With 10 days’ notice, you can decide not to sleep at the hotel on Friday night and substitute for immediate Saturday or Sunday night. With less than 10 days’ notice you are responsible to arrange your own accommodations.

1. All Inclusive Mission - 5 days/5 nights 5-Night Mission, Single Room: $1,250 5-Night Mission, Double Room: 1st Person - $1,250 2nd Person - $1,000 Each additional day/night, Single Room: $250 Double room: 1st Person - $250 2nd Person $250 2. Farm Experience 5-Day experience: $500 Each additional day: $100 There will be NO prorations. Click here to see our Pricing Tab

The All Inclusive Mission registration fee includes: Hotel accommodations Daily transportation to the program location Two kosher meals a day Health insurance (available for those under 75) A professional Mission Leader The Farm Experience registration fee includes: Daily transportation to the program location Kosher breakfast at farms Health insurance (available for those under 75) A professional Mission Leader ​ Your registration fee does not include your airfare.

Yes, we do have partial scholarships available. Please send an email to Rabbi Randy @ rabbirandy@israelfoodrescue.com with a short explanation as to why you are in need of a scholarship for our program and the reduction you will be asking for.

Your registration fee includes health insurance for participants up to age 75. The coverage begins the day before you join the program and ends the day after you leave the program. For example, if you are on a Monday to Friday program, you are covered from Sunday to Saturday. Check your own insurance to be sure there is coverage for time spent not on the mission. If desired, you should obtain your own insurance.

The mission will include volunteering in a field, orchard, greenhouse, or produce packing facility. There is bending to do the planting, reaching (both up and down) for fruit on trees, as well as carrying up to 20 lbs of produce. You should be in good general health, and in moderate to good physical shape. Please consult your doctor before departing your home country for this mission. All volunteers are required to sign a waiver of liability prior to joining the program.

Below is our group health insurance policy.

NEW VISA REGULATIONS STARTING SEPTEMBER 2024: A tourist visa is not required for stays of 90 days or fewer until January 1, 2025. Beginning January 1, 2025, visa or Electronic Travel Authorization.(ETA-IL) will be required. Find out more on thiswebsite.

You can make a tax deductible contribution towards scholarships and farming equipment via the Stamford, Connecticut Jewish Federation. You can pay online here. Or pay via check to this address: United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan, Darien 2009 Summer Street, Ste. 301 Stamford, CT 06905 OR PO. Bx 3124 Stamford 06905

On October 7, Hamas brutally murdered and kidnapped Israelis and foreign workers. Over 25,000 foreign agricultural workers are no longer available to tend to Israel's agricultural system. In addition, 360,000 Israelis have been called to reserve duty. This has led to a severe human capital shortage on Israeli farms, which may result in food insecurity and dire economic consequences.

PROGRAM CHANGES AND CANCELLATIONS The success of Israel Food Rescue relies on the participant’s ability to provide value to host farms, and on the participants’ ability to comply with the rules, norms, and standards of the group to ensure harmonic interactions among volunteers during the program. Further, the program is subject to the rules, laws, and recommendations of the government and military of the State of Israel, the United States Department of State, and any updated circumstances of the current war. Accordingly, Israel Food Rescue has adopted the following policies for program termination, changes, and refunds. 1. If the program is disrupted, paused, or terminated due to the security situation on the ground, Israel Food Rescue will provide updates to all Volunteers regarding security alerts issued by Israel Home Front Command and the U.S. Department of State to ensure their safety, and we will make every effort to resume volunteer activities as soon as is practical. 2. If the U.S. Department of State issues guidance on www.travel.state.gov that Americans should evacuate the country, the following will apply: FOR VOLUNTEERS IN ISRAEL: The program will make every reasonable effort to assist with flight arrangements for the soonest possible departure. The program is not responsible for additional airfare costs or transfer to the airport; your registration fee will be refunded on a pro-rata basis. FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REGISTERED BUT ARE NOT YET IN THE PROGRAM: You may reschedule to a date within six months of your originally scheduled departure date with no penalty. (Groups larger than 5 people may reschedule within 12 months of the original date.) Cancellations will incur a processing and administrative fee of $500 USD. The remainder of your registration fees can be donated to Israel Food Rescue to subsidize other volunteers and purchase equipment for farmers or can be refunded to your original form of payment. 3. If the U.S. Department of State Advisory increases to “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” then standard cancellation rules apply, as below. FOR VOLUNTEERS IN ISRAEL: Any participant may opt to terminate his or her participation in the program at any time, with or without cause, with advance notice given to the program coordinators via WhatsApp, or email to Rabbi Randall Brown and the Mission Leader. No refunds will be issued and no proration will be applied. FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE REGISTERED BUT ARE NOT YET IN THE PROGRAM: For groups of more than 5 people: Cancellations 21 or more days in advance of the first program day incur a $500 cancellation fee per person; if you must reschedule your group trip, you will incur a rebooking fee of $250 per person. Cancellations less than 21 days in advance of the first program day receive no refund, but you may reschedule for a rebooking fee of $500 per person (Rescheduled trip must occur within 12 months of the original travel date). For Individuals and groups of up to 5 people: Cancellations 14 days or more in advance of the first program day incur a $500 cancellation fee per person, or a $250 rebooking fee if you reschedule. Cancellations less than 14 days in advance of the first program day receive no refund but may reschedule for a rebooking fee of $500 per person. Rescheduled trips must occur within 6 months of the original travel date. 4. Other circumstances: If it is possible to remain in the country but becomes necessary to evacuate the program’s accommodations, the program will make every reasonable effort to secure new accommodations. Additional costs may be incurred, payable by the participant, and a 500$ refund will be issued. If it is necessary to remain in Israel beyond your originally scheduled stay due to the military situation (e.g., airspace is closed, or airlines suspend flights), the program will make every reasonable effort to help you secure continued accommodations, at our location or another. Additional costs may be incurred, payable by the participant. No refunds will be issued, and no prorations will be applied. 5. Any participant may opt to leave the program at any time, with or without cause, with advance notice given to the program coordinators via WhatsApp, or email to Rabbi Randall Brown and the Mission Leader. No refunds will be issued and no proration will be applied. 6. The program reserves the right to terminate any participant’s participation in the program if the program, at its sole discretion, deems it necessary, without any requirement to show cause. If the program and program coordinators choose to terminate participation, we will notify the participant via email or WhatsApp. No refunds will be issued and no proration will be applied. FOR INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED FOR OUR GRANT-FUNDED MISSIONS 1. The $360 registration fee can be applied towards future trips with a 14-day cancellation notice. However, we cannot guarantee grant conditions beyond December as of now. 2. The $350 single room can be refunded with a 14-day cancellation notice. 3. If the trip is cancelled due to security risk, the 360$ registration fee will be returned. 4. If the trip is canceled due to security risk, flight stipends will not be given as they are dependent upon completion of mission.

Friday afternoon and all day Saturday, our volunteers are free to stay in the hotel, rest, and attend services in the area. Many participants will use this time to visit with family and friends returning on Saturday night. Reservations for Friday night dinner, Saturday breakfast, and lunch are needed by Wednesday so the correct amount of food can be ordered.

Having a minyan, or service, is wholly dependent on the participants. Participants should coordinate with the Mission Coordinator as to an appropriate time and place for the services to occur so they do not disrupt the program or other participants who choose to not participate. This program is meant to be inclusive so we do ask that women pray alongside but separately.

Please email us: info@israelfoodrescue.com. Thanks!

Israel Food Rescue recommends booking travel on El Al Airlines because regardless of the military or political situation, El Al is the only global airline that does not cancel flights to Tel Aviv. In contrast, a few U.S. and European airlines have canceled flights to Israel, leaving volunteers scrambling to make other arrangements.