‘Birthright’ Calls on its Alumni to Volunteer in Israel During War

Edited by: TJVNews.com

Since its inception, the Birthright Israel program has sent close to a million young Jews from North America to Israel to experience the history, culture and unique flavor of the one and only Jewish state.

Now that Israel finds itself in an existential battle for its survival against the onslaught of Hamas terrorists, Birthright is now calling upon its cherished 850,000 alumni to devote time to travel to Israel to help during the country’s darkest hours.

On Monday, Birthright Israel announced in a statement to the media that a vital effort is underway to assist the Jewish state. The initiative arose from the many alumni who have contacted Birthright Israel offering to volunteer during this crisis, the statement said.

Birthright’s initiative involves placing volunteers on kibbutzim and moshavim to harvest crops in the absence of the thousands of foreign field workers who returned to their countries during the war. The volunteers will thereby make a crucial contribution to saving the hundreds of family farms whose residents were evacuated or called into reserve duty since Hamas massacred southern-Israel residents on October 7 and launched its war against the Jewish state.

Participants will also work in donation centers to help with sorting, packing and distributing boxes of supplies for civilian evacuees and military units.

Birthright is coordinating the effort through its Onward Volunteer Program. The first round of applicants will volunteer for two weeks in 2 rounds in November and more spots are expected to open in December, according to the statement sent to the media.

The program will fully cover Tel Aviv-area accommodations, all of which have fortified rooms; transportation from and to the airport, and to and from the volunteering sites; and a small stipend. Participants will pay the cost of their flights and travel insurance.

The Volunteers will be working up to six hours daily, during which they’ll meet Israeli peers who also are lending a hand in farms and warehouses.

Applicants need to be between 18 and 40 years old, regardless of their previous Israel-program experience, with preference given to those who have already participated in Israel programs and who are ages 25 and up. All applicants will need to identify themselves as Jewish.

“I have been gratified by the Birthright Israel alumni – ranging from those who came to Israel just a few months ago, all the way back to those who participated in our first year back in 1999 – who have reached out since October 7th to ask how they can help,” said Gidi Mark, Birthright Israel’s chief executive officer. “This initiative is a meaningful and practical way to stand with Israel and to actively assist a great need.”

Although not specifically mentioned, there is also a call out to those lone soldiers from the United States and around the world who moved to Israel for the purpose of joining the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). After their service was completed many of these lone soldiers returned to their countries of origin while others stayed on to establish a life in Israel.

“Because lone soldiers are held in such tremendously high regard by Israel and Jews throughout the world for their sacrifice in defending their ancestral homeland and its people, we know that they are the kind of people who would also dedicate themselves to devoting time to volunteer in Israel during these  stressful times of war, “ said David Ben Hooren, former Israeli paratrooper and publisher of The Jewish Voice.

He added that, “a call must go out to lone soldiers because the bravery that they displayed during their service in the IDF along with the skills they acquired would be indispensible in this time of crisis in Israel.”

For more information and to apply to volunteer, please visit: www.birthrightisrael.com/beyond/resource-center