Volunteer Israel

Israel is a very young and at the same time very ancient country. This country is absolutely unusual in everything. I love this country so much that it’s hard for me to be brief. But I will try.

Mountains and plains, fertile lands and arid deserts – all this is often within a few minutes drive from each other. You can get from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east in just an hour and a half, and a trip from Metula in the “far north” to Eilat – the southernmost point of the country – takes about six hours.

This country is multinational and the people here are very friendly, a country with a rich culture and ancient history. I hope that my story will help you make the right decision and come to this wonderful country! So…

The national currency is the new Israeli shekel. It makes no difference whether you take dollars or euros with you. Despite the fact that Israel is an expensive country to live in, do not take a large amount in cash. There are enough ATMs and exchange points here. You can pay with a credit card in Israel almost anything – from lunch to souvenirs.

The official language in Israel is Hebrew. But the majority of the population speaks at least two languages. In addition to Hebrew, popular ones are Yiddish, Arabic, English, Russian.

Knowledge of English is very common, so there will be no particular problems with language communication. Also, Israelis are very patient and attentive to people who only study Hebrew. They try to understand you and help you.

Israel is a small country surrounded on all sides by Arab states, and the second century is waging a war for the right to exist.

But. despite what you see on the news, Israel is actually a very safe country to travel. It is easy to connect all of Israel with Gaza and the West Bank. But you must remember that these are not the areas where most people live, and they are certainly not the areas that travelers visit. The main tourist areas – Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, Negev, the Dead Sea and the Galilee – remain safe as always. In addition, personal security in Israel is always incredibly high, and crime is very low, especially compared to most Western countries and cities. Ironically, coming and traveling in Israel is safer than staying at home in the UK, USA or in most other Western countries. However, some areas of Israel are unsafe for travel, and travelers are not recommended to come to them. The territory of the country around Gaza is not tourist, and tourists have no reason to go there. Tourists should also be very vigilant when traveling to the West Bank or East Jerusalem.

Of course, like everywhere else in the world, there is crime in Israel. Beware of scammers and thieves, this is mainly related to money. However, you can safely walk at night, even on deserted streets.

Use sunscreen all the time in the open sun, especially if your skin has a light shade.

Israel pays great attention to security, so there are a lot of police and military on the streets.

There are many stories about how people with Muslim names or surnames are interrogated at an Israeli airport, but this is done for security purposes only.

Because of the shelling, most homes have bomb shelters.

People in uniform in Israel are everywhere: on the street, in cafes, shops and train stations. Of course, everyone heard that girls in Israel also serve in the IDF. Men serve three years, women two. It is funny to see girls in uniform and with weapons in shopping centers near the railway stations – they choose clothes, jewelry or cosmetics, drink coffee, eat cakes, take pictures.

Israel was created as a Jewish state, but many religions coexist here. Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism.The center of all religions is of course the city of Jerusalem – we call it the Golden Jerusalem. If you have not been there before, then I am very glad that you can discover this miracle for the first time!I Am sure that you will be accepted here, and not depending on your religious affiliation. But, if you find yourself in religious areas, you must respect the laws of local residents.

Although the winter in Israel is quite mild and lasts from November to March.depending on which part of the country you are in, in winter you may need warm clothes, umbrellas and even coats and hats!

Summer in Israel is long, dry and hot, which lasts from April to October. In Eilat, it is warm throughout the year (+35 … +38 – the average summer temperature), and in the north and in the mountains it can be pretty cool.

Precipitation falls mainly in the center and in the north of the country, the largest amount of which falls in December-February. In the south, rainfall is extremely low.

 But due to the difference in humidity, air temperature in different parts of the country can be perceived differently.

Food in Israel is a national sport. Remember the rule: in Israeli cafes the portions are not small, in the restaurants are large, the guests are huge. You will not stay hungry in this country! Modern Israel is created by immigrants from many countries of the world, therefore Israeli cuisine is a symbiosis of taste preferences of representatives of different countries and peoples.

We can talk about this topic endlessly, so it is better to come and enjoy the taste richness and variety of shades Israeli cuisine!

What makes Israeli food so special it’s the fusion between Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.

You will not stay hungry at this country!

What makes Israeli food so special it’s the fusion between Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.

If you think of Israeli food and you probably imagine pitta breads stuffed with falafel, bowls of hummus for dipping and colourful tomato shakshuka with plenty of herbs and. And you wouldn’t be wrong. But there’s a whole lot more to this country’s cuisine than the classic dishes that have become popular in Europe.

The majority of the Jewish people are keeping the kosher diet.

Kosher food is the one that conform to the Jewish dietary regulations of kashrut and may be consumed according to the kabala.

Kosher foods are divided into three categories: meat, dairy and pareve. By the kabala the Jewish people are not permitted to eat dairy with meat and even have to wait a certain time period between one to another. Also the food can not be prepared at the holy shabat.

Althoug a lot of food in Israel is kosher, don’t worry, many restaurants have a fixed menu and there is a many stors that sell all kind of non kosher food.

Israel is on GMT+02.

Everyone heard that there is a Shabbat. Not everyone knows how the Israeli work week works. And she is shifted by one day relative to the rest of the world.

Shabbat (Saturday) is the main day off, like Sunday in the rest of the world. And Sunday is the first working day of the week.

Weekends are Friday and Saturday. Half a day can work on Friday.

“Shabbat Shalom” (literally: “Saturday is the world”) is not so much a Saturday greeting as a wish for a good weekend. People say to each other “Shabbat Shalom”.

Public transport stops working from 16:00 on Friday and returns to work at the end of Saturday (the exact time depends on the time of year), shops, pharmacies, restaurants, etc. work in this mode, however, this rule is often not observed in secular areas.Taxis work around the clock.

Very developed and intercity transport – buses and trains.

The website of the bus company Egged provides the majority of intercity flights.

https://www.egged.co.il/ru/HomePage.aspx

The railway network of Israel. Train timetables, addresses and directions to train stations.

https://www.rail.co.il/en

Israelis are very open and hospitable people. They gather at a large table with family and friends. It is customary to travel here, especially on holidays and on Saturday.

All information about entry visa to Israel:

https://embassies.gov.il/Pages/IsraeliMissionsAroundTheWorld.aspx

Make sure you take out good travel insurance.

Healthcare in Israel is highly developed. Of course you need to know your blood type.

Israel offers unique volunteer opportunities. You can make an invaluable contribution to the development of Israeli society, you can collaborate with various communities and socially vulnerable groups. Many programs are built on creating and strengthening communities, helping young people at risk. Volunteering in support of the peaceful coexistence of Jews, Arabs and other local communities is also very important.

All volunteering programs are based on the Jewish tradition of “Tikun Olam” (perfecting the world) and are guided by the principles of social responsibility and social justice.

Volunteering programs not only allow you to get closer to Israeli reality, culture and traditions, but also –

bring something of your own, change the world for the better.