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Heartland Experience

Grape Harvest

Tree Planting

Pruning

Special Ops

COST

Starting at $1,660

DURATION

3 weeks

SEASON

April or October

WHO CAN APPLY

Everyone

AGE LIMITS

0 to 75

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Tree Planting

Come to Israel and make a lasting difference by planting trees on the mountains of Judea and Samaria. Choose between our 3-week trip in the spring or 3-week trip in the autumn and join fellow volunteers in carefully planting saplings at our various forestry sites across Judea and Samaria. The trees are started months before at nurseries and, during your trip, you’ll be helping prepare the ground, plant each tree, and add mulch, watering devices, and cages to protect them.

 

Our tree planting trips are for ages 18 to 75. Children under the age of 18 are welcome to come also, but they must be accompanied by a parent. This trip is not for anyone over the age of 75. If you are 76 or older, we recommend you check out our Heartland Experience trip.

Tree planting trips will consist of 5-6 days volunteering each week and then taking a break to relax and experience an Israeli-style Shabbat each Saturday. As you volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to visit notable biblical and historical sites that are close by to where we are working. Along the way, you’ll get to meet some of Israel’s brave pioneers, talk to the locals, and hear from inspiring speakers. Each trip will also include a day to spend in Jerusalem.

Dates & Prices

3 Week Trip

arrive in Israel on October 17, 2023
airport pick-up is at 6:00 PM

depart Israel on November 6, 2023
 airport drop-off is at 8:00 PM

Ages 13-75$1,660 + airfare
Ages 6-12$830 + airfare
Ages 0-5$332 + airfare
Apply bySep 26, 2023
Apply for This Trip
3 Week Trip

arrive in Israel on April 3, 2024
airport pick-up is at 6:00 PM

depart Israel on April 24, 2024
 airport drop-off is at 8:00 PM

Age 13+$1,990 + airfare
Ages 6-12$995 + airfare
Ages 0-5$398 + airfare
Apply byMarch 13, 2024
Apply for This Trip
3 Week Trip

arrive in Israel on October 29, 2024
airport pick-up is at 6:00 PM

depart Israel on November 19, 2024
 airport drop-off is at 8:00 PM

Age 13+$1,920 + airfare
Ages 6-12$960 + airfare
Ages 0-5$384 + airfare
Apply byOctober 8, 2024
Apply for This Trip

More About These Trips

Accomodations

You’ll be staying in a room at our volunteer campus on the Mount of Blessing, located in central Israel. Our accommodations are similar to a hostel and are simple, but still comfortable and with all basic amenities. Restrooms and showers are located in a separate building. If you come with your spouse or your family, you’ll be rooming with them. If you come by yourself, you will room with one or two fellow volunteers.

Transportation

We will help you book your flight to Tel Aviv, Israel. We’ll meet you at the airport at the designated pick-up time for the trip you select. Transportation is already arranged for your entire stay in Israel and is included in the price of the trip. For smaller groups, we will travel by 9-passenger vans. For larger groups, we will use private buses. At the conclusion of your trip, someone from our team will take you back to Tel Aviv at the designated airport drop-off time.

Meals

We have a team of chefs running our on-site kitchen and serving three delicious meals every day for our volunteers. All meals are covered in your trip cost.

When we travel or tour in certain locations, such as Jerusalem, there will be an opportunity to eat out at local restaurants. You can pay for this on your own, or if you’d rather not spend the money, our kitchen team will provide a lunch you can pack and take with you for no extra cost.

You can let us know about any allergies or dietary restrictions that you have when you submit your application.

Daily Schedule

With planting trees, it’s best to get an early start on the day and get some work before the sun gets too high in the sky. Typically, each day begins at 5:00 AM with a half-hour of worship and/or prayer together as a group.

Breakfast is served at 5:30 and we’ll head to one of our forestry sites shortly after breakfast. One of our forestry sites is located within walking distance of our volunteer base. Other forestry sites are located anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes away and we will travel there by vans or a private bus.

We usually work until an early lunchtime at 11:00 AM. The afternoon schedule varies from day to day. Some days, we will continue planting trees for several more hours and head back to base at 3:00 PM or 4:00 PM. On other days, we will tour a nearby biblical or historical sites, or travel around and meet local residents in the area.

Dinner is served at 5:00 PM and, on most evenings, we have a guest speaker out to our campus from a nearby Jewish community to share their personal story, inspiring message, or insightful teaching.

Because we’re waking up early, most folks head to bed between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM.

This is a typical daily schedule for Sunday through Friday. On Friday night and all-day Saturday, we celebrate the Sabbath, taking the day off for rest, fellowship, and Scripture study.

What do I need to do?

Signing up for a trip is simple. All you need to do is follow these 4 easy steps:

APPLY

Choose your favorite trip and click “apply”. Follow the instructions to submit your application.

It will take approximately 30 to 45 minutes to fill out your application and will require a photocopy of your passport and a $200 non-refundable processing fee (this amount will be deducted from your trip cost).

TALK WITH US

Once you submit your application and pay your processing fee, someone from our staff team will reach out to you and schedule a phone call. On this call, you’ll have the opportunity to get answers to any questions you may have and we’ll give you additional details about what to expect and what you should bring with you.

BUY YOUR TICKET

After you talk with one of our staff members, we’ll let you know how and when to book your flight to Israel. It’s very important that you DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHT until you receive a go-ahead from our staff team. We have a specific airport pick-up and drop-off time that you need to keep in mind when booking your flight.

COME TO ISRAEL

Between when you submit your application and the day you arrive in Israel, we’ll send you all the information you need to be prepared, pack everything you need, and be ready for a life-changing Israel experience you will remember forever.

We’ll meet you at the airport!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can come on this trip?

Our tree planting trips are for men, women, couples, and families! We are a family-friendly organization and love when families are able to come to Israel together. Please keep in mind that anyone under the age of 18 must come accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Our tree planting trips are not for anyone over the age of 75. If you are 76 or older, we recommend that you check out our Heartland Experience trips instead.

We accept volunteers from over 90 different countries around the world. See the question below “Do you accept volunteers from my country?” for a full list of the countries that can apply for this trip.

Are there any vaccination or COVID-19 testing requirements?

No vaccine is required. As of March 1, 2022, Israel is welcoming foreigners from abroad regardless of vaccination status or COVID recovery status.

No testing is required. As of May 20, 2022, all PCR testing and quarantine requirements have been lifted for foreigners entering Israel from abroad.

Do you accept volunteers from my country?

To be eligible for one of HaYovel’s programs, the country that issued your passport must be on Israel’s list of allowed, visa-exempt countries. If you hold a valid passport issued by any of the following countries, you are eligible to apply for a trip with HaYovel**

  • Albania
  • Andorra
  • Argentina
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Bahamas
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • Bulgaria
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • El Salvador
  • Estonia
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Korea (South)
  • Latvia
  • Lesotho
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxemburg
  • Macedonia
  • Malta
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Nauru
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Romania
  • San Marino
  • Serbia
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • Spain
  • St. Kitts & Nevis
  • St. Lucia
  • St. Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Taiwan
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad & Tobago
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States of America
  • Uruguay
  • Vanuatu

If your country of citizenship is not listed here, you are not eligible to come on a trip with HaYovel at this time.

**this list is from Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and was last updated on December 21, 2022. Please note that the government of Israel may make changes to their visa requirements and list of allowed countries. If there are newer requirements published by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they supersede whatever is written here. You can check the latest visa requirements on Israel’s government website by clicking here.

Do I need to apply for a visa before coming to Israel?

You do not need to apply for a visa before coming to Israel for one of HaYovel’s programs. All you need is a valid passport. You’ll be issued a standard visitor/tourist visa when you go through passport control at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. No paperwork, forms, or fees are required.

Please note that only citizens of certain countries are eligible to enter Israel and participate in a program with HaYovel. See the question above “Do you accept volunteers from my country?” for a full list of allowed countries.

What are your airport pick-up and drop-off times?

Our team will pick you up at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv at 6:00 PM on the start day of your Israel trip. You must book a flight that arrives at least one hour before the designated pick-up time (in this case, 5:00 PM or earlier). If you choose a flight that arrives in the morning or early afternoon, you’ll have to wait until our 6:00 PM pick-up time.

Our team will drop you off at Ben Gurion International Airport at 8:00 PM on the final day of your trip. You must book a flight that leaves at least 3 hours after the drop-off time (in this case, 11:00 PM or later). If you book a flight that leaves the next morning, you’ll need to wait at the airport or make your own arrangements to stay the night somewhere.

What places will I get to visit on my trip?

Volunteer locations and forestry plots will be located throughout the region of Judea and Samaria.

On your trip, you’ll have the chance to tour different biblical and historical sites that are in proximity to where we are volunteering. However, these trips are designed with a focus on volunteering, meeting the local people, and enabling each participant to make a valuable contribution to the land and people of Israel. Because of this, we don’t have a guaranteed itinerary or list of tour destinations. The only two planned tours include a visit to Elon Moreh and a day in Jerusalem.

Other well-known tour destinations such as the Sea of Galilee or the Dead Sea are not part of this trip.

 

See More Frequently Asked Questions

This is what others are saying . . .

Don’t waste your money on 5-star hotels and tours. By getting your hands dirty in the land, receiving gratitude from the locals, leading a simple life in the company of strangers who become friends, and experiencing tours like no others, you will surely dig deep wells of joy in your life that will go with you into eternity.

Anonymous
from the United States

Meeting other people who also want to follow and believe in every word of the Bible was a very liberating experience. Within the first few days I felt completely at peace, which is a feeling I had forgotten a while back. Between that and being part of a prophecy, volunteering in Israel, I can assure you I will never forget this trip.

Aurora
from Spain

I experienced the Bible, the Word of God, not anymore as reading a book, but alive. The places and events from the past and nowadays are now connected in my mind and I have started to understand in a different way my Bible. I discovered a completely new world for me.

Valentin
from Sofia, Bulgaria

The HaYovel team is by far the most adorable group I have ever experienced. The amazement of connections was overwhelming joyous. I would most definitely challenge any soul who has a deep desire to follow God, go to Israel!!

 

Darrell
from British Columbia, Canada

Check out photos from our past planting trips . . .

view photo gallery

Questions?

Check out our FAQ page, or get in touch with our team. We'd love to hear from you!
See Frequently Asked Questions

[email protected]

(573) 222-0460

Elon Moreh

Elon Moreh, also known as Har Kabir or the Oaks of Moreh, is a mountain located in central Israel with breathtaking views in all directions. This place is specifically mentioned in the Bible as the place where Abraham first settled when he came to the land of Israel. In Genesis 12, Elon Moreh is listed as the location where God audibly spoke to Abraham and promised the land of Israel would belong to his descendants forever.

There is a modern-day Jewish community on the slopes of the mountain (population of about 2,000). The peak of the mountain is unsettled and remains a quiet nature reserve with walking paths and stone overlooks. Elon Moreh is approximately a 20-minute drive from HaYovel’s base of operations. We usually take every volunteer group or tour on an early-morning trip to this beautiful place to enjoy breakfast, hot coffee, and stunning views as the sun comes up.

 

the morning sunrise as seen from the peak of Elon Moreh