Pruning

Heartland Experience

Grape Harvest

Tree Planting

Extended Stay

Pruning

Israel’s winter season (not a lot of snow, but plenty of rain) begins in late November and continues through the end of March. This is an important time of the year for agriculture and the small farmers of Israel need a lot of help.

Our winter volunteer trips are for men only and run from January through mid-March. Volunteer work is mostly of pruning vineyards in locations all throughout Israel’s central mountain range. We may also be planting trees or helping with various other projects on nearby farms.

We have two trip options for the pruning season – a 2-week trip and an 8-week trip. It is a wonderful time for men of all ages to work and fellowship together with like-minded men. Coming to the pruning is a life-changing experience you will never forget!

Fathers and sons (must be age 13 or older) are encouraged to come together. Anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Elders and senior citizens are welcome; no one is too old to come to the pruning!

Dates & Prices

8 Week Trip

arrive in Israel on January 25, 2023
depart Israel on March 22, 2023

If you’re coming from the United States, Canada, or Australia, make sure to plan for at least one day on either end of your trip for flying.

Age 13+$3,200 + airfare

Coming as a family? Every 4th person is free! (applies to immediate family members only)

Last day to applyDecember 14, 2022

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2 Week Trip

arrive in Israel on February 20, 2023
depart Israel on March 6, 2023

If you’re coming from the United States, Canada, or Australia, make sure to plan for at least one day on either end of your trip for flying.

Age 13+$1,200 + airfare

Coming as a family? Every 4th person is free! (applies to immediate family members only)

Last day to applyJanuary 9, 2023

Apply for This Trip

More About the Pruning

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 family members, 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. When you arrive at the airport, we’ll be there to pick you up. 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 in time for your departure flight.

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

A typical day during the pruning begins at 5:30 AM with a half-hour of worship and/or prayer together as a group. Breakfast is served at 6:00 and we head out to the fields shortly after breakfast. Our volunteer campus is surrounded by beautiful vineyards on the Mount of Blessing, so on some days, our volunteer location is within walking distance. If we are not within walking distance, we will take vans or a private bus to nearby farms, anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes away.

We usually work from 7:00 in the morning until 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon, with a mid-morning snack break and lunch at noon. On many days, we will tour local biblical or historical sites in the afternoon, 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, an inspiring message, or insightful teaching. From 7:00 PM on is open for fellowship with other volunteers or personal reading and study (or an early bedtime if you like!).

This is a typical daily schedule for Sunday through Thursday. Friday is a shorter work day and then on Friday night and all-day Saturday, we celebrate the sabbath, taking the day off for rest, fellowship, and Scripture study.

This is what others are saying . . .

This was the best spiritual experience of my life. A labour of pure love in the vineyards of Samaria is an act of gratitude for what Christ has done for me and my family. It is a spiritual investment in a generational future.

Clive

from Western Cape, South Africa

This was the experience of a lifetime. Knowing you are fulfilling prophecy by working the vineyards in Samaria has been the most fulfilling event in my spiritual life since my salvation experience in 1970.

Paul

from Oklahoma, USA

I’ve been to several pruning trips with HaYovel, and each one has been very life-changing and defining for me as a man. I would highly recommend the pruning trip to any man that places a high value on pursuing God, investing in the lives of others, and being challenged to grow as a man.

Joseph

from Colorado, USA

My experience with HaYovel has been a learning experience like no other. It has helped me to see the significance of what we are doing in Israel and how it coincides with fulfilling prophecy. It also has helped put into perspective God’s role of Israel in His great plan for humanity and has greatly increased my love for our Jewish brothers and sisters.

Joel

from Texas, USA

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who can come on this trip?

Our winter pruning trips are for men and boys age 13 or older. If you are an older man thinking about making a trip to Israel, don’t hesitate to apply because of your age. No one is too old to come to a pruning voluntee 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.

Please note that if you live in certain countries (such as Canada) your local government may have restrictions in place for people leaving and/or re-entering the country. Please check the current travel requirements for your country of residence before planning your Israel trip.

Do I need a visa to go to Israel?

All you need to do is fill out an application here on our website and we will take care of the rest. After you submit your application for one of our trips, we will process your application, send your information to Israel’s Ministry of the Interior and request a volunteer visa in your name.

When you land in Israel at Ben Gurion International Airport, Israeli customs and border control will have your information on file and will issue you a visa to enter the country. After you submit your application, we’ll be in touch and send you additional details about what to do once you land in Israel.

Please note that Israel only issues volunteer visas for citizens of certain countries. If you are coming from North America, South America, Europe, Australia or Hong Kong, you are most likely eligible for a visa. If you are coming from Africa, Asia, or the Middle East, please contact our volunteer enrollment team (enrollment@hayovel.com) to find out if Israel allows citizens from your country to come volunteer.

What places will I get to visit on my trip?

Volunteer locations will be various small farms and vineyards throughout 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.

Can I take a few days before or after my trip to tour, visit friends, or volunteer with another organization?

No. All volunteers coming on a trip with HaYovel must arrive and depart from Israel on the designated trip dates, and must remain with and under the supervision of our organization during the entire duration of their visit to Israel. Israel’s Ministry of the Interior is generously issuing special volunteer visas for anyone coming on a trip with HaYovel. There are certain conditions which apply to this visa, one of which is that all of our volunteers must stay with the HaYovel group for the entire duration of their stay in the country, entering and exiting on the specified trip dates.

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This is what others are saying . . .

I recommend the Heartland Experience to anyone who has ever considered taking a tour to Israel. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. Each participant takes active, powerful, faithful steps to work and be a part of this Kingdom of Israel redemption in our generation. It is such a blessing to serve and be the salt and light with our prayers, hands, and feet in the Heartland! It is transformational!

Genevieve

from New Mexico, USA

As a solo traveler and first-time visitor, I found this to be a most elegant way to experience Israel. The volunteer work imparts a sense of meaning, and friendships develop easily in pursuit of common goals. We saw a rich variety of historic and sacred places, and met many locals who expressed their passion and dedication to this beautiful land. I left feeling I had seen it for real, and having a tiny part in making the desert bloom. Grateful to the HaYovel team for sharing this place with us.

from Texas, USA

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