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Pruning

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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 typically run from late January to early March. Volunteer work consists 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.

This 2-week trip is a wonderful time for guys to work and fellowship together with like-minded men. Coming to the pruning is a life-changing experience you will never forget!

Our pruning trips are for men and boys age 12 to 64. Boys under the age of 18 must be accompanied by their father. If you are 65 or older, we recommend you check out our Heartland Experience trips instead.

Dates & Prices

2 Week Trip

arrive in Israel on Jan 26, 2026
airport pick-up is at 6:00 PM

depart Israel on Feb 9, 2026
 airport drop-off is at 8:00 PM

Ages 12-64$1,440 + airfare
Apply byJanuary 5, 2026
Apply for This Trip
2 Week Trip

arrive in Israel on Feb 11, 2026
airport pick-up is at 6:00 PM

depart Israel on Feb 25, 2026
 airport drop-off is at 8:00 PM

Ages 12-64$1,440 + airfare
Apply byJanuary 21, 2026
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. 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

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

Check out photos from our past pruning trips . . .

view photo gallery

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can come on this trip?

Our pruning trips are for men and boys age 12 to 64. For boys under the age of 18, they must come with their father. We do not accept pruning volunteers under the age of 12 or over the age of 64. If you are 65 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 one of these visa-exempt countries, you are eligible to apply for a trip with HaYovel.

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. Please note that you will need to complete an electronic travel authorization process a few days before arriving in Tel Aviv. Further instructions will be sent after you apply and are approved for one of our programs.

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 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.

 

See More Frequently Asked Questions

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

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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