Authentic Israel

I loved our group that blended together so beautifully. Alon was a wonderful guide who was very attentive to making sure everyone had a special experience while volunteering and coming back to visit Israel. An A+ experience.

Awesome

It was wonderful! Alon was great and we had lots of work experience too. I would have liked longer volunteer hours, though.

Great activities. Fabulous guide Would recommend it to anyone.

Wonderful experience - August-September - 7 days + 3 days on our own before in Hadera. Enjoyed volunteering. Great guide. Always felt safe. Interesting blend of volunteering, touring and gaining a better understanding of Israel. Our perspective many differ. Yes, been to Israel previously, even same hotels. Yes, some family and friends there (we rarely see. ) We came again (LY: Volunteer Israel in May) to learn how Israeli citizens see themselves with the war after nearly 2-years. We always felt safe - never under danger, and going everywhere, feeling safe. Thanks to tour guide. All Israelis we met were grateful (thankful), surprised and honored, we were volunteering. So many Israelis we met in shops, and on tour do the same. Our tour guide's openness to perspectives, even the simple statement of an Arab driver for us, his Palestinian wife, taking off Friday night-Saturday Shabbat removed all stereotypes. An impromptu opportunity to bump into and chat with a Lieutenant Colonel reservist of 4 wars, called himself a peacenik -deciding it was important to chat - more than to eat, and in spare time comes to the US, the arranged meetings with volunteer leadership in multiple organizations, and even chatting to the 27-year old Christian shopkeeper, expecting to be called to serve next week, is direct insight to their common expression "it's complicated. " This is a good balance for those of all ages who want to volunteer but also learn. In this tour, we listened carefully, and we saw hope, aspirations, prayer and community. Our fellow travelers were similar in some, but diverse as for many, they've not been here since the war. We felt very safe at all times. This tour helped us to see how Israel in just two years has adapted - individuals coming together, so even with the diversity (and disagreement) - it's like in some but far less in others than America. The tour showed their lack of fear in being diverse. And, as to the volunteering we harvested grapes (drank some wine), distributed food for the needy (ate well), did food kitchen prep for community kitchens (ate well), packaged for aid to children (toys) (met children getting help), and put together nourishment/mental help kits for soldiers (met soldiers on meal break). We sSaw their recovery program for soldiers, better than Wounded Warriers in the US (and even better than the one I'm connected to, which is powerful). But, then again there is the beach, the Western Wall, the museums. To tell just one simple story, and the location in Tel Aviv - one block from the beach: the blue shorts of young mean running on the beach walk in Tel Aviv - location of hotel great - then going to have serious fun Thursday night (like our big-city Fridays). We had the opportunity to draw our own conclusions - because the Tour was open to letting us draw it on our own: Just seeing that 4 nights, it hit me that they KNEW they could be called up on reserves one moment or be in a shelter with family the next, where young, healthy man(maybe a little oversexed - definitely handsome?) and the women drop dead gorgeous. Relief, duty, personal belief all running independently, all running wearing blue shorts. We highly recommend this experience.