Before you make your plans to join us, it’s possible you may have a few (dozen) questions…But don’t worry! We’ve heard most of them before and we’ve provided the answers below. Have a question we didn’t answer below? Email us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you ASAP!
Birthright Israel was launched in 1999 as a non-profit foundation whose purpose is to enable young adults to visit Israel at least once in their lifetime. To date, over 800,000 Jewish young adults from around the world have come to Israel under the Birthright Israel initiative.
Ensuring your security and safety are the primary concerns of Birthright Israel and Israel Outdoors. Please refer to the Security & Safety section for more information about our approach to providing a travel experience in Israel that is safe, secure, and still incredibly exciting.
As hard as it may be to believe, the answer is YES! The gift includes a roundtrip flight to Israel from various departure cities in North America, overnight accommodations at 3 and 4-star hotels (plus one night under the stars at a Bedouin tent in the desert), two meals per day, and all organized activities and touring. What do you pay for? You are expected to get to the departure city airport in North America on your own. You are also responsible for spending money for souvenirs, personal purchases, most lunches, snacks and drinks. Additionally, applicants are required to submit a refundable $360 USD / $450 CAD deposit. Learn more: About the Trip Deposit
There’s no catch. You are only responsible for a $360 USD / $450 CAD deposit – which you can kindly donate to support future Birthright Israel educational activities or request a refund after successfully completing the program.
The Birthright Israel Foundation was set up in order to give every young Jewish adult the chance to experience Israel at least one time in their life. As a licensed provider of Birthright Israel trips, the Israel Outdoors program has no religious or political agenda. Our only goal is to ensure that your experience on the trip is both meaningful and enjoyable.
Due to the limited number of spots on each trip, we need to ensure that all chosen participants will show up. When an applicant pays the $360 USD / $450 CAD deposit* deposit, this lets us know that you’re serious about traveling with Birthright Israel and covers any fees that we might incur in the event of a late cancellation. It also helps guarantee that you follow Birthright Israel safety and behavior standards. In extreme cases in which participants violate these guidelines, their deposit may be confiscated.
*As of September 6, 2023 the deposit amount for your Birthright Israel application will increase to $360 USD / $450 CAD. The non-refundable processing fee will be $25.
There is a common myth that Birthright Israel programs are funded by just a few donors, but in reality, they are funded by nearly 40,000 donors annually, including tens of thousands alumni, their families, and individual donors from around the world who believe in our mission. The program is also funded by the people of Israel through the government of Israel, The Jewish Agency for Israel, and Jewish communities and Federations.
This special opportunity is open to anyone who is between the ages of 18-26, who is Jewish, and who has not been to Israel on a peer program since turning 18. Learn more: Eligibility Rules
Yes. Very serious. The generous funders of the Birthright Israel gift have established clear eligibility rules for the program, and we expect all applicants to respect these rules with the highest level of seriousness. Each applicant must sign the Trip Waiver Form which verifies that they are in fact eligible for the program. Applicants who attempt to lie in order to secure a spot on the trip are committing theft and will be held legally and financially accountable for their actions. If you are confused about your eligibility status, that’s okay. But it is still your responsibility to clear up any questions directly with the Israel Outdoors staff. Learn more: Eligibility Rules
There is more than one Birthright Israel trip because we all know that no two people come to Israel with the exact same hopes and dreams. We are very proud that more applicants choose Israel Outdoors than any other Birthright Israel trip organizer. We believe the Israel Outdoors experience balances the perfect mix of informal education, an always enjoyable atmosphere, and a spirit of adventure. We have tens of thousands of alumni from the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, and Russia who can tell you why our experience is not just any Birthright Israel trip. Learn more: Why Israel Outdoors?
Registration for Winter/Spring trips typically opens in early September. Registration for Summer trips typically opens in late January. Registration typically stays open for a very short period each season. In between registration periods, you can start an application to get a head start on the process and to secure priority trip selection status. Registrations do not carry over from season to season, but returning applicants do receive priority status for future rounds if they are not selected. Your actual registration begins on the Birthright Israel site. Learn more: Launch your registration
Because we know there are frequently more eligible applicants than there are available spots on the trip, our goal as an organization is to keep the process as fair as possible. Israel Outdoors first tries to accommodate applicants who have applied in the past as well as applicants who are about to turn 27 and age out of the program. We also give priority to those who pre-register, and take into consideration when you complete your application. We consider your application to be complete after you have fully finished the Primary Application – including submission of the refundable trip deposit. We recommend completing the Primary Application with Israel Outdoors on the first day of registration to give yourself the best chance of getting on the trip you want. All applications received on the first day will be treated the same no matter what time of day they are received.
The maximum number of total spaces for any round of trips will be determined by Birthright Israel, based on available funding and other factors. If the total number of applicants exceeds the number of spaces available, some applicants will be assigned to a waitlist. Pre-Register to help avoid the waitlist and get on a trip immediately.
Of course! During the registration process, you will have an opportunity to let us know who you would like to travel with in the application. We will always do our best to accommodate you. Just keep in mind that since we take into account when you register, it is critical that you and your friends register and submit the required paperwork at the same time. Also, while we can try to make sure that you are in the same group as a friend, we are not able to assign specific seats on the flight to/from Israel. Requesting seats can only be done at the airport on the day of departure (an additional reason to get to the airport early).
Trips are offered in two seasons each year – winter and summer. Winter trips take place in December, January, February, and March. Summer trips take place in May, June, July, August, and September. We invite you to view our upcoming trip dates.
Email us at [email protected]. We’ll always try to find a way to accommodate you.
Our group flights are booked on EL AL Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada, and a number of European airlines. Most group flights depart from New York, Los Angeles, or San Francisco. However, some flights may depart from Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, Washington, DC, or Las Vegas. Flights from New York may depart from JFK Airport, Newark Airport, or LaGuardia Airport. Participants are always responsible for arranging their own travel to and from the departure airport, and confirmed flight details are released once we have assigned you to a trip.
All tickets are issued electronically, and you will receive a printed copy at the airport. It is impossible to reserve seats on the plane in advance. Additional airport meeting instructions will be sent to you once you have been confirmed on a specific flight group.
Yes, you can stay longer in Israel. Most airlines will allow you to extend up to 90 days depending on their availability. And you can arrange for your extension before the trip or during the trip depending, again, on the airline’s regulations and availability. You will have to pay the airline a ticket change fee. The specifics vary by airline and can be found in the Flight Info and Extensions section. Unfortunately, extensions can only be made for the end of the program. It is not possible to arrive in Israel ahead of the group.
Here are the very important limitations to keep in mind:
- Once the group flight departs Israel at the end of the trip, you can no longer make changes to your own ticket
- If you fail to show up for your return flight, you will forfeit your $360 USD / $450 CAD, unless you notify the airline prior to the flight’s departure
- You cannot pay extra for a stopover or to change your return flight destination
- In many cases, it’s impossible to get frequent flier miles or elite travel benefits for your ticket given the nature of the ticket fare rules
If any of these limitations come as bad news to you, we are sorry! Please take our word that it is impossible to get around them! Many more flight details are available on our website in the Flight Info and Extensions section.
Individual groups are typically made up of 40 participants plus staff. For 5 to 10 days of the program, the group is also joined by about 5-8 Israeli peers, who are also participants on the program. Groups are generally divided into two age brackets: 18-22 year olds and 22-26 year olds. There are some specialty trips that have wider age ranges.
Generally, we must adhere to these age requirements. However, we can usually accommodate special situations, especially siblings who are hoping to travel together.
One major advantage to the Israel Outdoors experience is that participants generally come from all over the United States. In other words, in addition to having a fantastic experience in Israel, you will have the opportunity to meet participants from all over the country and from many different backgrounds. Keep in mind that in order to participate in most Israel Outdoors trips you must either be a temporary or a permanent resident of the USA. Some Israel Outdoors trips are organized for specific campus groups (Ages 18-22) or specific community groups (Ages 22-26). In these cases, you must be a part of the specific campus or community to participate.
Each individual group is comprised of one professional Israeli guide, two North American peer staffers, one or two security escorts, and a bus driver. Our guides tend to be men and women in their late 20s or 30s. We choose guides that are energetic and charismatic and understand how to connect with the group and share the beauty of Israel. Our peer staffers from North America tend to be in their 20s (usually one male and one female), and we choose them based on their prior experience in Israel and their leadership skills. The security escorts are usually men and women that recently completed their service in the Israel Defense Forces. Finally, the bus driver usually provides the “color” for the group. There’s nothing quite like an Israeli bus driver. You will have to experience it for yourself.
Trip groups are organized by program choice (Quest or Outdoors Max) and/or by age group (Ages 18-22 and 22-26. Israel Outdoors also offers several of community-specific trips, campus-specific trips and special interest trips.
Israel Outdoors offers two primary trip options – Quest and Outdoors Max – as well as a number of Specialty Group trips. There’s something for everyone! Our most popular trip is Quest, which combines a little bit of everything. Quest will give you the broadest taste of Israel. Outdoors Max is more active and outdoors trips with extended hikes, bike rides, and other outdoors activities.
The hotels we use during the program accommodate three participants. All rooms are single gender.
Probably not. Some of the hotels may offer this service, but the nature of the trip will make it pretty inconvenient, so make sure to pack enough. For a packing list, check out israeloutdoors.com/prepare.
All participants on a Birthright Israel program are required to have health insurance that is valid in Israel. If you do not have your own policy or if your policy does not cover you abroad, you must arrange for temporary travelers insurance. You will be asked for your medical insurance policy number as part of the application.
In most cases, yes. Please make sure to include this information in your application and also notify our staff during the interview process.
We have prepared a detailed packing list as well as other great information to help you get ready in the Pre-Trip Preparation section of our web site. Check it out!
Not at all! While most nights are spent at hotels, each Quest trip also spends one night in the desert at a Bedouin tent. You will be provided with sleeping mats and blankets. It will be one of the most memorable nights of the trip! Otherwise, you will be staying at hotels and kibbutz guest houses in normal beds. Outdoors Max trips spend one night camping in the desert mountains. Tents and sleeping bags will also be provided. As for shoes, heavy duty hiking boots are never necessary. Good sturdy walking shoes or lightweight hiking boots are your best bet. Athletic sandals like Tevas or Chacos work well, too (summer trips only). As for heavy backpacks, they are totally unnecessary. You are encouraged to bring a light daypack with you to carry water, a hat, extra clothing, etc. while we are on the move.
While the trip itinerary is quite intensive, we do set aside plenty of time for relaxation and personal exploration. That being said, because we take your safety and security so seriously, there will understandably be some limits on your free time, especially when we are touring in larger cities. If you have family or friends who wish to visit you during the trip, they are most welcome to meet you at one of the hotels where we will be staying. We recommend that they visit either at night or on a Saturday morning/afternoon (which is basically down time on the trip). Otherwise, we do make time for some group nights out where there will be time to explore and relax as a group.
Israel Outdoors groups include many participants who are not religious or who may have only a very limited connection to their Jewish identity. Israel Outdoors accommodates Jewish applicants of all backgrounds. Although we do not like labels, the trip itself is considered “non-denominational,” which is to say that everyone should feel welcome and there is no religious agenda whatsoever. We’ve planned these trips carefully, and we take great pride in knowing that participants from all Jewish backgrounds will feel comfortable in traveling with us. Past experience has also taught us that having a group made up of participants from diverse Jewish backgrounds makes the Birthright Israel experience that much more interesting and special.
The bottom line – these trips are meant to be enjoyed. They are NOT meant to be an intense physical challenge. Anyone with a basic spirit for adventure will feel more than comfortable on any Israel Outdoors program. That being said, Quest was designed as the more relaxed of the three trips and is appropriate for truly anyone with a spirit for adventure. The Outdoors Max trips tend to be more active in terms of outdoor touring experiences. Keep in mind you will not need to schlep your belongings during the trip. Even though we try to keep you on the move and off the bus as much as possible, we still use a bus to get around!
Yes. Israel has a moderate, Mediterranean climate. Winter weather is typically warm during the day, although evenings may be cool and it may rain occasionally. In the winter, we spend more time in the southern areas of Israel to take advantage of warmer weather.
Yes. Israel in the summer is sunny with long days and little chance of rain. Summer trips tend to spend more time in the northern Galilee region where it is cooler and less time in the southern desert areas. Summer trips almost always include rafting on the Jordan River and water hikes that may not be possible in the winter.
While this trip is not about classroom learning, there will be plenty of opportunities to pick up a little Hebrew from the guide, the medics, and the Israelis that you will meet. Hebrew is a very colorful and vibrant language with especially rich slang.
Yes! Of course it will!
If you’re eligible for Birthright Israel, you should sign up now. If you’re a parent, family member, friend, etc. and want us to send info to someone else you think should travel, just let us know. If you have questions, we will be more than happy to walk you through the details and give you all the information you need to make a smart decision — just email us or call us at (202) 537-0006. We look forward to helping you start your own Birthright Israel journey with Israel Outdoors!
We are always on the lookout for exceptional young adults from North America to staff our trips. In order to be considered for a staffing position, you must have experience in Israel, other than participating in a previous Birthright Israel group. If you are interested in applying, please read this page.
Absolutely. There is no gift too small to make a difference. The future of the Jewish people is a shared responsibility, and every dollar counts and contributes to a stronger future for us all. To make a donation in support of Birthright Israel, please click here.
When you click on the SAVE YOUR SPOT button above, you’ll be taken to the Birthright Israel website. From there, you can complete your online registration and get ready for this once-in-a-lifetime experience with Israel Outdoors!
