ISRAEL VOLUNTEER TRIP AND FOOD TOUR 2025
JUNE 23- JULY 3 2025.
Men & Women | Age 20-32
Kosherist Israel Volunteer Trip & Food Tour
A meaningful and inspiring trip to volunteer in Israel this summer, combined with a fun kosher food tour!
Overview
What’s included
Round Trip Flights to Israel
Accommodations in Jerusalem
Volunteer Placement, approximately 4-6 hours per day
Organized transportation to volunteer sites
Organized group meals
Jerusalem Shuk food Tour
Shabbat Programming with Israeli Shabbat Dinner
Educational/ Social programming
Eligibility- Participants must be:
Single Jewish Men & Women
Age 20-32
Live in the United States
Cannot have participated in two Birthright Israel Onward Volunteer programs.
Who’s this for?
Jewish singles who are looking for a meaningful opportunity to give back to Israel, while making friends and enjoying Israel in a fun and relaxed environment.
Kosher foodies, restaurant lovers, and Kosherist fans who want to experience Israel’s kosher food scene while doing meaningful volunteer work.
The Volunteering
Volunteering every day of the trip except Shabbat
Volunteering is generally a half-day experience, usually from morning to mid afternoon (for example: 7am-3pm)
Expect some early morning departures (around 7am)
Exact volunteer activities will depend on the needs of Israel Free Spirit’s partner organizations at the time of the trip
Free time will be from mid-afternoon until dinner (typically from 3pm-8pm)
Past volunteer activists included: Volunteering on Farms, Packaging food for needy families, Preparing meals for Soldiers, Visiting Hospitals, Hosting barbecue for Soldiers
Buses to volunteer activities will leave on-time, and participants are expected to participate in all volunteer work
Expect a long day trip to the South, to visit communities most affected by the war (Like Sderot, Ofakim, and the Nova Festival Site)
The Food Tour
All restaurants and food will be certified kosher
Red meat will be Glatt Kosher (Either Rabbanut Yerushalaim Mehadrin, Beit Yosef, Machpud, or of similar level)
We’ll be visiting a mix of restaurants for dinners, ranging from High-End and Mid-Range to hidden gems
Our staff will order for the group, so participants can relax and enjoy
Dinners will be served family-style, with dishes to split for the table
Alcoholic drinks will only be included on only 2-3 nights of the trip
Explore the Jerusalem Shuk’s kosher food scene, with a Shuk tour
Most nights will have a scheduled group dinner, with 1-2 nights off for participants to explore on their own
On days with early morning volunteering provided breakfast will be light (think coffee and pastries) and may be served on the bus
Expect a minimum of 2 provided meals a day
Participants may choose to skip up to 2 group meals, but will not be reimbursed for the skipped meals
Snacks and light refreshments will be provided on the bus
Shabbat
Shabbat will be observed in a Shomer Shabbat environment
Friday night prayers at the Kotel, followed by a 30-45 minute walk to dinner
Shabbat meals are usually hosted in one of our apartments, to provide a cozy and relaxed environment for all
Participants may request to bring a guest for Shabbat meals, for a small fee
Both Friday night Shabbat dinner and Shabbat day lunch are included
Participants are required to join the group for Friday night Shabbat dinner, but Shabbat lunch is optional
Shabbat Foods will be catered from a variety of stores, to give participants a good taste of Israel’s food scene
Accommodations
Participants will be staying in central Jerusalem
Accommodations are booked and handled by Israel Free Spirit and its partners, not Kosherist
Typical accommodations are basic and simple, in apartments or hotels / inns
Men and women will be housed separately
Participants will be required to share a room, and in apartments there may be several rooms sharing bathrooms and common areas
Things to Note
This trip is being operated by Israel Free Spirit, a division of the Orthodox Union funded in large part by Birthright
Kosherist is partnering with Israel Free Spirit to make this trip a reality, but is mainly handling food-related aspects of the trip, while logistics, volunteering, and accommodations are largely being handled by Israel Free Spirit
Transportation will be provided to volunteer activities
Transportation may not be provided to restaurants and food activities within Jerusalem. Participants are expected to arrive on their own within Jerusalem
Volunteers are required to have a working internet data plan on their phones for the duration of the trip
Itineraries and rooming information are typically sent out within a week of the start of the trip
Exact volunteer activities, restaurants, and other details are subject to last-minute changes
Flights
Direct El Al Group Flight from New York JFK airport to Tel Aviv
Group Flight is being offered for a subsidized $550 fee, to be paid to Birthright upon registration
Participants who have been on a previous Israel Free Spirit Volunteering Trip will not be eligible for the group flight
Participants may opt-out of the group flight
Participants may extend their stay in Israel, for a $150 rebooking fee. Additional change-fare fees may apply, subject to availability
Kosherist is not responsible for group flights, delays, or related matters
Transportation will be provided to and from Ben Gurion Airport
Flights are subject to change
Costs
Total Trip Cost, all included: $2475
Early Bird Discounted Price, $2275, apply before 2/15/24
Cost Breakdown
$50 Non-Refundable Registration Fee to Birthright
$550 Group Flight, paid to Birthright. (Optional)
$175 Non-Refundable Deposit to Kosherist due March 15
$1700 Kosherist Program Fee due April 25 (Early Bird $1500)
Details
Payments to Birthright cover flights and accommodations
Kosherist will use program fee to cover meals, culinary experiences, staffing, merch, and other expenses.
Kosherist may use a portion of the participation fee to donate to charitable causes in Israel.
Participation fee will be used and dispensed at Kosherist's exclusive discretion.
The Application Process
Fill out our Kosherist application here
Schedule an interview with Kosherist (you’ll be sent a booking link shortly after submitting application)
Soon after your interview you’ll be sent an email with your application status. If you’re accepted you’ll be sent a Birthright application to complete
Complete your Birthright application and pay for group flight
Pay Kosherist and get ready for the trip!
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No, you may choose to opt out of the group flight. Participants who opt out of the group flight will not be required to pay the $550 flight fee.
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Yes, you may extend your trip. If you’ve booked the group flight, you’ll be directed to contact Birthright’s travel agent, who will assist you in rebooking a return ticket. Note that they will charge a $150 rebooking fee, alongside a potential additional charge to cover the difference in flight costs. Flight availability on preferred dates is not guaranteed.
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Yes, former Birthright participants are eligible to join this trip. However, if you’ve been on an Israel Free Spirit / Onwards Israel VOLUNTEER trip since 2023, you will not be eligible for the group flight (you’d be required to book your own ticket, and would not be required to pay for the group flight).
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Between 15-30 people.
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The Kosherist team will select our favorite restaurants in Jerusalem for the group meals. Expect a variety, ranging from classic Israeli street foods to high-end culinary experiences.
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Yes. Volunteering is typically a half-day experience, with free time throughout the week. You’ll be able to visit friends and family and explore Israel on your own.
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Israel Free Spirit is a division of the Orthodox Union (OU) which works closely with Birthright to bring volunteers to Israel for meaningful trips.
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Kosherist is partnering with Israel Free Spirit to make this trip possible. Israel Free Spirit subsides the costs of the trip, and is responsible for flights, accommodations, transportation, volunteer placement, and logistics of the trip. Kosherist is handling food-related aspects of the trip, like organizing dinners and Shabbat meals.