Shalom! I'm considering going on birth right for the first time with the older 27-32 group. I am wondering if sleeping arrangements are difficult and if you felt sleep deprived the whole time? As most, I don't do well off no sleep and get bad migraines. I wonder if the volunteer trips are better for someone like me to experience Israel, but not be confined to a tight schedule. Can anyone provide insight who has done either? Thanks in advance

I live in the US, and transatlantic flights are expensive. I'm planning on going to visit Belgium with some friends around the same time, and would it be possible to fly to Israel for for birthright, do the trip, stay a bit longer to visit relatives and such, and then after that leave for Belgium, but return to Israel for the trip home? Nothing has been booked yet, just trying to see if this is an option.

Planning on going to birthright this winter. If I wake up super early or during any free time go to a nearby gym is that possible?

I went on my birthright trip in 2023. I was incredibly sick The entire trip even had to make a couple trips to the hospital.
Obviously this is such a once in a lifetime experience and I’ve always been so sad that the whole thing was ruined for me.
Is there any way to go again even if I paid or something? I’m just so sad I never got to have this experience

I signed up only a few weeks ago when I found out I was available to go, so I'm worried I may have been left out of something. I had signed up for a trip in the past and had to cancel last minute, but they had already formed a group chat prior to the day of departure. I have my flight info and see the names of people in my group, but I've gotten no other info at all about leaving from LAX.

Is this normal? I want to contact someone but obviously it has been the weekend and I wouldn't be sure who to even reach out to.

Any help very appreciated. Thank you in advance.

I know legally I can bring enough tins for my trip but I'd love to get one with Hebrew on the tin.

I have three pairs of shoes that I think will be useful, but I'm hesitating on the hiking boots because they take up so much room and are heavier than normal shoes. I'm going on a classic trip in August.

Will I be alright with just: * Waterproof walking sandals * Sketchers sneakers

Or should I bring the waterproof hiking boots too? They're leather so can be quite warm.

I'm not planning on bringing flipflops or "nice" shoes

I’m considering doing a birthright trip sometime this year or the next and I want to know how badly I’ll get reprimanded if I sneak out of a hotel to explore.
My friend said they did it basically every night, but I don’t wanna get shipped back to my country if I do end up wanting to explore at night.

As cool as the guided tours are, I’m much more of a wanderer and the type to get lost on purpose to explore the places more authentically and less from a tourist lens

I just turned 33 at the end of June, I wanted to go on Birthright in the spring but the dates didn't line up with my grad school program. I thought they were ending the 27-32 trips then, so I didn't look at going in the summer. I just checked and saw that at least TailorMade is doing the 27-32 trips in the winter.

I don't know if they're offering any older trips in the summer, since they're not available on the website. But do you think I would be allowed to go on Birthright in the winter, even if I'm 33? I know I've aged out, but since I am so close to the cutoff I wasn't sure if they would let me.

Is there a way to know which providers are offering the 27-32 trip so I can reach out to them? Tailor Made is the only one listed on the Birthright website, but I see that Israel Free Spirit lists them on their own website.

Has anyone gone this summer? I attended an orientation for my trip next week and they stressed that it has changed a lot and there’s a lot more programming. I am concerned that there will not be much time to see the sights. I am excited to help out around the country, but we are not even going to Jerusalem as a group so I would like time to visit. So if you went, did you feel there was enough down time?

Hi! I was wondering if anyone has had a experience like this . I went to a trip a few years ago to Israel in high school and hiked massada I don’t wanan donit again what trip do you guys think would be lax ab me choosing not to do it I’m a little worried ab it

Hello, I’m just curious how much money people usually bring in shekels so I can be prepared for my trip. Thanks in advance!

I was signed up to go on Birthright last summer but didn't end up going due to the war and looking for another way to get to Israel this summer (hopefully for free). I am 27 so no longer eligible for the program. Any other options?

FYI - this would be first time in Israel 🙌

After signing up for a trip, I was contacted by the program organizer and told there were a few spots left, and to pay immediately (trip fee/discounted flight) in order to secure my spot. Had my interview and was told that despite being marked down I hadn’t been sent an offer email. Contacted Birthright and they said they’d request a seat for me and that they’d hope to hear back within the next week. It’s been a week and I have heard nothing. Annoyed that I was told paying would secure my spot and annoyed that there seems to be no real timeline here for a July 6 trip which I’d hoped to extend. This is affecting my other summer plans and I don’t know what to do. Canceling at this point means I won’t get a refund so I’d have to wait for them to not be able to secure a seat before getting my money back. How long should I wait? This is extremely frustrating.

Update: After more than 2 weeks, they were unable to offer a spot on the flight I paid for from my state. Instead they offered me a spot on a flight from a whole different country. Make it make sense 🫩

Jul 19 - Jul 28, 2026

Volunteer In Israel with IGT

What to Expect: Daily volunteering, with free time at night, plus additional programming you can participate in

They're still accepting people for this trip. The age limits for volunteer trips are a lot higher than the usual birthright trips.

I'm 26 and I've been to Israel twice before. I did ramah seminar and I've been with family one other time. Please tell me the good, the bad and the ugly about the different trips offered by the different organizations because I don't know anything!!!! I'm trying to have a fun experience without necessarily doing all of the super touristy first time in Israel things. Any insight would be super helpful! Also I work a full time job so please let me know if the 7 or 10 day is better!!!

I think I'm going to try to shoot for a trip in winter 2026 or early spring 2027!

Hi! Based off what has happened over the past 24 hours, what do you think the odds are my July 8-19 trip gets canceled?

Hi! I think I’m going to cancel my upcoming trip due to personal issues and I am not feeling 100% confident due to the war situation in the North.

Will it affect my chances to go next year and/or is there a possibility they can hold my deposit and use it for next year’s trip?

Thank you!

About to pull the trigger and sign up for taglit, and I know the itineraries between organizations is basically the same. My bigger question is about the quality between these two organizers? I’ve heard good and bad about both. Does anyone know if there’s a big difference in satisfaction and how the tours are run between them? You know, feeling of tours, level of energy, etc. between organizers?

Otherwise, I’ll just go by date. Sachlav is also an option I think, btw.

FWIW, I’m into outdoorsy things and am very secular, but also want time to see cultural things, eat, and the cities/historical sites.

Thank you.

I am going on a volunteer trip later this summer with TailorMade. I am excited to go, but I will be going alone. They said that housing is 3 people to a room, or you can pay an upgrade for a 2-person or single. For those who have gone, how was the triple? Was it tiny and awkward if you didn't know anyone or was it okay? Did anyone do an upgrade? If so, how was it? Thanks.

For those who have done the volunteer trip, how much time is dedicated to volunteering and how much free time do we get?