Most students say that their favorite part of the trip is getting to meet Israelis, specifically the soldiers that join the trip. To make our trip even better we will have the soldiers for all ten days, while other trips only have them for five days.

Our trips take place during winter break and at the end of May, after final exams and graduation. You can choose to go whenever is best for you!

If you aren’t sure about your winter/ summer plans, but you are interested in the trip, we encourage you to register and pay the refundable deposit. There will be plenty of time to withdraw once we announce the dates; however, if you do not register before registration closes, we unfortunately will not be able to get you into the system.

When you register, you are required to pay a deposit to be considered for admission. If you decide you cannot go, you can withdraw and receive your deposit back if you do so before the withdrawal deadline. If you withdraw after this deadline, you will lose the deposit. The deadline will be communicated to all students who register, so that there is no confusion.

Registration is a bit of a numbers game, because we cannot predict how many students will register; however, we truly work very hard to accommodate everyone who registers. If we have more registrants than spots, a waiting list will be created, and we will do our best to accommodate people from that list.

Non-Rutgers students can sign up for the Rutgers trip. Rutgers students get priority, and then if there are additional spots available, we will consider other applicants. If your non-Rutgers friend applies please tell them to email sami@rutgersillel.org when they do.

Participants will receive their deposit back upon completion of the trip. Participants are responsible for transportation to and from the point of embarkation (usually in the New York area) and for the cost of an average of one meal a day on their own. Participants are also asked to bring $70 in tip money for tour providers in Israel. Any shopping or additional spending money is at your discretion.

Sure! Our trip provider, Israel Outdoors, has a sample itinerary listed on their website, which you can find on the application information page here

You can find a comprehensive list of eligibility requirements on our trip provider’s website here.  If you have any questions or concerns about eligibility, feel free to contact Sami Herbert at sami@rutgershillel.org

If you have been to Israel before but only with your family or on other personal business, you are still eligible.You are not eligible if you have been to Israel for more than three months since the age of 12. You are also not eligible if you were in Israel as part of a touring group, educational program, study program or an organized extended residential program since you were 18 years of age or older. There are a few programs such as volunteering for Magen David Adom, participating in the Maccabiah games and Federation missions that do not affect your eligibility.If you were born in Israel or are an Israeli citizen you are only eligible if you left Israel before the age of 12. If you have served in the Israeli Army or volunteered on an Israel Army base after the age of 18, you are not eligible.

If you were born in Israel or have ever held Israeli citizenship or have held an Israeli passport you are not eligible unless you prove by official documentation that you left Israel before the age of 12. If you are accepted to the program you will need to obtain army exemption papers from your local Israeli consulate.