Birthright Israel, the nonprofit responsible for taking hundreds of thousands of Diaspora Jews to Israel for free, announced on Monday that it will place alumni of its programs in volunteering opportunities throughout the Jewish State to support the country's war effort against Hamas in Gaza.
The initiative, coordinated through Birthright's Onward Volunteer Program, will connect applicants from among Birthright's 850,000 alumni to kibbutzim and moshavim to harvest crops in the absence of thousands of foreign field workers who returned to their countries during the war. Participants will also work in donation centers to help with sorting, packing and distributing boxes of supplies for civilian evacuees and military units. Volunteers will work up to six hours daily.
First participants will volunteer this month
The first round of applicants will volunteer for two weeks in two rounds in November. More spots are expected to open in December.
"I have been gratified," said Gidi Mark, Birthright Israel's CEO, "by the Birthright Israel alumni - ranging from those who came to Israel just a few months ago, all the way to those who participated in our first year back in 1999 - who have reached out since October 7th to ask how they can help.
"This initiative is a meaningful and practical way to stand with Israel and to actively assist a great need," he said.