University based studies.

A Hebrew Ulpan to teach you the language up to the level of spoken Hebrew.

Courses to expand and enrich your knowledge of Zionism.

A course of Judaism.

Land of Israel studies.

Graduating any course entitles you to a personalized diploma, and may earn you academic credits.

You will have the opportunity of taking part in a first-aid course and then volunteering at MDA (Magen David Adom).

Successfully graduating the course entitles you to a personalized diploma.

The program begins with a 60-hour first-aid training course: ten intense days of learning which cover material ranging from bandaging a simple wound through CPR and mass-casualty incidents.

The four to six weeks that follow are dedicated to experiencing Israel in a very real sense: While riding the ambulances through the city where you are placed, you'll have the opportunity to meet the Israeli population with its wide diversity of people, its many religions and beliefs.

You will be working with Israelis in an Israeli environment, perfecting your Hebrew and making wonderful new friends - all while saving lives.

Following your Land of Israel studies you will make 3 journeys to important sites of heritage in the north of Israel, the south and the Jerusalem area.

You will visit museums which will vividly expose you to the history of the State of Israel.

You will get to know a variety of branches and paths of the IDF.

Throughout the program you will be taking part in fitness lessons that will train you for your recruitment to the IDF.

Accommodation during the 5 months program will be in dorm-style apartments in the center of Tel Aviv.

The 2-persons apartments are air-conditioned and include a well-equipped cooking area for your convenience. The program also includes catering services.

You will receive a personal bus pass which will allow you to travel for free in the Tel Aviv area.

During your participating in the program you will get medical insurance.

You will take part in guided tours at the historic sites of the city, and will get a taste of the night life, culture and arts in Tel Aviv, such as opera performance, theater, concert, dance show and the plastic arts.

During weekends you will spend Saturdays (Shabbath) with various groups of the society in Israel.

A psychologist experienced at working with teenagers will be available for you, providing assistance in the process of adjusting to the new environment.

Basically, the program starts every year in February (for the July draft), June (November draft) and October (March draft).

Dates of going into service: Men who intend to become combat soldiers and have successfully passed the Hebrew test at the IDF recruitment center, will be recruited 3 weeks before their original date and sent to Mechve Alon military base in the Upper Galilee for pre-basic training.

In general, the draft takes place every year on February 20th, July 5th and October 24th. These dates may vary in accordance with the IDF needs, and the exact dates will be published at the beginning of every year.

Filling out and handing in the forms from the Download Center.

Getting the approval of the MAHAL 2000 program manager.

Payment of a $1500 program fee.

An interview with a representative from Ministry of Defense during the preparatory course.

First summons – all members of the program will be tested at the same time at the IDF recruitment center in Tel Hashomer. If all the results are fine, testing will end on the same day.

You may be asked to attend another interview with chief of the recruitment center or the deputy chief. The date for this interview will be fixed by the recruitment center.

If you need to see a specialist, the recruitment center will set up the appointment.

When the recruitment procedure at the recruitment center is over, the IDF will be the only body authorized to confirm the your recruitment.

If you are not obligated to serve in the IDF, you may address the Ministry of Defense and ask to cancel your request to serve at any time up to the day you join the service.

The volunteer's service in the IDF lasts 18 months. If you have taken the tests during your recruitment process, and the recruitment center decided you do not need Ulpan to learn Hebrew, your service will last 14 months.

A volunteer who chooses to join the special forces or reconnaissance company and is accepted , or takes part in a training program which lasts more than 3 months – apart from combat training – will sign up for a longer period. The exact length of service will be decided based upon the volunteer's age when arriving in Israel, but will be no less than 24 months.

A volunteer who decided to immigrate to Israel or become a returning citizen (Toshav Hozer) during his service or at the end of it, but within 2 years of the end of his service, will be required to complete the amount of time left for a full military service.

The length of service will be determined based upon the volunteer's age when first arriving in Israel, minus the length of time actually served, and his family status on the day of recruitment.

Women will be required to serve 24 months, unless they joined the service after they turned 19.

A volunteer who served in MAHAL and came back to Israel as an immigrant or returning citizen after spending a minimum of 2 years outside the country, will be assigned to a reserve unit and will not be required to complete the full military service.

A volunteer who chooses not to make Aliya must leave the country at the end of his military service, since the visa is only valid for 2 years, and cannot be extended. If the volunteer does not leave Israel at that time, he will be required to complete the full military service.

The volunteer is not allowed to attend university in Israel immediately after service.

During the 2 years following the volunteer's service, he can stay in Israel as a tourist for a maximum of 3 months.

Joining the IDF at the Bakum (Reception and Sorting Base) in Tel Hashomer usually takes place on Thursday, and the soldier is sent home for the weekend on the same day.

Arriving at Mechve Alon base on Sunday.

Taking part in a 3-week military preparatory course for Yachash (field units) at Mechve Alon base.

The course includes physical training, explanation about soldiers' rights, lessons about Israel and the IDF, and instruction about weapons, in order to assist the transformation from a civilian to a soldier.

Based on the results of the Hebrew tests from the recruitment center, the IDF may determine that the volunteer needs to go through a Hebrew Ulpan.

In this case, the volunteer will attend the IDF's Hebrew Ulpan at Mechve Alon base for 3 months, prior to his recruitment.

The date of such a volunteer's recruitment will be delayed until after the Ulpan (i.e., a volunteer who was scheduled to join the service in March, will be recruited in May).

A volunteer whose Hebrew test results are 1-5 will have to attend Ulpan. A volunteer whose test results are 6-9 will not have to attend Ulpan.

A low score in Hebrew may cause problems in understanding the military commands. On the other hand, we can't afford to teach any more than the minimal required level of Hebrew.

Certain positions intended for women require a Hebrew level which is higher than 6.

The Ulpan at Mechve Alon is not divided into classes.

The profile is determined by the IDF, based on the medical questionnaire presented by the volunteer and the tests at the recruitment center.

Completely healthy. Qualified for military service in all field units: Infantry – Palsar Nahal (Reconnaissance Company), Paratroopers, Golani Brigade, Givati Brigade, Combat Engineering, Armored Corps and Artillery Corps.

In cases of very slight problems, such as the need to wear glasses, a note is added to the profile which doesn't lower it, but disqualifies the soldier from joining some of the elite units.

A slight problem (such as color blindness). Qualified for military service in all field units depending on the nature of the problem.

An intermediate problem (such as knee or back problems, asthma, allergies, or high diopter glasses – 7 and more).

Not qualified to serve in the Infantry.

However, the soldier is qualified to serve in the Armored Corps, Artillery Corps, and the Caracal Battalion.

A severe problem (such as certain levels of asthma, underweight) - Not qualified to serve in combat at the field units.

This list refers to male soldiers. The meaning of every profile is slightly different for women, since in the past women were not sent to perform combat duties.

In case of questions concerning the influence of a medical problem on your profile, please contact us and we will get back to you with the reply from the Ministry of Defense.

One can't know in advance what his medical profile will be, since the profile is determined by the recruitment center, based on all the tests.

Some positions cannot be held by MAHAL volunteers due to a higher level of Hebrew required for them, or insufficient security clearance for positions in the Air Force, the Navy and the Intelligence Corps.

The service takes place in ordinary IDF units, alongside the other soldiers, and not in a separate framework for MAHAL volunteers alone.

Men with a 97/82 profile join the Hir (Infantry) at the Nahal Brigade.

Service includes 6 months of basic and advanced training, and 8 months of active duty.

During the military preparatory course for Yachash (field units) at Mechve Alon base, the volunteer can arrange to participate in a special force or reconnaissance company team building days.

The team building is done at the beginning of the basic training.

A volunteer who successfully passed the team building days must undertake to serve for 3 years.

One can attend additional courses during military service.

If you attend a sniper/paramedic/squad commander course you'll have to serve an additional period of 6-12 months. Attending the paramedic course commits you to the longest service.

Women with profile 97/82 will join combat service at the Caracal Battalion. This mixed battalion consists of male and female combat soldiers who serve together in operational missions and fighting terrorists. Their missions include patrols, defending civil communities, ambushes, chases and observations.

Profile 72 – joining Armored Corps/Artillery Corps/Caracal Battalion (mixed lighter infantry battalions which consist of male and female combat soldiers). The volunteer will be asked for his preferences, but is not guaranteed to be sent to his place of choice.

Men and women with profile 64 will be placed after an interview in the Nahal section, based on their preferences.

If the volunteer is interested in a specific job, he should ask for it and we will try to arrange testing for this job.

Women who do not have a combat profile are usually directed to the instruction branch in the Armored Corps or the Artillery Corps etc., or to the IDF Spokesman's unit.

Men who do not have a combat profile can't be sent to instruction jobs, but become target shooting commanders, Gadna commanders or perform similar duties in the Nahal Brigade.

The volunteer is entitled to approach the Tash (Terms of Service) section at the recruitment center in Tel Hashomer and set up an appointment.

At the appointment the volunteer will present his MAHAL documents or a drafting document and a passport, in order to settle his status as a lone soldier.

The status of a lone soldier provides the volunteer with various privileges.

Residence – using an IDF-owned apartment/ an "adopting" kibbutz/ help in rent up to 800 Shekels a month (This sum may vary in accordance with the IDF decisions). The lone soldier can also stay in military-held boarding houses (Beit Hachayal) free of charge throughout his military service.

Payment – An addition of 300 shekels for each soldier, and an extra 250 for a combat soldier's salary (This sum may vary in accordance with the IDF decisions).

Vacation Days – The volunteer can't leave Israel during his first year of service. Therefore, during this year he gets 8 days off, when his family can come and visit him in Israel.

In the second year of service the volunteer is entitled to 30 days off, in which he can travel abroad.

IDF finances one flight for the volunteer during his service.

Information about additional benefits can be obtained at the Terms of Service section.

When joining the service the volunteers are trained at Nahal's Bach (unit's training base) in Tel Arad.

Training lasts 6 months, and the soldiers get to go home between every weekend and once every 3 weekends, depending of where the service takes place.

While serving on the actual "line", after training: you stay 17 days on the line, and then go home for 4 days.

Every 4 months the soldier gets Regilla, a week-long vacation, and additional days off as a lone soldier.

Joining an officer's course requires making Aliya.

The volunteer receives a financial grant upon completing the service: a combat soldier gets 900 shekels for every month of service, which adds up to a total of nearly 12000 shekels (This sum may vary in accordance with IDF decisions).

Half of the amount is handed immediately, and the other half is assigned for higher education etc.

When 2 years have passed since the end of service, one can get the other half of the grant without any conditions.

This additional program is intended for youth whose family emigrated to other countries, and who do not wish to participate in the MAHAL in a Tel-Aviv Journey program.

The length of service in the IDF is a minimum of 14 months for those who are exempt from Hebrew studies by the decision of the recruitment center.

Those who are not exempt from Hebrew studies by the decision of the recruitment center must serve a minimum of 18 months, including 3 months of studying in Ulpan at Mechve Alon base, free of charge and getting a soldier’s salary.

Those who are required to take Ulpan will go into service 3 months before the date set for Mechve Alon. This basically means December 16th for the March basic training draft, May 5th for the July draft and August 20th for the November draft.

The volunteer must arrive in Israel 2.5 months before the date set for him to go into service, in order to set up the registration.

During the volunteer's stay in Israel before going into service, he is expected to take care of his accommodation by himself.

The volunteer should approach the Ministry of Defense directly, either by phone number: 972-3-6084506, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. (Israel time) or by e-mail: mahal@mod.gov.il.

Youth whose family emigrated to another country and who want to serve the entire length of an ordinary IDF service should approach the recruitment center directly, by standard procedures.

Such an emigrant who wants to make Aliya, and has been staying in Israel for more than 4 consecutive months, should contact the Overseas Section (Mador Hul), phone number: 972-3-7374970

Women will be required to serve 24 months, unless they joined the service after they turned 19.

A volunteer who served in MAHAL and came back to Israel as an immigrant after spending a minimum of 2 years outside the country, will be assigned to a reserve unit and will not be required to complete the full service.