Dear Friend of the IDF,

We know your heart is with us in Israel and we greatly appreciate your offer to volunteer for the Israel Defense Forces. Your expression of solidarity with the Jewish people and Israel means a lot to us, especially at this time, and speaks more than a thousand words!

Unfortunately, as decided by the IDF, non-Israelis are eligible for enlisting only in the age brackets 18-23 (men) and 18-20 (women). No exception is possible at this stage.

Israelis are eligible for Shlav Bet where the age limit is a bit higher than for non-Israelis. However, we heard of many much older Israelis (including new immigrants who just got Israeli citizenship) who were enlisted, if they went personally to the IDF Recruitment Bureau and Information Center (Lishkat Giyus and Katzin Hair) and were insistent enough.

However, Mahal-IDF-Volunteers.org is lobbying the IDF to enlist also "older" Jewish overseas volunteers. Things look promising. Mahal-IDF-Volunteers.org hopes new IDF rules will be effective in the next months, but it could also take years. We all have to wait for the official IDF rules which we will publish on the homepage of our website. Please do not ask us in the meantime when there will be a change, but follow up the updates on our homepage; unfortunately there is absolutely nothing we can do for you before receiving new rules from the IDF.

Should you become eligible, please submit first your online registration. Mahal-IDF-Volunteers.org will pre-check your qualification and inform you about the next steps on the way to volunteering for the IDF; this registration has no legal significance before signing up with the IDF - in person in Israel.

You can also take your place defending Israel on the ‘public relations front’. Today, wars and battles are often won or lost on TV screens, in the minds and hearts of good people. Therefore, public relations is no less important than planes and tanks. You could, for example, volunteer to be a PR Ambassador of Middle-East-Info.org and explain to others what it means for Israel to be the sole democracy in a region comprising 23 dictatorships (including 5 out of the world's 7 state sponsors of terrorism and half of the world’s major terror groups). Of the 19 most repressive regimes in the world, 7 are in Arab states and Iran. Arab regimes and Iran are also a breeding ground for advocating Jihad (Holy War) against all non-Muslims (Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Animists and Jews included) and openly seek world domination and the ultimate destruction of freedom. The scourge of international terrorism and suicide bombings has reached far beyond the United States, Europe and Israel. The combination of these factors makes it more important than ever to be acquainted with the reality of the Middle East.

Finally, it should be stressed that these same Arab and Iranian dictators oppress their own citizens, threaten Israel and support global terrorism. The three hundred and sixty million oppressed people living in Arab states and Iran have a right to the same freedom and prosperity enjoyed by Europeans, Americans and Israelis.

We encourage you to fill out and submit the PR Ambassador Questionnaire and start supporting democratic Israel and the struggle against tyranny.

On the Mahal-IDF-Volunteers.org website there are links to other popular volunteer programs in Israel.

Thanks again for your kind offer to serve in the IDF. Again, we greatly appreciate your desire to aid the State of Israel by serving in the IDF and hope we will be able to help you.

Shalom from Jerusalem,

Daniel Katz
Mahal-IDF-Volunteers.org – Active Guide & Assistant

Contact – click here