Volunteering Step-by-Step

The informations on this page refers to overseas non-Israeli volunteers eligible for the Mahal, Mahal Nahal Haredi and Mahal Hesder IDF programs, and not to Israelis.

All above enlistment dates are as received from the IDF. New or changed enlistment dates will be published here as soon as received from the IDF. The enlistment dates for 2009 will probably follow somewhat the dates for 2008. We hope to get by November most enlistment dates for the following year. Volunteers are advised to keep a check on the enlistment dates since these might change.

Schedule for ALL volunteers:

You can use your 2 1/2 months period prior to enlisting for an intensive Hebrew study program (ulpan). However, 2 1/2 months may not be enough for you to learn sufficient Hebrew. Therefore, you may want to arrive in Israel about 3 months before your planned enlistment. The IDF will recruit all qualified volunteers, independent of their command of Hebrew. However, if the IDF Recruitment Bureau (Lishkat Gius) will find you meeting all criteria except having a reasonable command of Hebrew, you will be assigned to an army ulpan (IDF Hebrew Study Program).

Optional schedules for HEBREW SPEAKERS ONLY:

Hebrew speakers may arrive in Israel at any time prior to the 2 1/2 months period before the enlistment date in order to register in person with the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Interior etc. (may take 3 working days). If you have completed all these procedures, you only need to arrive in Israel a few weeks prior to your enlistment date to complete your medical and enlistment. This applies only to Hebrew speakers.

Before arriving in Israel

1. Plan to arrive in Israel at least 2 1/2 months prior to enlisting in the IDF.
2. Study this website including the pages Who Can Volunteer?, Your Service in the IDF, Volunteering Step-by-Step, Register/Sign up Online, FAQ and the external links like the informations for Chayalim Bodedim (Lone Soldiers).
3. Register/sign up online
4. The Mahal website will pre-check your qualification and reply within ten days. Note: your qualification is subject to final approval by the IDF Recruitment Bureau.
5. The Mahal website will forward a copy of the reply sent to you to the Ministry of Defense which should from now on handle your case until your enlistment. Expect to be contacted soon.
6. Phone the number in Mahal's reply to your registration. A dialogue at this stage is optimal for clarifying open questions.
7. If you encounter any problem, contact Mahal. We will check what is going on and reply.
8. Get a confirmation stating that you are Jewish, signed by a rabbi residing outside Israel. The confirmation must have a detailed letterhead with name of the Jewish community, address, phone, fax and email. The exact name of the rabbi must be clearly readable.
9. Get the health certificate from your family doctor on the official IDF medical questionnaire.
10. Find here the country of your passport and check prior to traveling to Israel if you need a visitor's visa to Israel. If you do not need a visa, travel to Israel and get a regular visitor's visa B2, valid for three months, at arrival in Israel. Note: if you have to get a visitor's visa prior to traveling to Israel, contact one of the Israeli diplomatic missions. Do not fly over or transit Arab states, Iran or other problematic countries, even if told you can stay during stopovers in the plane.
11. Packing list suggestions - here and here
12. Before making final travel arrangements, check Mahal-IDF-Volunteers.org and its external links for updated information and, most important, contact the Ministry of Defense to reconfirm/check for changes and schedule an appointment for signing up.
13. Note: if you do not speak basic Hebrew, Mahal recommends arriving about 3 months before the enlistment to study Hebrew, although most manage with less and even with the army ulpan only. For help concerning Hebrew study programs (ulpanim) and finding a suitable apartment in the period before your enlistment in the IDF - click here.

Arrival in Israel

Arrive with a passport which remains valid for more than two years.

Get at arrival in Israel a visitor's visa B2, valid for three months.

At the Ministry of Defense

Meet the Ministry of Defense people and ask your questions.

The Ministry of Defense makes final checks of your qualifications according to the legal conditions at the time of your recruitment.

Sign up with the Ministry of Defense - in person in Israel. Bring your passport, 5 recent passport photos and the confirmation that you are Jewish.

After getting the MoD’s final OK, the MoD will direct to all places you need on your way into the IDF including your Ministry of Interior visa, the IDF Recruitment Bureau (Lishkat Gius) and the IDF medical

The Ministry of Defense gives you a confirmation for the Ministry of Interior explaining the reason for requesting a visa A2.

At the Ministry of Interior

Obtain an Israeli visa type A2 and a Teudat Zehut (Israeli Identity Card) number:

• Application for visa type A2 - filled out and signed in person at the Ministry of Interior in Israel with the following attachments:
• Valid passport
• Birth certificate
• Confirmation stating that you are Jewish
• Confirmation supplied by the Ministry of Defense explaining the reason for requesting visa A2
• All above documents in original or authenticated photocopy by an Israeli Diplomatic Mission or Aliya Representative for your country. If a document is not in Hebrew or English, please attach translation certified by an Israeli notary (which may take time to obtain) or Aliya Representative for your country.

At the IDF Recruitment Bureau (Lishkat Gius)

• The Ministry of Defense will arrange the exact date of your visit at the IDF Recruitment Bureau (Lishkat Gius).
• Recruitment Bureau: about 5 hours of recruitment procedures including the medical. Request to be enlisted through the IDF Mahal program (Note: it can take a few weeks before you actually start your service).
• Bring all your documents including the health cerificate.

IDF Service

• On Enlistment Day you start your IDF service - you are now a soldier in uniform!
• Right at the start of the IDF basic training ask to be registered as a Chayal Boded (Lone Soldier), if applicable. The status of Chayal Boded (Lone Soldier) entitles to privileges and support granted by the IDF, Friends of the IDF and other organizations.
• Duration of the service as usual in your IDF program (if you do not opt for longer service). Your service time in the IDF will include the time for the pre-basic training and the army ulpan (if applicable).

After Discharge

• Remain in Israel (optional)
• Return to your country of origin (optional)
• Return to Israel (optional)

Please note:

Discharged Mahal volunteers enjoy various benefits for discharged soldiers.

Opting for an upgraded status in Israel after discharge from the IDF (from A1 or A2 to "immigrant") makes you eligible for assistance from the Student Authority including exemption from Israeli university tuition fees for up to three years.

If you opt for Israeli citizenship before your 24th birth day, you might become liable for additional compulsory regular IDF service.