VFI Archaeology & Feed the Soldiers Program

Volun-Touring Program for 16-Days

Immerse yourself in Israel’s history and culture with this VFI Volun-Tour program, perfect for both first-time and experienced visitors. Spend your first week at the world-class City of David, Jerusalem archaeological dig, and your second week in uniform and traveling from your IDF base with a mission to provide custom food to soldiers.  No Hebrew required! Call 610.584.0468 today to learn more—or apply now and be part of this unforgettable experience.

VFI Archaeology & Feed the Soldiers Program is a 16-day program that begins on Friday and ends on Saturday. This program has an upper age limit for participation of 79 years old, and the level of physical activities is moderate. Email our interest form now for further information.

Program Dates

Future dates for trips in the VFI Archaeology & Feed the Soldiers Program are:

Program Fees

Invoiced 2 months prior to start date –  Full payment due

The All-Inclusive program fee bundles major costs including nights in big-city hotels, all transportation in an air-conditioned bus, most food, all aspects of volunteering, all-day professionally guided touring, entrance fees, gratuities, and archaeology site and Emergency Volunteers Project (EVP) support, and tours, lectures, and gratuities.

NOTE: International airfare and required medical insurance are the volunteer’s responsibility. Although not required, volunteers might consider obtaining optional airline flight cancellation insurance or more comprehensive trip insurance.

The fees below are based on a minimum group size of 10 and are subject to adjustment for fewer participants.  Also note that these fees may be adjusted in the future to align with changes in VFI costs due to fluctuations in the exchange rates and market conditions. of Israel Shekels to US Dollars.

Double occupancy at hotels for including touring: $5,260.  Supplement for single occupancy at a hotel during archaeology and touring: $922.  Each fee is subject to availability.

Five Vital Steps to Insure Your Position

(Please read the entire list before completing individual items)

FIRST – YOUR DEPOSIT
To reserve your space, submit a $500 refundable deposit to VFI for your desired trip. This $500 will be applied against final costs. Part of your costs may be tax-deductible as VFI is a 501(c)3 non-profit. Please consult your financial advisor.

You have four payment options:
1. Online with a credit card via Zeffy by CLICKING HERE.
Zeffy payment processing is funded by voluntary contributions from generous donors like you, allowing VFI and thousands of other non-profits to increase their impact. In the section called “Help keep Zeffy free for VFI”, select any donation amount you wish by clicking “Other” in the dropdown. 
2. Online via Zelle with a bank account money transfer.
Registered as vfifinansecy@aol.com. Please send a confirming email with your name, VFI program name and its date to the VFI Treasurer at vfifinansecy@aol.com.
3. Online via Venmo with a peer-to-peer money transfer.
Registered as @VFI-USA.  Include the VFI program name and its date in the comment section.
4.  Mail a check. 
If absolutely necessary, mail a check payable to Volunteers for Israel Inc at Park West Finance  Station, P.O. Box 20616, New York, NY 10025.  Please specify the VFI program name and its date with the check.  Note that making your payment by check could greatly delay the processing of your application.

SECOND – APPLICATION FORM AND VFI Agreement
CLICK HERE to fill out our online VFI application.

THIRD – TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
1. Passport: Traveling in Israel requires a passport that must be valid for at least 6 months AFTER your arrival date. Email a scan of the picture page of your passport to  vfi.lisa9@gmail.com or mail to Lisa Bell, 2685 James River Rd, West Palm Beach, FL 33411.  
2. NEW VISA Requirement: All non-Israeli visitors to Israel must have a valid visa or ETA-IL (Electronic Travel Authorization) before they start their trip. The ETA-IL is valid for two years and multiple trips of 90 days or less. The cost is 25 NIS (about $7.00) per person and obtained by online application at: https://israel-entry.piba.gov.il/

FOURTH – CLEARANCE
Because this program requires access to multiple IDF sites, it has special security requirements including an IDF security background check and a personal interview by the Emergency Volunteers Project (EVP). An EVP representative will be contacting you to arrange the interview via in-person, zoom, telephone, or other means. 

YOUR FINAL ACCEPTANCE HINGES ON THE RESULTS OF YOUR SECURITY BACKGROUND CHECK AND INTERVIEW.

FIFTH – MEDICAL INSURANCE
VFI requires individual medical coverage while in Israel. Medicare generally does not cover medical care outside the U.S., so you should confirm with your insurer whether your policy includes coverage for treatment in Israel.

Coverage for Israel can be purchased from either of these suggested providers:
1. Myra Altschuler, Travel Protectors, LLC — Myra@travelprotectors.com, 703‑443‑9055
2. Harel Yedidim Insurance for Tourists — +972‑3‑638‑6216

SIXTH – HEBREW (Entirely Optional):
Although fluency in Hebrew is not required in VFI programs, it may be useful to learn some Hebrew before your journey. You can find many internet sites and smart phone apps, some containing a collection of useful Hebrew phases and some offering structured Hebrew lessons.

Reservations are on a first-come, first-served basis. Group size is limited, and a wait-list is maintained for fully subscribed programs.

Fill out the form below to request more information about all our Volun-Tour opportunities.

RESERVATIONS ON A FIRST-COME BASIS