- Do I have to be a college student? What if I am a current high school senior?
You do NOT need to be a college student, but you must have completed high school in order to be eligible to participate in the program.
- What are the dates of the trip?
Trips will run the last week of November and December 2009 and January 2010.
- Can I travel with a friend on the program?
Yes. You will have an opportunity to request with whom to be placed in a group, and we will do our best to accommodate your requests although we cannot make any guarantees. Encourage your friends and family to apply ASAP - this will enhance our ability to place you in a group together.
- How will the groups be formed?
Groups are formed based on age and group requests. Effort is also made to have an equal number of males and females. The groups consist of approximately 30-40 participants. Each group is accompanied by an Israeli tour guide and two North American staff people.
- Will a deposit be required? Are there additional fees?
In order to participate, you will need to provide a refundable security deposit of $250 USD, a $50 USD non-refundable registration fee and $10 USD non-refundable processing fee. If you want to guarantee your spot, you may pay the refundable deposit of $ 250, the $10 non-refundable processing fee and $1,900.
- What if I don’t have a passport yet?
Apply for a passport now! If you are not a citizen of the U.S. or Canada, you will need to apply for a visa to visit Israel. See the Passport & Travel Documents page for more details.
- What type of medical insurance must I have?
Medical Insurance while traveling overseas is a must. What happens if you get sick in Israel? You must seek medical attention. In order to facilitate the easiest medical attention in Israel, Oranim requires participants to purchase Israeli Medical Insurance that we have pre-arranged. As long as the participant doesn’t have any pre-existing conditions, this insurance will offer you the best coverage and is the easiest to use. For your convenience, we’ll just deduct the $20 it costs from your deposit refund. If you have pre-existing conditions, insurance must be purchased from AIG/TravelGuard insurance. Details are available inside the registration center.
- Where does the trip depart from?
All of the trips will be departing from the New York area (either JFK or Newark airports). Participants must arrange travel to and from the gateway city at their own expense.
- What are the accommodations and mode of transportation in Israel?
Participants stay in hotels and kibbutzim guest houses. On groups that are 18-24, accomodations will be between two-four per room. Groups that are 25-30 will be two to a room. Transportation is by air-conditioned motorcoach.
- What are the eligibility requirements?
There are strict eligibility requirements to participate in our trips. For a detailed explanation, please visit the Eligibility page.
- What about safety and security?
More North Americans have chosen to travel with the Israelis of Oranim than with any other Israel Travel Company. This is due, in part, to the fact that the Oranim team is 100% committed to providing a safe, secure and enjoyable educational trip to Israel for all participants. As Israelis, we are particularly aware of how the security situation impacts on daily life. We know the importance of taking the right precautions, and believe in the importance of forging onward with life.
Oranim constantly reviews all security measures for our trips and implements the most stringent security measures at all times throughout the program. These precautions include the careful planning of itineraries. Our tours do not travel to or through areas of the West Bank, Gaza or East Jerusalem (We do visit the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City). Throughout each day, itineraries are cleared through the official government authorities, which also review all educational field trips for Israeli schools and educational institutions. A group's itinerary will be changed immediately to reflect any heightened risk or security concerns.
Each group is given a detailed safety and security orientation upon arrival in Israel. In addition, the guides and North American Staff of each trip brief participants regularly regarding special security arrangements for particular trips or days. The orientation and briefings include guidelines for free time and general travel safety. Free time is always supervised and takes place in specified locations as security considerations warrant. Finally, at least one Israeli security escort accompanies every Oranim group.
Oranim's trips do not use public transportation and participants are advised to avoid the use of public transportation at all times. The tour bus companies and drivers used by Oranim are subject to Oranim Israel approval, and drivers are instructed to never leave buses unlocked or unattended.
Again, our primary concern is the safety of our participants. To read more about trip safety, click here. Also to read an article with an intriguing perspective on security in Israel, click here. Please feel free to contact us if you have specific security related questions or concerns.
- Can I extend my ticket and stay in Israel?
Flight tickets can be extended before traveling to Israel or while on the trip. For a detailed explanation, including timelines and fees, please visit the Flight Extensions page.
- Can I cancel my application completely?
Yes, your application can be cancelled at any time. In order to receive your deposit back in full, you must cancel before October 19, 2009 by sending an email to info@israelfree.com. A confirmation will be sent to confirm the receipt of your cancellation request.
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