Volunteer Program

After the Six-Day War in 1967, a wave of volunteers from all over the world began arriving in Israel. Their intentions were to show their goodwill towards the State of Israel and the Israeli People, by becoming kibbutz volunteers.

The notion of a kibbutz community carrying out the true principles of a socialistic society, having all work, property and profit equally shared by its members, intrigued the volunteers. The will to become part of this unique community grew stronger among the foreigners. Within short time, thousands of volunteers were arriving annually in Israel for the purpose of becoming kibbutz volunteers. Thus, the need for a department that could center all the organizational work surrounding the kibbutz volunteers was created.

Throughout the years, the Volunteers Department has gone through some evolutional stages. Today, the Kibbutz Program Center of the United Kibbutz Movement and the Kibbutz Haartzi is the office officially representing all the about 250 kibbutzes spread throughout the country of Israel. The Kibbutz Program Center is responsible for their volunteers, and provides them with any help they might need from the moment they register abroad until they leave the kibbutz.


Since 1967 more than three hundred and fifty thousand kibbutz volunteers have arrived in Israel. Moreover, the number is still growing. As the volunteers contribute to the needs of the kibbutz, the kibbutz offers in return an exciting and unique working holiday experience. A holiday with the possibility to meet, live and work with both Israeli youngsters as well as with other kibbutz volunteers from countries and cultures from far and near.

The Kibbutz Program Center manages all the organizational work around the volunteer program and makes sure that both the kibbutzes and the volunteers keep up to their mutual promises. On the one hand, there are certain standards regarding the living conditions, work conditions and general treatment of the volunteers that the Kibbutz Program Center demands of the kibbutz. On the other hand, the Kibbutz Program Center helps both volunteers as well as the kibbutz with any administrative problems that might occur i.e. regarding insurance, visa, parents/volunteer contact, location of volunteer with specific requests etc. Furthermore, towards the Government offices the Kibbutz Program Center constitutes the official office in charge of all kibbutz volunteers.

At The Kibbutz Program Center at 6 Frishman St. the office is open from Sunday to Thursday from 8:30 to 14:30 and the staff is available and willing to answer any questions and/or request that the volunteers might have. Their primary target is to create the perfect match between volunteers and kibbutzes thereby creating a situation where both benefit from each other.