I am a convert(54) and I would like to work for 2 weeks as a volontary in Israel.My intention is to make Aliya after conversion and so I will start to know Israel.
Does somebody know some jewish institutions in israel,perhaps settlements where I can write or phone.
Thankyou very much for your help
Claudia
B"H
Start with the Jewish Agency For Israel (http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Home/) and the Israeli Embassy/Consulate (http://www.israelemb.org/); maybe one or both can point you in the right direction.
Try to go in the spring (aviv) - May is nice. Winter is rain and cold (most places).
I don't think 2 weeks will give you a good understanding of Israel or its people - 6 months is more like it if you can get into a Hebrew langiage course (an "ulpan").
If you converted via a non-orthodox bet din you _may_ (probably will) encounter problems whenever you must deal with the Rabbinate (marriage, burial); consider that before committing. Also, if you are a US citizen, understand that you MUST file tax returns to the US (even if you have 0 taxable income) or jeopardize your US citizenship. Finally, if you are in the US or Canada, contact American And Canadians in Israel (http://www.aaci.org.il/) before leaving for Israel. LOTS of valuable information.
Yohanon
Dear Yohanon
Thankyou very much for your help and URL
Yes,Jewish Agency is a good institution to ask for help and I will do it. How ever I think to ask personally to some welfare houses will be perhaps better in this case because 2 weeks really not much and belong to no program. My intention is to know Israel in this way step by step , unfortunatedly only for short times..
I am an orthodox convert , only in the process of conversion but it is necessary to prepare the next months and years. I will try your advice and I say many thanks to you.
Claudia