Program Dates

 Application Deadlines
Document  Before Start Date
New Applications:  7 Weeks
Returnee Applications  6 Weeks
Final Documents:  5 Weeks

Program Dates

*BLACKOUT DATES/HOLIDAYS
Bases may be closed during the holiday dates indicated in the schedule by parenthesis ( ) .  Please  see the following schedule for (Holiday Dates) and the *Blackout Date note following the schedule for more information.

** For  VFI Plus volunteer programs plus touring see below.

********2020********

Click here for the complete 2020 schedule on Sar-El Israel’s site

January 2020
Jan. 19-Feb. 6
February 2020
February 9-27 (Feb. 10-Tu B’Shevat)
Feb. 9-13–1 Week Group (must meet group at 8:30 am)
March 2020
March 1-19
March 1-5 –1 Week Group (must meet groups at 8:30 am)
March 22-April 2—2 Week Group (Passover is April 8-15)
April 2020
April 19-23– 1 Week Group (must meet group at 8:30am)
(Yom HaShoah—April 21; Yom Hazikaron—April 28;
Yom Ha’atzmaut—April 29)
May 2020
May 3-7—1 Week Group (must meet group at 8:30 am)
May 10-28 (Lag B’Omer–May 12; Shavuot–May 29)
May 31-June 18
June 2020
June 21-July 9–Regular Groups and International Youth Groups (IYG)
July 2020
July 12-30 –Regular Groups & International Youth Groups (IYG)
(Tisha B’Av—July 30)
August 2020
August 2-20—Regular Groups & International Youth Groups (IYG)
August 23-Sept. 10
September 2020
Sept. 13-17—1 Week Group (must meet group at 8:30 am)
(No programs Sept. 18-Oct. 11; Rosh Hashana-Sept. 19; Yom Kippur- Sept. 28; Sukkot- Oct.3-9; Simchat Torah-Oct. 10)
October 2020
October 11-15—1 Week Group (must meet group at 8:30 am)
Oct. 18-Nov. 5 (Popular Canadian Date) This date is often preferred by Canadians but all listed dates are available to anybody.
November 2020
November 8-26
Nov. 29-Dec. 17 (Chanukah Dec. 11-18)
December 2020
Dec. 20-Jan 7, 2021

*BLACKOUT DATES/HOLIDAYS
Sometimes there are blackout dates due to holidays and volunteers will have to leave the bases,  sometimes for a few days if the holiday is in the middle of the week. Often we are given very little notice from the bases so all volunteers must be prepared in case they have to stay in hotels/hostels during the holidays. If volunteers do not want to incur the expense of staying in hotels, they should avoid coming during any holidays. This applies (but is not limited) to Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Succot, Pesach, and Shavuot. Usually at these times Beit Oded is closed.

**VFI PLUS

The USA sister of Sar-El Canada, Volunteers for Israel (VFI), has collaborated with Gil Travel Group to offer VFI PLUS, a program that includes volunteering plus guided touring for English speakers. This separate program offered by VFI is not connected with Sar-El Canada and we cannot be held responsible for the content etc. The program runs concurrently with the regular Sar-El Canada program and does not replace it. 

VFI USA PLUS PROGRAMS FOR 2020
For detailed itineraries, costs, program dates and to signup, open the following links. Note: you will be redirected to the VFI USA site and all prices quoted are in US $.