OTZMA is the PREMIER ten-month-long, high-quality fellowship for college graduates, aged 20-26, which combines volunteering, leadership development training and internships in locations throughout Israel.

DEVELOP yourself as a future LEADER in your field, community and society with cutting edge leadership training seminars. Make a real DIFFERENCE to Israel through meaningful service and volunteering opportunities. EXPLORE the beauty and excitement of Israel- hands on!

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Volunteers singing and dancing with Israeli children.

Israeli high school students snap a photo with their favorite teacher.

Volunteer in Israel with OTZMA on Go Overseas

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4.93 Rating

based on 55 reviews

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4 rating 7.27%
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Impact 4.85
Support 4.85
Fun 4.95
Value 4.9
Safety 4.95

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If you're not associated with a youth group that has its own Israel program (e.g. Young Judea), and you're not particularly religious (i.e. not interested in a year of yeshiva study), there's few better options than Otzma.

The program's structure gives you experience in several locations/activities over the course of the year. And if you value the US-Israel relationship (as I do/did), representing your home community by volunteering in groups among Israel's disadvantaged is an invaluable experience.

Highly recommended; email me if you have any questions about my experiences or the program generally. benklafter@yahoo.com

OTZMA was such an amazing experience where I spent 10 months in different parts of Israel volunteering. It's hard to give you an idea of a day-to-day routine since each day was something different. To break it down, there are 3 tracks on OTZMA.

Track one is meant to help the group acclimate to life in Israel by learning hebrew, staying all together in a small city of Israel (for me it was Ashkelon but each year the location changes), volunteering a little bit, getting to know the community, and by attending education seminars.

Track 2 is when you divide into your partnership regions. Cities in the US (and all over the world) have partnerships with smaller cities in Israel. Since I'm from Chicago, I spent my track 2 in Kiryat Gat. In your partnership region you can volunteer in various fields. I personally decided to teach english at an elementary school, help tutor kids in High school, work at the community garden, and various other things. This was my favorite part of the year!

Track 3 is an internship or a kibbutz experience. I worked for StandWithUs - an amazing Israel advocacy organization.

And one of the most amazing things about OTZMA is the educational component. These seminars included topics such as "peace and conflict," "minority populations in Israel," and so many more!

Read my full story

When I look back at my 10-months on Otzma, I smile. There are some days when I wish I was still on our porch in Kiryat Gat or working in the Gan in Afula. My world and my future was sealed during those 10 months. My only regret, that the program was not longer. Had it been longer, I know that I would have stayed. From my adoptive Israeli family, to the friends I made, each day and each moment was an awakening. My career today is because of those experiences. I look forward to many more trips to Israel, because when you return to Israel it is like "coming home".

After completing college, I wanted to make an impact both in Israel and in myself. Otzma is a well run, well supported, and well organized program. There are a variety of service programs built into the 10-month experience. There is enough structure to be able to know you are making an impact. There is also enough free time to be able to experience the Israel and all that it has to offer.

Had an awesome year. Got to immerse myself in Israel and had plenty of time to travel and explore on my own on top of the volunteering. The program allows you to be very independent if you want to be, which I think is its best feature.

I participated in Otzma in the late 90s, but I know that the program has kept its integrity.

I had a wonderful experience. You are exposed to every corner of the country, education programs, people from all walks of life - and it is extremely fulfilling to volunteer.

From Kibbutz life working in an eyeglass lens factory, to scaling cliffs in the Golan on a hike - the experiences are diverse and exciting.

Every day into the program, you feel more comfortable with the country, until you call it a second home.

I would not hesitate to do it again - though this time it would have to be with wife and kids :-)

Read my full story

This program with OTZMA allowed me to make an impact not only in parts of Israeli society, but on myself. It offered me the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people, forge life-long friendships (I did the program over 20 years ago) and grow as an individual and member of my community. I would absolutely recommend this program!

Otzma was the perfect program for me to participate in following my graduation from undergraduate school. It allowed me the opportunity to meet other young adults with similar interests, spend truly meaningful time in a country I adore, and learn so much about another culture and about myself.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Sarah Greenberg

Program

OTZMA: Live and Volunteer in Israel

Sarah Greenberg is from Greenwich, CT and currently is travelling the world with her fiance for pleasure, while working with an Africa-based NGO for satisfaction. She attended McGill University and the California Institute for Integral Studies and will soon return to the San Francisco Bay Area to resume her career as a Psychotherapist with an integrative mind-body practice. Of late she has a been a seeker of adventure, such as climbing a couple of mountains, scuba diving with an elephant, and paragliding over the Himalayas.

Sarah in Israel

Highlights: OTZMA was such a meaningful and varied experience in my life that it is impossible to choose just one or two highlights. I learned what my passions were when money was taken out of the equation. I learned and worked in a new language. I stood beneath waterfalls, hiked for days through the desert, swam in the Dead Sea, and danced all night at a party inside a deep desert crater. I lived for a month in Jerusalem, a city of such political, historical, and spiritual significance. That city has a palpable soul that never ceased to affect me, and make me feel more alive. I was immersed in a culture that is warm and embracing. I got informally adopted by an Israeli family, and made incredible friends. I got to experience ten months of consciously thinking beyond myself, and helping however I could. This has an immense impact on happiness.

I signed up for OTZMA at a crossroads in my life. A recent college graduate, I had prepared for a career in Finance, yet when I went to my NYC interviews at investment companies, my stomach tied itself into millions of knots screaming, "NOOOOOOO!!!". My time in Israel gave me the confidence, experience, and self-knowledge to take a different path, and that has made all the difference.

Morning: A typical morning in Ashkelon: Mornings in Ashkelon were all about language learning. We had about four hours of 'Hebrew Ulpan' each morning, and these were held at the immigrant absorption center where we stayed, so it was a treat to roll out of bed, make some breakfast, and already be at class. After three months, coming in with zero Hebrew, minus the ability to sound out words, and sing the alphabet, I became proficient enough to work with kids who only spoke Hebrew. The teachers were fantastic and taught us about Israeli history and culture while teaching the language. After class, I almost always managed to squeeze in an hour of beach time (we lived just a ten minute walk from the Mediterranean) before an afternoon of volunteering.

Afternoon: My schedule in Afula was full and wonderful. Since there were few volunteers in the region, and more need there than in many areas of the country, the three of us in Afula had endless opportunities to get involved. Most afternoons I went to a school created for kids with Cerebral Palsy, and helped run their therapeutic art program. A couple times a week, I accompanied them to a therapeutic horseback riding program which was incredibly successful. Several of the children I met could not sit up on their own prior to the horse riding, but the horses motivated them, and riding requires core strength. After several months they gained the strength to sit upright, and received much joy from their time with the animals.

Evening: In Ranana, I had two internships with OTZMA: one doing research and writing articles at the International Institute for Counter-terrorism, and another working with the Yoga Teacher's Society of Israel. The two experiences really balanced each other out! In the evenings, my friends and I would get home around the same time, then go into town for dinner, cook together, hang out with others in our building, or go to the nearest beach for sunset. There is a great sense of community within this program, and within Israel as a whole.

Shaina Ward

Alex Shapero

Adam Tizel

Robin Zebrowitz

Rachel Kesne

Lauren Zink

Max Amer

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Tell us a little about OTZMA and your role at the company.

OTZMA is a 5 or 10 month program that offers an unparalleled immersive experience by providing volunteer, community service and professional internships opportunities for each participant in 3 different communities across Israel. Backed by 26 years of success, the varied living experiences, top-notch and engaging educational program and exclusive Israeli adoptive family initiative provide an unbeatable opportunity for young adults to experience Israel, make an impact and reap the personal and professional benefits. My position at OTZMA is the North American Director, and I’m based in New York City.

How did you get involved in the volunteer industry?

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to work in social services. I was a participant on OTZMA after I graduated college, received my masters in Non-Profit Management and have been working in the field ever since.

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What do you look for in a volunteer?

OTZMA looks for volunteers who are independent and self-motivated. Volunteers who are committed to Israel and giving back to the community in a meaningful and impactful way.

How do you ensure your programs are sustainable and mutually beneficial for you, the community, and the volunteers?

OTZMA works directly with local professionals in all of our volunteer locations and have had relationships with these communities for over 25 years. We work with these professionals to ensure that our volunteers are using their skills and talents to meet a real and authentic need in the community.

What makes OTZMA unique?

OTZMA has unparalleled experience in volunteer programming in Israel. For over 25 years, we have been the premier post-college program for young Jewish adults looking to explore their Jewish identity through service and education in Israel. We have an amazing educational program that gives participants the ‘real’ Israel – not as a tourist or a visitor, but as a member of the community.

Location

Location:

Israel

Currency:

Israeli New Shekel

Weather:

Jan-Mar

79 F / 43 F

Apr-Jun

102 F / 55 F

Jul-Sep

104 F / 66 F

Oct-Dec

91 F / 46 F

Airports:

Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion

( TLV )

Haifa-U. Michaeli

( HFA )

Eilat-Ramon

( ETM )

Israel is revered for its religious diversity and unique scenery. Spend your days reaping the benefits of soaking in the Dead sea or explore the 3 faiths that have a special connection to Israel: Judaism, Christianity, & Islam.

About OTZMA

OTZMA – It’s your life. Use it well. OTZMA is the PREMIER ten-month-long, high-quality fellowship for college graduates, aged 20-26, which combines volunteering, leadership development training and internships in locations throughout Israel. DEVELOP yourself as a future LEADER in your field, community and society with cutting edge leadership...

OTZMA: Live and Volunteer in Israel

Program Details

About Program

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