OU presents the "Israel Free Spirit" trip as a ten day Taglit Birthright-Israel experience which emphasizes the spiritual connection between the land of Israel, the people of Israel, contemporary Israel and our vibrant Jewish tradition.  We know you have a lot of choices and we take your “Free Gift” as seriously as you do by maximizing every moment of your experience.

Our vision is to share the magic of Israel with young Jewish adults of all backgrounds and interests.  We believe that intimate encounters with the People of Israel in their communities and the land of Israel through activities such as volunteering, hiking, biking, kayaking, etc. present unique opportunities. Through these active learning experiences, our participants are able to appreciate the complexities of Israel while forming lasting bonds of friendship as a group.

On an Israel Free Spirit trip you’ll hike Israel’s lush landscapes, spend time with Israelis and Israeli soldiers, see artistic and archeological treasures and journey to the Kotel,  “The Wall”  the sacred remnant from our Holy Temple built by King Solomon thousands of years ago.

The OU “Israel Free Spirit” trip is a collaboration of NCSY, JSU, Aish HaTorah, Yachad/NJCD, Yeladim, JAAM, RAJE and many other allied agencies who have pooled their resources to provide you with the experience of a lifetime.

Israel Free Spirit offers different types of 10-day trips to accommodate participants of varying backgrounds. Most of our trips are designed for participants with an interest in experiencing Israel to its fullest. Some of our trips offer unique opportunities for Developmentally Disabled, 12 Step Participants, Single Gender, Religious and more.  What unifies all of these Israel Free Spirit programs is our basic philosophy of providing an active, spiritual and meaningful encounter in Israel.

JSU http://www.jsu.org/ is a not for profit and non denominational organization with headquarters in Los Angeles, California and offices in Teaneck, New Jersey whose mission is to get more Jewish young adults to do something Jewish! That’s it! It’s that simple!!!

NCSY http://www.ncsy.org/ is one of the largest Jewish youth movements in the world. NCSY is under the umbrella of the Orthodox Union, a not-for-profit educational social service organization which serves the North American Jewish community.

Aish HaTorah http://www.aish.com is a non-profit apolitical network of Jewish educational centers with 25 branches on six continents. Aish provides opportunities for Jews of all backgrounds to discover the beauty and meaning of their heritage in an environment of open inquiry and mutual respect. Each year, tens of thousands worldwide enjoy our trips to Israel, Jewish programming, innovative seminars, and our award-winning www.Aish.com website.

The Yeladim Association http://www.yeladim-netivot.org/ was established to perpetuate the memory of the million and a half children who were killed during the Holocaust. It is dedicated to strengthening Jewish education in the Diaspora by designing programs that instill a strong sense of Jewish identity and a commitment to help strengthen the State of Israel. Yeladim is the only organization that provides teenagers with the chance to study in an Orthodox high school in Israel.

JACS/JBFCS, Jewish Alcoholics Chemically Dependent Persons and Significant Others has been the central voice for alcoholics and chemically addicted Jews and their families. JACS provides a supportive network of Jews who are in recovery or seeking information, as well as support to communal professionals, clergy and educators who help them. JACS is a Resource Center to which individuals, families, groups and community institutions can turn for helpful, comforting guidance and links to the "recovery tools" that have proved helpful to the thousands of people who make up our network. www.jacsweb.org

The NJCD (National Jewish Council For Disabilities) http://www.njcd.org/ was established in 1983 and is under the Orthodox Union.  The NJCD is dedicated to addressing the needs of all individuals with disabilities and including them in the Jewish community.

Participants on all our trips get a stronger sense of Jewish community, identity and spirituality as they join together with like-minded travelers, first-rate tour guides and advisers for whom Jewish spirituality is not just an idea, but a way of life.

Part of what makes our trips so special is that we believe experiencing Israel should be about more than just taking a tour.  Our Israel Free Spirit trips are a transformative experience that will leave you hungry for more.  Though you'll end the program thoroughly exhausted, you'll reflect on your 10 day oasis in time for the rest of your life.

Perhaps most importantly, our participants form a lifetime of new friendships with fellow travelers and Israeli peers who will accompany and enrich our experience. Assuredly, there’s no better way to experience Israel than with Israelis by your side.

The overall theme of the Israel Free Spirit experience is rooted in “three pillars” from the Sayings of our Fathers, a famous Jewish text on getting the most out of life. These pillars are: “Torah” (Learning & Spirituality), “Avodah” (Service & Relating to the Land), and “Gemilut Chasadim” (Helping Others & Deeds of Loving Kindness).  NCSY’s Israel Free Spirit challenges our participants to experience Israel through spiritually inspiring discussions; breath-taking outdoor hikes, and opportunities to help those in need by giving of our time and spirit. Of course, the trip itinerary is full to overflowing with simple pleasures and an overall spirit of adventure.
 
The spiritual highlight of the program is almost always the Shabbat program. The Israel Free Spirit program always spends Friday and Saturday in the heart of Jerusalem so that we can walk together to the Kotel (the Western Wall) -- a sacred remnant of our Holy Temple. Many past participants have reflected that the experience at the Kotel was one of the most memorable, enriching, and personally moving experiences of their life.  One wall.  One people.  One shared destiny.