Want to Staff a Trip?

One of the most critical elements of the Taglit-Birthright Israel educational trip is the staff. Both Israeli staff and the staff from abroad are essential in framing and interpreting the participants’ experience of and in serving as role models of positive Jewish identity. They are significant forces in influencing what happens in an educational program. Taglit-Birthright Israel is committed to strengthening this aspect of the program. In order to come back as staff, you must meet the following criteria:

Be a minimum of 21 years of age for our 18-21 year old trips
Be a minimum 25 for our 22+ trips ( 80% of our trips are 22+)
All staff members- from Israel and abroad – must be committed to – and act as role models of – the values of Ahavat Yisrael, Clal Yisrael, and Medinat Yisrael. Both their speech and their deeds must overtly affirm these values.
Have prior experience – preferably on an extended educational trip. For example: semester/year-long programs, staffing of Israel Experience programs; (just having attended a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip will NOT be sufficient).
Have basic Jewish knowledge as evidenced by, for example: graduate of day school or Jewish Hebrew high school; Jewish studies courses at university or the equivalent; participation in an Informal Jewish Educational Institute or series of workshops;
Have practical experience in areas of either working with young people (youth group advisor; Hillel staff; significant Jewish camp staff experience; courses in education or social work; rabbinic or Jewish education degree, other) or having held leadership positions in youth organizations and movements or Jewish campus organizations.
Taglit-Birthright Israel alumni who recruit a certain number of new applicants are eligible to be Taglit-Birthright israel overseas staff only on the condition that they meet all the other educational criteria specified herein.

IsraelExperts Expectations

Willingness to be a team player.
Ability to support and demonstrate IsraelExperts pluralistic and liberal approach to education.
To contribute to the educational experience with appropriate programming.
To engage with the group as an educator, role model, facilitator and resource before, during and after the trip.
To be able to manage difficult situations with clarity, creativity and authority.

If you feel that you can meet the above qualifications and expectations, please fully complete the following application. Please note that you will not receive a confirmation, but rest assured we will receive your application and begin the screening process by mid March.

Note: If you are a former participant, please send a photo (so we can remember who you are) via email.

Once we receive the application we will be in touch with you soon as possible, but please be patient!

Note: Staff are not compensated for travel to the departure airport inside the USA. You are responsible for getting to the departure airport on your own.

* Full Name (as it appears on your passport)

* Gender

Male

Female

* Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

* Age

* Email

* Street Address

* Apartment

* City

* State

* Zip

* Home Phone

* Cell Phone which we can give out to participants on date of departure if you are choosen to staff:

Please ensure that your passport is valid for at LEAST 6 months after your planned departure date from Israel. If it is not, you should get a new passport NOW.

Passport Information:

* Country of Issue:

* Country of Birth:

* Expiry Date (DD/MM/YYYY):

* Passport Number: ( You may fill out the application without the number, but you must have the passport in hand 1 month before departure. YOUR PASSPORT MUST BE VALID FOR AT LEAST 6 MONTHS FROM DEPARTURE)

* How did you learn of IsraelExperts and/or were you referred to us by someone?

* Describe all past trips to Israel you have made, starting with the most recent (year, nature of the trip, length of stay).

* Have you ever staffed a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip before? If so, which organizer did you staff for? Please describe your experience.

* Describe any other experience (work, studies, travel, group experience, community involvement etc.) that you feel will be helpful in making you an effective group leader (relative to the Taglit-Birthright Israel requirements).

* What languages do you speak/write/read? Please describe your proficiency for each one (degree of fluency, etc.).

* Why do you feel you would be a good choice as a group leader for an IsraelExperts program?

* Based on the Taglit-Birthright Israel guidelines, how do you feel that you fulfill the qualifications?

* What would you see as the biggest challenge on a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip and how would you manage it?

* As we promote ourselves as a pluralistic and liberal organization that draws participants from a broad spectrum of religious experience, how would you organize a Shabbat (given the hotel is on a Kibbutz in the Negev or in the Galil)?

* Regarding Shabbat programming are you :

Not comfortable at all facilitating Shabbat programming.

Comfortable assisting, or facilitating a group, but not leading Shabbat programming.

Comfortable leading a group process or leading programming.

It's my job normally to lead services.

other

* What do you personally hope to gain from being a group leader on an IsraelExperts Taglit-Birthright Israel trip?

* Please provide us with the names and contact info of two references as well as some background information. (How long has the person known you? Where does he/she know you from?). We need someone who has supervised you professionally.
Do not submit names of friends/roomates/co-workers.

What window of dates are you available to staff?
Summer trips depart May through July.