Planning Your Volunteer Trip
- Wix Agency
- Nov 25, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Advice from volunteers:
“Pack a very open mind and a good sense of humor” - Lisa from USA
“Arrive a day or two early to rest and pick up whatever you need before you start working”
- Gordon from Wales
“If you don’t like Turkish coffee, bring your own” - Lawrence from London
“If arriving on a Friday or Saturday, pre arrange transport from the airport to your lodging as there is no public transport and the lines to get a taxi are super long” - Diana from Argentina
“If you rent a car, get the smallest one they have because parking is terrible”
“Keep in mind that you are a volunteer. Your role is to help and support, not create drama”
Recommendations from volunteers:
Tel Aviv Accommodation options for volunteers
Maxim Hotel – Hayarkon Street
A word from management: “We deeply appreciate all your efforts helping Israel recover. Over the past year, we’ve hosted thousands of volunteers from around the world and will continue to serve as your home away from home.”
SOI rate: Use coupon code SWORDOFIRON when booking directly
Book here: https://www.simplebooking.it/ibe2/hotel/8562?lang=EN
Bonus: Free parking, soup, and happy hour included
Best Western Regency Suites – Hayarkon Street
Located three doors down from the Maxim and steps from the beach. Family-run boutique hotel offering:
Spacious suites with kitchenettes
Single rooms and sofa-bed options
Parking garage & fitness center
Laundry room & free hot beverages
SOI discount: Use promo code SOI20 when booking directlyBook here: https://www.simplebooking.it/ibe2/hotel/10943/offer/219417
SOI guests receive a breakfast discount at the Maxim.
Vera Hotel – Near Neve Tzedek
Charming boutique hotel within walking distance of Neve Tzedek, restaurants, public transportation, the light rail, and the beach. A favorite among our volunteers.
SOI rate: Use code DOGOOD when booking directly
Book here: https://www.simplebooking.it/ibe2/hotel/6579?lang=EN
Car Rentals
Europacar - located near the Maxim hotel
Eldan - local company
Noach - car rental broker, gives you prices from lots of companies at once
Hertz because they are the only rental company with pick up and drop off right across from the terminal. Get the smallest car you can live with for fuel economy and tight parking spaces.
Sixt
Goto Car Rental - hourly car rental works like Bird Scooter
GETT - Uber for Israel. Volunteers recommend adding a credit card to the app. Always use the app, never pay cash for taxis. Download and register for the app BEFORE arriving in Israel especially if you won’t have an Israeli phone number.
Israeli Railways - the best app for train schedules and platforms
RAV KAV - use this app to pay for trains, buses and light rail and add more funds to your RAV KAV card. Buy the card at Ben Gurion airport when you arrive.
Moovit - Use this app for public transit navigation, maps, schedules, real-time arrivals and more! Download and register for the app BEFORE arriving in Israel especially if you won’t have an Israeli phone number.
Homefront App - The official App of the Home Front Command provides alerts, guidelines and life-saving information in real time.
Red Alert - provides real time alerts every time a terrorist fires rockets, mortars or missiles into the State of Israel.
Bus Nearby - locates bus stops near you and shows accurate departure time of routes passing by.
Google Translate - translate anything from Hebrew to English, signs, photos, menus, announcements.
Sim and Esim
At the exit of the airport, Stematzkys, you can buy a partner SIM card. Some companies want to charge you to join programs or get SIMS, but you don’t need to do this, you can talk to the company directly. It should cost approximately 25 shekels. Ask your cell phone provider about a digital Esim.
Transportation from the airport
Train to Tel Aviv from the airport - the station is right as you exit the baggage claim area across from the Aroma Cafe. Get a RAV train/bus card and then take the train to either Haganah, Savidor or HaShalom in Tel Aviv. At Haganah and Savidor you can take Bus #4, from HaShalom you can take Bus #63 or #238, drops you at Bugrashov Beach about a block from the Maxim hotel. Or you can take a cab from those stations.
Train to Jerusalem from the airport - the station is right as you exit the baggage claim area across from Aroma Cafe. Get a RAV train/bus card and then the train to Jerusalem Yitzhak Navon, the central train and bus station. From here, you can take light rail, buses or taxis to anywhere in the city. You are also only several blocks from the Mahane Yehuda shuk and a 25 minute walk to the Jaffa Gate of the Old City.
Money
Change money at the airport, enough to get from the airport to town if needed approximately 150-200 shekels.
At the airport, there is an ATM next to the RAV KAV card window across from Aroma Cafe.
Everywhere takes credit card, no you cannot pay with US dollars.
If you load your credit card onto your RAV KAV card and GETT, you will not need cash for buses, trains, light rail or taxis.
Shabbat - Friday/Saturday
Sign up to be hosted through the Shabbat Fairy through Sword of Iron Facebook group No public transport on Shabbat
Buses marked with 7xxx in Tel Aviv are FREE and operating on Shabbat Leket has a volunteer opportunity on Saturday with FREE transportation Animal Shelters need volunteers on Shabbat
Other Stuff
Luggage Lockers - If you need to store your luggage someplace, there are lockers that come in various sizes located at 64 Ben Yehuda Street, Tel Aviv.
Hostage Square 25 Shaul Hamelech street, Tlv
The light rail does NOT go to Ben Gurion Airport. There is a stop on the Light Rail that is called Ben Gurion, but it's a section of the city.
Basics - things you may want to bring along
Sleeping bag - Big Agnes is super compact yet very warm
Work Boots
Work Gloves
Thermos bottle
Hot water bottle
Diarrhea medicine as a precaution
Basic cold and allergy medicine
Laundry sheets
Bar Soap
