Sherut Leumi is an alternative voluntary
national serviceNational service is a common name for mandatory or voluntary government service programs . National service was common in the 20th century, and many young people spent one or more years in such programs...
in
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
for those that cannot or do not wish to serve in the
Israel Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are Israel's military forces, comprising the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
. The majority are
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
ish women who receive an exemption from the obligatory army service by declaring religious observance, but there are also a small number of men who serve in Sherut Leumi. Volunteers are between the ages of 18 and 21. Sherut Leumi gives young women (and occasionally young men) exposure to a number of environments in Israeli society.
Sherut Leumi is an alternative voluntary
national serviceNational service is a common name for mandatory or voluntary government service programs . National service was common in the 20th century, and many young people spent one or more years in such programs...
in
IsraelIsrael officially the State of Israel , is a developed state in Western Asia located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its...
for those that cannot or do not wish to serve in the
Israel Defense ForcesThe Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are Israel's military forces, comprising the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
. The majority are
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
ish women who receive an exemption from the obligatory army service by declaring religious observance, but there are also a small number of men who serve in Sherut Leumi. Volunteers are between the ages of 18 and 21. Sherut Leumi gives young women (and occasionally young men) exposure to a number of environments in Israeli society. Service typically requires working 30-40 hours/week over 12 to 24 months. Volunteers have the option of doing either one or two years of the National Service. Not all volunteers are Israeli citizens. It can be done on a tourist visa, and the volunteer will later receive a special volunteer visa that lasts as long as the person will be doing their service.
Youths in other sectors of Israeli society who receive exemptions from the army, mainly Haredi males as well as most
Arab IsraeliArab citizens of Israel is a phrase used by Israeli and other government and independent agencies to refer to Israeli citizens whose cultural and/or linguistic heritage, and ethnic identity, is Arab, including members of any religious tradition other than Jewish...
youth, may also perform national service. Historically, very few did, but in recent years, the number of Arab youths volunteering for national service has skyrocketed. Some Israeli
conscientious objectorsRefusal to serve in the Israeli military includes both refusal to obey specific orders and refusal to serve in the Israel Defense Forces in any capacity due to pacifistic or antimilitaristic views or disagreement with the policies of the Israeli government as implemented by the army, such as the...
who refuse to serve in the army and are not eligible for an exemption, have voiced a wish to do an alternate national service instead.
Programs
Youths work in various programs. The majority work in schools but can also work in places such as special education, administration, hospitals, law, geriatrics, nursing homes, health clinics, teens at risk, internal security, disadvantaged communities, immigrant assistance, and many other organizations. Acceptance is based on an interview via a placement organizations that try to find the youth appropriate skills, interests, and needs.
Placement organizations
There are four main placement organizations for Sherut Leumi. They are the Agudah LeHitnadvut (
lit. Volunteering Union), Shlomit, Aminadav, and Bat Ami. Each volunteer is then assigned to a coordinator (
rakezet) who serves as a supervisor and adviser for the youth throughout their time in Sherut Leumi.
Benefits
Bnot Sherut (lit. female youth in the service) and Bnei Sherut (lit. male youth in the service) are entitled to a number of benefits during their service. Many of these benefits are the same as what a soldier serving in the army receives. They include:
- Monthly stipend for necessities. Amount varies on location and type of service, though usually is approximately 600 Shekels a month.
- Apartment housing in the city where they are serving.
- Intra-city bus pass (and inter-city pass if necessary)
- Discounts offered by various business establishments.
- Social Programs such as weekend getaways, tours, learning programs, and parties.
- Weekly classes are often available, and sometimes required, on various Judaism
Judaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
related subjects.
- At the end of the service, the Israeli volunteers receive a grant that can be used for things such education, buying a house, or paying for a wedding.
- Foreign volunteers receive private medical insurance.
External links