Frequently Asked Questions

Before the 2009-10 programming year, Tikun Olam in Tel Aviv became Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. We added Jaffa to the name to reflect the actual name of the municipality of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv-Yafo. This addition also emphasizes our newly expanded presence in social action work in Jaffa, and respects the long and proud history of the city, one of the world's oldest and most important port cities. The spelling of tikkun was slightly altered to reflect the conventional usage employed by the Union for Reform Judaism.

In addition to changing the name of the program, we have made some exciting new additions to the program contents. The most noticeable of these is the addition of the two volunteer and study tracks, through which participants will be able to choose an area on which to focus during the program. More information on the Community Service and Coexistence tracks can be found in the ***program overview.**** The addition of these new tracks enables participants to gain an experience more specifically tailored to their interests and talents, and enables the Tikkun Olam program to positively impact more residents of Tel Aviv-Jaffa than ever before.

Furthermore, Bina's new partnership with The Daniel Centers and the Union for Reform Judaism greatly expands the financial and communal resources of Tikkun Olam. Not only will more financial aid be made available to participants, but Tikkun Olamers from both tracks will have access to The Daniel Centers' resources and communal life during the program.

Tikkun Olam literally means "Repairing the World." The name of our program refers to the biblical commandment that all of mankind should seek to perform acts of tikkun olam and gemilut hasadim (acts of loving kindness). Bina, the Daniel Centers and Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv-Jaffa seek not only to educate young Jews about these important tenets of Judaism, but to put them into action with social action and grassroots activism in the neediest parts of Tel Aviv-Jaffa.

In Hebrew, the word bina stands for understanding, insight and wisdom. Bina is also an acronym in hebrew, Haim Nachman Bialik, Hamatmid, which means Home for the Creation of a Nation's Soul.
 
Though not frequently used in day-to-day discourse, the word holds great significance for Bina's lofty educational goals, which are pursued in Bina's many educational programs both at its home campus in Ramat Ef'al and at the Secular Yeshiva, in the heart of South Tel Aviv. Click here for more information about Bina.

Participants will live in apartments. Those who choose the Community Service track will live in the south Tel Aviv neighborhood of Kiryat Shalom. Those who choose the Coexistence track will live in Jaffa. Following their acceptance to the program, applicants may elect to receive a $1000 tuition discount in exchange for agreeing to share a room during this portion of the program. Those who do not choose this option will get their own rooms. The apartments are fully outfitted with all necessary furniture and kitchen appliances, as well as all dishes and accessories in the kitchens. Efforts will be made to supply all apartments with wireless internet access.

Although the apartments are in very good shape, it is important to remember that they are located in a lower class neighborhood, and so may not be up to the standards that some participants are used to. Even so, the apartments are more than satisfactory and perfectly suitable for long-term living situations.

The Community Service apartments are located in the Kiryat Shalom neighborhood of south Tel Aviv, and the Coexistence apartments are located in Jaffa. The Community Service apartments are about a 20 minute walk from the Tel Aviv New Central Bus Station and Hagannah Train Station, while the Coexistence apartments are just a short bus ride away. Both sets of apartments are just a short bus ride from the center of Tel Aviv, thus making all of Tel Aviv and all of Israel easily accessible to the participants.

No problem! Our program begins with one month of intensive Ulpan study with experienced and highly qualified Hebrew Ulpan teachers. By the time participants begin volunteering, even those who did not know the Aleph-Bet upon arrival are able to speak at a high enough level to function in their volunteer places. Ulpan instruction continues with twice-weekly sessions throughout the duration of the program to ensure that the participants' Hebrew will continue to improve. By the end of the program, all participants will be able to speak Hebrew at a functional level.

During the Ulpan classes, participants will be split into groups according to their level of Hebrew knowledge. Prior to the start of the program, our Ulpan teachers will send each participant a diagnostic test, which they use to place each person in the appropriate level so that everyone should feel that he or she is being challenged in Hebrew class.

In some cases, a participant may speak Hebrew well enough to not require Ulpan at all. This should not discourage anyone from signing up for the program! The Tikkun Olam staff and Ulpan teachers will make decisions on a case-by-case basis to ensure that all participants are using their time wisely. In some cases, this may mean that a participant will be exempt from Ulpan, but only if that participant exhibits a very advanced level of Hebrew fluency. If you think this might apply to you, please ***contact us*** for more information.

Tikkun Olam volunteers work with many different populations of all ages, though most focus on children. Although the specific volunteering places vary from term to term, a broad assortment of opportunities will be made available in the following general areas:

* Tutoring in public schools in poor neighborhoods (all ages)
* Working with children with different kinds of disabilities
* Community centers in poor neighborhoods
* Activities involving both Arab and Jewish youth
* Work with South Tel Aviv's illegal immigrant population
* Work with South Tel Aviv's refugee population (including many refugees from Darfur)
* Adapted sports programs for children with disabilities
* Programs at a halfway house for recently released juvenile offenders
* And many more!

Information on specific volunteering opportunities will be released starting in the weeks leading up to the beginning of the program. Participants will have the opportunity to tour the various volunteering options and, with the guidance of Tikkun Olam staff, will choose which projects to take on for the remainder of the program.

For those participants with interests outside the pre-arranged offerings, when possible, our staff will attempt to assist the participants in arranging volunteer opportunities more suited to their interests.
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Three days each week are dedicated to volunteering, and participants will choose 3-4 regular volunteering jobs to be done each week, totaling 15-20 hours of volunteering per week. The Tikkun Olam staff has been in touch with the volunteering organizations in advance to ensure that the volunteer work will not interfere with other Tikkun Olam programming.

Check out our ***applications page*** for information on how to download an application, or request to receive one in the mail.

Yes. We will make decisions on a case-by-case basis to determine if such individuals will be a good fit for our program. To find out more, please ***contact us.****

Tuition information for the 2009-10 programming year is available on our ***Tuition and Financial Aid page.***

Your tuition payment gets you:

* Educational programming, including intensive Hebrew Ulpan, during the orientation period
* Educational programming, including Hebrew Ulpan, in Tel Aviv
* Accommodations in Tel Aviv (including apartments and all utilities)
* Internet service in the apartments in Tel Aviv
* Educational tours, overnight trips and seminars
* Health insurance

Yes, all participants will receive basic health care coverage from one of Israel's health care cooperatives (Clalit). There is a clinic and pharmacy in the neighborhood, a very short walk from the apartments. Please be advised that your health insurance will not cover preexisting conditions, and thus it is recommended that participants taking prescription medications for preexisting medical conditions bring enough with them to last the duration of the program.

Although it is perfectly safe to spend time in Israel, there are certain guidelines that participants should follow to ensure their personal safety while in Israel. Some of these are:

* Register with your home country's embassy as a citizen spending time abroad, and abide by travel advisories
* Abide by travel advisories issued by the Israeli government
* Follow Tikkun Olam and MASA policies prohibiting travel outside of Israel and in the occupied territories
* File emergency contact information with Tikkun Olam staff, as well as with your home country's embassy in Israel
* Keep your apartment door locked to prevent theft
* Only take buses from one of the major Israeli bus companies, and only take cabs that are clearly marked in the standard fashion. Avoid hitchhiking.

Most safety precautions are common sense measures that one would follow in any country in the world. Tikkun Olam participants will never be forced to do anything that involves unreasonable danger, or that they do not feel safe doing. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about safety in Israel.