Have you been dreaming of traveling to the Holy Land and visiting the Holy City of Jerusalem? The Austrian Hospice in the Old City offers you the opportunity to live for a couple of weeks in Jerusalem – without charge in exchange for voluntary services in our house. In the following you will find basic information about volunteering in our house (job description, expectations, conditions):

1. Duration of service at least four week; longer stays are possible (probationary period)
2. Minimum age 18 years
3. Average of five working days per week approximately 8 hours each; depending on the season and the needs of the guesthouse the number of working days and hours per week may vary.
4. Fields of employment are
   1. Cleaning and maintenance of guestrooms, dormitories, house and yard
   2. Service in the Dining rooms
   3. Service in the Cafeteria
   4. Assistance in the kitchen and the laundry
   5. Duty at Reception
5. In every field newly-arrived volunteers will be trained by other, experienced volunteers. For service jobs in the dining rooms and in the Cafeteria you will need dark skirts/trousers and ties.
6. The kind of assignment to a job is decided by the management according to the needs of the house and depends on each volunteer’s ability and talent.
7. Flight and travel costs are on your own budget.
8. We offer
   1. free board (three meals a day)
   2. free lodging (in double or triple rooms)
   3. health insurance in Austria (or the time of your voluntary service)
   4. small pocket money for every working day
   5. free internet
   6. telephone in the rooms
   7. free laundry service
   8. company of up to 18 other volunteers
   9. the very special experience to live in the middle of the Old City of Jerusalem
9. We expect
   1. flexibility
   2. devotion to the assignment
   3. impeccable manners
   4. well-groomed appearance
   5. responsibility
   6. capacity and willingness to be part of a team
   7. physical fitness
10. Please keep in mind that
    1. the high temperatures during the summer months can be physically strenuous
    2. voluntary service in a pilgrim’s house like in every guesthouse quite often implies hard work
    3. living and working  in the company of and in a community with around 20 people of different back-ground and opinion requires tolerance, open-mindedness, willingness to help each other, respectfulness and kindness
    4. our goal is to offer pilgrims a home far from home
11. In case of your interest we would need either by mail or online - in combination with the questionnaire
    1. your detailed curriculum vitae including home address, telephone number, date and place of birth and an up-to-date picture portrait
    2. social insurance number
    3. name and address of person(s) to be contacted in the event of emergency
    4. information about physical infirmities or chronic illnesses
    5. information about special training courses completed, languages, previous job experience (particularly if you have already worked in the tourist industry)
    6. number and date of previous journeys to the Holy Land
    7. motivation for volunteering in the Austrian Hospice
    8. letter of reference
    9. date and duration of aspired voluntary service period
12. further proceedings
    1. As soon as we have received all the necessary information (see listed under 11.) we will decide about a voluntary position according to your suitability and the requirements of the house. You will be informed immediately.
    2.  If you have received our letter, fax or email of acceptance, please confirm by return-letter, -fax or -email
    3. Before arrival, please inform us about your flight and arrival data (date, time, airline and flight number).
    4. Please choose your arrival and departure dates corresponding with your voluntary service period, otherwise prior agreement will have to be made with us.
    5. You will either be picked up at Ben Gurion Airport or provided with the necessary information to find your own way to Jerusalem.
    6. The tourist industry in Israel and thus business also in our house is subject to diverse influences and fluctuations; therefore we reserve the right to cancel voluntary service positions due to internal, organisational or other reasons, even during the voluntary service.
    7. Acceptance or premature termination of the voluntary service is the Rector’s discretion.
    8. With the submission of your application you agree to accept the above conditions.
13. Please direct inquiries and applications to: volunteer@austrianhospice.com or online