Sherut Leumi (Hebrew: שירות לאומי, lit. National Service) is an alternative voluntary national service in Israel for those that cannot or do not wish to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. The majority who receive an exemption from the obligatory army service are Jewish women from the Religious Zionist sector, and they receive it by declaring religious observance, as they maintain that men are to perform that duty, and women are responsible for the family. However, 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 sector males, who maintain that Torah study is the main practice defending Israel, as well as most Arab Israeli youth, may also perform national service, In order not to create a conflict between their country and their Arab brothers (a decision at first taken by Israel's 1st Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion). Historically, very few did, but in recent years, the number of Arab youths volunteering for national service has skyrocketed. Some Israeli conscientious objectors 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.
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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.
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.
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:
Rather than perform army service, Israeli Arab youths have the option to volunteer to national service and receive benefits similar to those received by discharged soldiers. The volunteers are generally allocated to Arab populations, where they assist with social and community matters. As of 2010[update] there are 1,473 Arabs volunteering for national service. According to sources in the national service administration, Arab leaders are counseling youths to refrain from performing services to the state. According to a National Service official, "For years the Arab leadership has demanded, justifiably, benefits for Arab youths similar to those received by discharged soldiers. Now, when this opportunity is available, it is precisely these leaders who reject the state's call to come and do the service, and receive these benefits".[1]