Participants must meet the following criteria:

• FUNDRAISING: Commit to meeting the minimum fundraising requirements (see below).
• AGE: Riders must be at least 12 years old. Please note: this is a very strenuous physical undertaking – your child should be mentally and physically prepared. Riders under 18 years old must cycle and remain with parent or guardian at all times.
• HEALTH: Be in good health. If you have a pre-existing condition, such as a pacemaker, we may require a doctor’s note. If you have any doubts about your health, please see a doctor before you begin your training.
• INSURANCE: Participants must carry health insurance to join the Israel Ride, and are responsible for all personal medical costs incurred during the Israel Ride. Personal insurance may not cover all oversea expenses. We strongly recommend supplemental traveler’s insurance, including: Health/accident coverage, Medical evacuation, and Trip cancellation/interruption. (We suggest viewing travelinsurance.com.)
• Due to the nature of some hotels along the route, the Ride is not 100% ADA compliant. Questions? Contact us.
• COVID COMPLIANCE: At the time of the Ride, all riders must meet the current requirements for entry to Israel, including the necessary level of vaccinations and boosters.

New this year: Reserve your spot on the 2025 Israel Ride by paying a $180 deposit. The deposit locks in your registration price (see the chart below for details). Your fundraising page will be created upon deposit payment so you can begin fundraising. The remaining registration balance is due by June 15th. For example, early bird registrants will owe an additional $415 ($595 – $180) on June 15th. If you don’t complete registration by June 15th, you’ll lose your spot on the Ride, and re-registering will cost the then-current registration fee.

The deposit and registration fee do not count towards fundraising and are not tax-deductible. All costs listed are in USD.

Other costs you are responsible for include:

• Bike Fees: Each rider must either rent a bike or cover the costs of transporting your personal bicycle within Israel:
  • $150 to bring your own bike (covers transport and storage throughout Ride, including bike transport to/from the airport)
  • Rentals: Hybrid Bike- $325; Road Bike- $425. All rental bikes are owned or vetted by the Israel Ride.
  • Carbon bike- $600.
  • Limited Class 1 E-Bike rentals – $750. Requires advanced permission. Please contact us.
• Phone: all participants must have a working cell phone with data in Israel. We use text messaging to communicate while on the road, and to reach you in an emergency. We have a rental discount for 019 Mobile here. Their SIM cards, cell phones, and MiFi devices are available for pick up in the Ben Gurion Airport upon your arrival.
• Tips for the ride crew who provide luggage transport and on-road support for the week ($100-$200 suggested per rider)
• Incidental costs incurred during hotel stays, including internet and alcoholic beverages.
• Israel Ride merchandise (for purchase on the Ride) as well as any shopping purchases during the Ride

Optional Upgrades

Single rooms are available for the full week or just Shabbat. (No singles at Ketura.)

• Full Week Single Room: Cost TBD
• Rider Shabbat Single Room: Cost TBD (2 nights).
• Shabbat Guests: Cost TBD. This fee is for Friday and Saturday nights. This fee is per guest who will share a double occupancy room with the host at our secondary hotel, the Ramon Suites. All guest overnights include: Friday night dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Shabbat services, and other activities.

A limited number of partial scholarships for young riders may be available. Please reach out if you are interested in learning more.

Rider Cancellation Policy:

Rider Cancellation Date	Registration Fee	Add-Ons	Fundraising
Within 24 hours of purchase	Fully Refundable	Fully Refundable	Non-Refundable.
24 hours after purchase – Aug 1, 2025	Potentially refundable	Fully Refundable	Non-Refundable. Fundraising can be credited to another rider for the 2025 Ride.
August 2, 2025 – onward	Non-refundable	Non-Refundable	Non-Refundable. There is a $2,500 fundraising commitment by Sept 1st. Riders will be charged their remaining balance up to $2,500. Fundraising above $2,500 can be credited to another rider for the 2025 Ride.

If a participant cancels on or before August 1, 2025:

• The registration deposit is not refundable. If you do not come on the Israel Ride, your deposit can be converted into a donation and so you will receive a charitable gift receipt.
• The registration fee, minus the $180 deposit, is refundable if it was paid in 2025. If you registered for 2025 using a credit from your 2024 or 2023 registration, you are not eligible for a refund. However, your registration fee—regardless of when it was paid—can be converted into a donation. Please note that, since there will not be a 2026 Israel Ride, it will not be possible to apply your registration fee as a credit toward a future ride.
• Add-on fees (for example, bike rental fees, trip extension payments, and housing upgrades) are fully refundable.
• Fundraising cannot be refunded under any circumstances. Fundraising can be credited to another rider on the 2025 Ride but cannot be credited to a future Ride.

If a participant cancels after August 1, 2025:

• The registration deposit is not refundable.
• The registration fee is non-refundable.
• Add-on fees (for example, bike rental fees, trip extension payments, and housing upgrades) are non-refundable.
• Fundraising: All riders have guaranteed to fundraise or self-fund $2,500 by September 1, 2025. If a rider drops out after September 1st, the Israel Ride will charge their credit card on file the remaining fundraising balance up to $2,500. Fundraising above $2,500 can be credited to another rider on the 2025 Ride, but cannot be credited to a future year.

 

Should the entire 2025 Israel Ride be postponed or canceled:

• The registration deposit is not refundable.
• The registration fee you paid to sign up for the Israel Ride is fully refundable. We usually refund registration fees via check. You may also convert your registration fee into a donation to the Arava Institute to receive a charitable gift receipt. 
• Add-on fees (for example, bike rental fees, trip extension payments, and housing upgrades)  are also fully refundable. We usually refund add-on fees to the credit card that made the payment.
• Fundraising cannot be refunded under any circumstances (whether the entire Israel Ride is canceled, postponed, or if the rider decides to drop out of the Israel Ride). In the case where the entire Israel Ride is canceled or postponed, a rider may decide to credit fundraising they raised above $2,500 to their fundraising page for the next year’s Israel Ride. So if a rider has raised $3,000 for the Arava Institute when the Ride was canceled, they can decide to credit up to $500 to their next year’s fundraising page.
• Fundraising can only be credited to a future year once.