Preparing for a Dig

On this page, you will find helpful information on how to prepare for a dig, from what to pack to how to get phone service. If you can't find the answer you are looking for here, please feel free to contact us at archaeology@lipscomb.edu

Suggested Packing List

Clothes

Light-weight, wide-brimmed hat
Work clothes (preferably pants and shirts that are durable and suitable for hard work outside, dealing with dirt, stones, and thorny plants)
Light-weight, long-sleeve shirt, also suitable for hard work outside (this will not only help with protection from the sun and plants, but will also help keep you warm in the cool mornings)
Close-toed work shoes, preferably ankle-height (remember you will be dealing with dirt, stones, thorny plants, as well as big tools and possibly critters of various kinds)
Belt
"Camp" clothes (comfortable summer clothes for hanging around the kibbutz we stay at and working on artifacts)
Travel clothes (clothes that are comfortable for you to wear when walking a lot in warm weather while visiting sites). PLEASE be sure to include pants/skirts that go below the knees and shirts that cover your shoulders if you plan to visit religious sites
PJs
Underwear
Bathing suit
Light-weight jacket/sweater/sweatshirt (for the cool morning and evenings)
Socks
Comfortable walking shoes, preferably close-toed and with soles that don't slip easily as you will be walking on very smooth stones
Sandals
Beach towel (for those going on the weekend tours)

Toiletries (there are also toiletries available at a store at the kibbutz we stay on)

Sunscreen (make sure to have enough!)
Bug spray
Soap
Shampoo
Toothbrush & toothpaste
Deodorant
Nail clippers
Detergent (if you want to hand wash clothes, instead of paying for laundry, and don't want to buy a large amount in Israel)
Personal supplies as needed
Medications as needed
Toiletries bag (for ease of carrying toiletries to/from shared bathrooms)

General Equipment/Other (generic excavation tools and equipment are provided by the project)

Water bottle (preferably one that is insulated and that holds a large amount. An example is pictured to the left)
Work gloves (thick and durable as you will be dealing with rocks and thorny plants)
Trowel, like that pictured to the left (you can find options here and here. A 4" or 5" length is preferable)
Archaeological hand pick/patish, like that pictured to the left (you can find one option here)
Pocket knife
Knee pads (optional as these aren't used all the time or by everyone)
Masks (optional and can be helpful with keeping the dirt out of your nose)
Bag to carry your supplies to the excavation site every day
Money belt
Sunglasses
Camera (or just your phone)
Phone and charger
Converter for plugs
Portable charger
Earbuds/headphones
Ear plugs (you will be sharing a room with others)
Neck pillow for flight
Flashlight (for those going on the weekend tours)
Weekend bag (though we leave the kibbutz every weekend, we are allowed to store the majority of our luggage at the kibbutz so you only need a smaller weekend bag for whatever you need with you)
Cash on hand (see the section on money for more information)
Copies of your passport, your airfare, and your credit cards that you will be bringing
Travel/medical insurance (you can find an example/option here)

Visa Information

As of January 2025, the visa process for US citizens going to Israel has changed. To learn more about the visa process or apply for your visa, you can visit this website.

Some tips:

The website will help you figure out which visa to apply for but it's usually just the ETA-IL
As a participant of the dig, we recommend you just put down "tourism" as you man reason for visiting. This is the best fit as the other categories (i.e. "volunteering", etc.) usually mean something more than what you will be doing on our dig.
Your visa will be for 90 days for each visit, as this visa will be good for 2 years! 90 days is plenty of time for the dig.
The visa for 2 years does require a minimal cost of about $7.
You should do this process at least 4-5 days before your flight leaves (unless you already have a visa from an earlier trip to Israel). But they can be so quick with the process that you get an approval email within minutes of submitting your request so be on the lookout for it right away.
Keep the email/information on hand during your trip, just in case; but you usually do not need to show it to anyone.
You will still be issued a small, blue paper visa when you arrive in Israel so be sure to keep this in a safe place as security may request to see it at checkpoints and when you fly home.

Airport Information

Flight Tips

We do not do groups flights so everyone is responsible for booking their own flight. However, we are happy to give you tips and recommendations
Flying to Israel from the US will usually entail at least one layover. Just look at the options to see what suits you best.
Whichever of your flights is the one going directly to Israel, know you might have an additional security check before boarding that flight
On your trip back to the US, be sure to leave enough time in your first layover in the US to go through customs (3 hours is usually plenty)
If possible, try to book directly with the airlines as this will make any necessary changes easier
We also strongly recommend that you pack some clothes and other essential items in a carry on, if at all possible, as luggage has been lost before and sometimes takes more than week to be found
If you would like any other advice or to look into the possibility of flying with other volunteers, please contact us at archaeology@lipscomb.edu

Airport in Israel

The airport in Israel that you want to fly to is the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv (airport code TLV)
Upon arrival in the Ben Gurion airport, once you get off the plane, you will first need to get your visa (a small blue card with your picture on it) at the thin tall machines that you will see everyone lining up at. Security will not let you leave the terminal until you have this visa. Most of them have directions available in English and/or picture directions
Security will check your visa at the exit from the terminal. Keep your visa in a safe place as it may be checked throughout your stay in Israel.
You will then come to passport control and you will follow the signs for the booths that handle foreign passports. Have your passport ready to hand the officer. They will usually ask you general questions like the length of your stay, the purpose of your trip, and where you are staying. It's usually nice to have a this information handy to help you remember all these facts and to show them, especially for where you are staying
You will exit passport control with the use of a ticket that the passport control officer will hand you
You will then enter baggage claim. Just look at the board, which alternates between English and other languages, to find your baggage carousel
Once you have your baggage, you will then exit the area by going through customs. You will most likely just need to go through the entry for those who have nothing to declare
Once you exit, you will be in the reception area of the airport, pictured below, where you can look for your ride, car rental signs, or other form of transportation
The Ben Gurion airport also has free wifi so you can contact anyone you need to

Airport Transportation

For those who are traveling with the Lanier Center for Archaeology group, we do our best to provide transportation from and to the Ben Gurion airport, though this not guaranteed
If you are traveling with the Lanier Center and we confirm that we can pick you up at Ben Gurion, once you reach the reception area of the airport you will look for someone holding a sign that says Tel Burna
Otherwise, you have several options besides renting a car. You can take the fast train into Jerusalem, which is perhaps the cheapest and quickest option. The train station is located in Level S of Terminal 3. You can find out more information about that here. This option is only available most of the day, except for Shabbat (Friday afternoon - Saturday evening). The train will take you to the Jerusalem Central Station and you can use the Moovit app to find your way from there
You can also take a personal taxi, pictured to the upper left, which will be the most expensive option. This is one of only two options (aside from a rental car) if you need a ride straight to the kibbutz. You will find taxis, clearly marked, directly outside of the airport building on the ground level. If you decide on this option, be sure to clearly communicate where you are going AND agree on the price beforehand. This option is available 24/7
If you are going into Jerusalem, you can take a sherut (AKA shared taxi or airport shuttle), pictured to the left, which is another affordable option which ends up being about 66 shekels, or $19 USD. (However, if the driver cannot completely fill up the sherut, then you will have to pay more than 66 shekels.) These sheruts are available directly outside door 2 of the reception area of the airport building on the ground floor; you just need to follow the signs that say shuttles to Jerusalem. You will tell the driver where you need to go, pay him in cash only, and just wait for the shuttle to fill up before you leave the airport. This option is available 24/7
Finally, you can also take the bus/public transportation. This will also be a cheap option, though it will take the longest. It is also the other option available to get to the kibbutz. You can find your way on public transportation by using the app Moovit. You will also need to get a RavKav card (bus/train pass) before you take public transportation, and those cards are available in the reception area of the airport. Public transportation, like the fast train, is available most of the day except Shabbat. The easiest way to get to the kibbutz by bus is to get to Beth Shemesh and then take bus #26 from Beth Shemesh (there is a station near the trail station) to Netiv HaLamed Heh. If you have any problem please call Itzick Shai – 972-544700596, Debi Cassuto 972-544719889, or Aharon Tavger 972-506432180.
As of now, there are no ride share apps available in Israel that are easy for English speakers to use, aside from ones that call you a regular taxi

Money in Israel

Currency in Israel
Israel uses shekels, in both coin and paper form. Their shekels are like our US dollars. They also have an equivalent to our US cents, which they call agarot and also come in different denominations and coins. You may see Israeli currency amounts marked with either an NIS (New Israel Shekel) or a ₪ . Currently, 1 shekel equals about $0.27 USD.

Changing Money
You have several options for changing your money to shekels:

Bank: you can always change money/get shekels at your bank before arriving in Israel
ATM: there are multiple ATMs that you can use in Israel with an English option, including in the Ben Gurion airport. You are usually charged a few to withdraw money. Also, be sure to notify your bank that you will be traveling in Israel and using your debit card.
Money changer: there are also multiple money changers, in the airport and throughout Israel. However, they may have different exchange rates and so if you want to go this route, we recommend that you wait until you are in Jerusalem and let us take you to the person we use, who has the best exchange rate around!

Credit Cards
Credit cards are accepted nearly everywhere in Israel! But, just like debit cards, be sure to notify your bank that you will be using your card in Israel so that they don't deny you access. Also, remember that there are going to be a few times/places that take only cash so you will still need to have cash on hand

Other Information
The fees that you pay for the dig will cover all your necessities, so the only things you might want money for are souvenirs, snacks, laundry services, and other similar incidentals. For the weekends, your monetary needs will depend on what you do (see weekend options under Life on a Dig).

Costs in Israel are close to what you would find in the US, though some things are a little more expensive.

Using Wifi and a Phone in Israel

In this section, you will find some options and advice about using wifi and your phone in Israel:

Wifi will be available at the guest house we stay at during the work week. Wifi is also usually available at most hotels you will stay at on the weekends. Finally, there are usually cafes and the like where wifi will be available when you travel on the weekends.
Because there is a large group of us trying to use wifi at similar times during the work week, the connection can be slow or spotty sometimes, so you can plan accordingly
Unless your phone plan already offers international coverage in Israel or you use one of the options below, you will want to keep your phone in airplane mode for the duration of your stay
Keeping your phone in airplane mode will still allow you to connect to wifi and use any apps that just needs an internet connection, such as WhatsApp, FaceTime, Messenger, etc.
As a volunteer, you should not really need your phone, but if you would still like to have a working one, here are a few options and tips:
1. You can always contact your current phone service and inquire on the best way to use your phone through them internationally, though this can be costly
2. You can also buy an Israeli SIM card, which can give you an Israeli number, with a certain amount of local minutes, texts, and/or data so that you will have almost no restrictions using your phone in Israel. This will require replacing your usual SIM card, so be aware that you will want a safe place to keep that so you can swap it back when you return home. There are multiple options for Israeli SIM card in regards to companies and plans so you can choose the one that best fits you. They also come at different costs. Some companies are better than others. If you choose to get an Israeli SIM card, double check that your phone will work with another SIM card. You can find Israeli SIM cards all over Jerusalem
3. Another newer option available are eSIM (or digital) cards. These work just like physical SIM cards except that you can set them up before you travel to Israel as you don't need the physical card. These can be a little more complicated to set up as you have to do it yourself, so be sure to do your research on if your phone can support an eSIM card and how to set it up
4. Consider just using data! Most people in Israel use WhatsApp, through which you can make calls and send texts, and you can set up one number for yourself on the app which you can use anytime. If you get a SIM or eSIM card, there is usually an option to do just data, which can be less expensive, and would be more than enough for you to use WhatsApp to contact people. BUT if you need to contact local businesses, then you will want to get a plan with minutes
5. Finally, if you want to be able to call home (international calls), be sure to either get a plan/SIM card that allows you to make international calls or arrange it with your family/friends/etc. back home that they can be contacted through an internet-supported communication system like WhatsApp, FaceTime, etc.

Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

For those of you who would like to, you can enroll in the US Embassy's STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program). The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. The benefits of enrolling in this program include receiving alerts and information, allows the embassy to contact you in case of an emergency, and helps you family contact you in case of an emergency.

If you are interested in enrolling in this option program, you can visit their website here.

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