Sherut Leumi is an alternative voluntary national service in Israel for those that cannot or do not wish to serve in the Israel Defense Forces. Generally, these are young women who for religious reasons cannot serve in the gender mixed units of the Israeli army, but who are deeply committed to the State of Israel, and choose to serve the country through other means. Sherut Leumi volunteers can work in various programs such as schools, special education, administration, hospitals, law, geriatrics, nursing homes, health clinics, teens at risk, internal security, disadvantaged communities, immigrant assistance, and many other organizations. In their second year of service, they can apply to serve in Diaspora Jewish communities worldwide.

In 2010-2011, for the fifth successful year, Sherut Leumi volunteers have come to Cincinnati to serve all segments of the local Jewish community. The volunteers’ primary appointment is at Cincinnati Hebrew Day School where they provide Torah, Hebrew language, and Israel based programming for the students of this Orthodox day school. In addition, the Sherut Leumi volunteers conduct weekly children’s services at Golf Manor Synagogue. Two Sundays a month they lead crafts and other educational programs for Jewish youth from a number of local private and public schools. Weeknights, they can be found leading conversational Hebrew groups for adults, participating in after-school Israeli clubs, providing translation services and remedial Hebrew tutoring, as well as helping to provide emotional and logistical support for Israeli patients temporarily residing in Cincinnati for medical care under the auspices of the Mindel Konstam Bikur Holim organization. In addition, they have performed community service projects for the Jewish Federation, Jewish Foundation, University of Cincinnati Hillel, Adath Israel Synagogue, HUC, Achim, Chabad, and the Blue Ash Public Library.