Derech Hateva's mission is to offer Jewish teens and adults the opportunity to experience the wonder and excitement of the outdoors, and to facilitate meaningful adventures for exploring and engaging with the people and Land of Israel. Derech Hateva was founded in 2002 by Yael Ukeles as a sister program to the US-based Teva Adventure. From 2005 to 2008, Derech Hateva was affiliated with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI).

With Israel's beautiful landscape as classroom, we offer challenging, nature-based programs in which participants immerse themselves in a range of outdoor activities- hiking, backpacking biking and rock climbing- as well as experiential Jewish and other text-based learning.

We keep our program-groups small so that each group forms a team that works together to accomplish its goals. We provide a high staff to participant ratio so that each individual learns the skills of the trail, and can return home with the abilities and self-confidence to initiate and lead. We empower our participants to make decisions as a group, and give them the chance to experience leadership firsthand.

At Derech Hateva, we are dedicated to the cultivating of passionate, socially responsible young Jewish leaders, equipping them with teamwork, communication and decision-making skills. Derech Hateva is your opportunity to learn to love being outside and in nature, get excited about being Jewish, and connect to Israel in a fun, meaningful and personal way.

Click on the links below to learn more about our current programs:

• The Israel Trail Teen Adventure
- an action-packed month of backpacking across Israel for 9th-12th graders. Participants hike, bike and climb in the North and South of Israel, learn to spend Shabbat in the wilderness and trek through the desert with camels.
• Trek Israel
offers week-long backpacking programs for college-aged young adults, Birthright alumni & young professionals.
• Kehillat Natan Youth Leadership Fellowship
- Israel's development town-youth and immigrants from Ethiopia and the Former Soviet Union spend a year learning about Urban Sustainability and implementing self-initiated community-improvement projects. Kehillat Natan was created in memory of JJ (Natan) Greenberg, z"l.
• Experiential Journeys for Schools
- A journey in Israel is enhanced by integrating personal exploration, in-depth text-study and a connection to nature and the land.
• Eco-Tours for Families-
Experiential Jewish learning about Israel's natural history and environment.
• Customized Trips- both classic & outdoor-based, for families, schools, synagogues or community groups visiting Israel throughout the year, for any duration of time, in any region of Israel, and to meet the requirements of any skill-level.