Program Description

Mahaz fellows will live, learn, and work together. Applicants should be ready to immerse themselves in the daily activities, responsibilities, and rhythms of working on a production-oriented and community-based farm. Through the duration of the program, Fellows will have a chance to learn a diverse set of field skills related to regenerative agriculture, as well as gain an introductory exposure to a range of skills applicable to the foundation of homesteading arts and tending the wild. 

Fellows will work directly with our farm team through their work in the field. A core focus of the program will be working with our horticultural projects - vegetable & medicinal gardens, fruit & nut orchards, ecological landscaping, etc. Aside from the core field work, the program also offers a robust enrichment curriculum, which includes weekly classes related to agriculture, ecological crafts, Jewish studies, and more, as taught by our team and guest educators.  As community is a central part of this experience which extends beyond our group to include our wider local community. So to support our friends and neighbours, we will be involved in various volunteer projects over the summer.

Program Content

Our weekly schedule runs Monday to Thursday from 7am - 5pm and Fridays from 7am - 3pm.

Farming Skills - Hands-on training in agricultural basics: Seasonal cultivation of perennials and annuals, garden beds, composting, seed propagation, land management, and animal husbandry.

Homesteading Practices - Woodworking, cob building, hide tanning, fermentation, apothecary, shelter building, and other traditional crafts of our material culture.

Torah of Place - Jewish tradition explored through themes of land stewardship and agricultural cycles. Listening to the song of the land to come to love where we stand.

Please see the FAQ page for more detailed program info.

Program Compensation

This is a work-trade program with no tuition. In exchange for 25 hours weekly of fieldwork, fellows receive:

  • Room and board

  • Weekly farm produce harvests and Hiddr Meats staff discount

  • $600 monthly stipend

Stipend requires full attendance and task completion. Payments are twice monthly, conditional on participation. Additional hours available case-by-case. Fellows receive 3 PTO days during the program.

Application Process

This program requires full commitment: prompt arrival, consistent presence, and wholehearted engagement in fieldwork, classes, and community activities.

Ideal Applicants

  • Can commit to the full 4-month program

  • Ages 21–40

  • Physically and mentally prepared for early mornings and demanding outdoor work

  • Interested in regenerative agriculture and ecological stewardship

  • Want to connect Jewish identity with agricultural practice

  • Thrive in collaborative, community-based learning

  • Comfortable in multi-faith settings respecting Orthodox Shabbat and kashrut

  • Value clear, honest communication and personal accountability

Application Timeline

Applications accepted until December 28th. Apply early—spaces are limited.

After review, qualified candidates receive interview invitations. Accepted applicants secure their spot with a $400 deposit.

Check your spam folder for responses from Mahaz.

Testimonials

  • "Mahaz is an enriching experience to discover what you love about living freely in our natural environment and learning what it is to be truly human in this world from some of the wisest teachers and mentors.”

    Shoshi H (cohort 2022)

  • “I've described it as both a fairytale, and as blessings pouring down like rain. I would also say, it's a great first step into the world of homesteading and survival skills. Your confidence and competency to grow food, medicine, mushrooms, take care of animals, and understand the basics of regenerative practices and permaculture design will increase. With that confidence you can continue this lifelong learning journey of rewilding ourselves, our homes, our hearts, and coming into greater harmony with the human and non-human community.”

    Rachel S (cohort 2022)

  • “Mahaz is a loving and welcoming farm fellowship, where you learn about ecological and homesteading practices and about how it pertains to Judaism and Jewish life. The community is so welcoming whether Jewish or non-Jewish, and there is so much time to spend with each other learning and having a good time, and the work is so good for the body and mind and soul.”

    Brocha Leah B (cohort 2022)

  • “The program gave me a wide variety of opportunities and experiences with farming, Judaism, and community - which is exactly what I came for.”

    Shana F (cohort 2022)

  • “In just 4 months I feel a deep level of healing I was really in need of (spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically), I opened a whole new world of hands-on skills I never had the opportunity to learn before (e.g. natural building/crafting, knife work, wilderness skills, fire craft), my Torah knowledge has expanded greatly (learning from all people and from the land itself), and I feel confident to do the work and show up in a way I felt I had lost before this program.”

    Miryam M (cohort 2022)

  • “A beautiful journey through communion with self, others and nature as a whole.”

    Menachem F (cohort 2023)

  • “Mahaz is a chance to dive deeply into land connected skills of farming, handicraft and ecology while living in a community of Jews. Prepare to be wowed by incredible teachers and their deep lessons, spend time sweating in the dirt and expand your image of yourself.” em

    Eli S (cohort 2023)

  • “This program has given me the time and space to explore parts of myself that I had yet to meet before coming. Not only was it a deep journey with the beautiful land itself, but also with myself. I learned skills connected to the land- how to grow my own vegetables and start my own fire- but also new skills in understanding myself. I am leaving with a beautiful new and large family, and I am so grateful.”

    Kayla R (cohort 2023)

  • “If you're looking to delve into a different kind of jewish community full of joy, confusion, uncertain, passion, learning, Mahaz is for you. If you want to get a taste of what life in the country could look like, if you want to go to sleep to the sounds of crickets and woken by birds, this place is for you. If you want the opportunity to try-on new skills and enter into a space of self-reliance, hard work, stepping into the unknown with trust, Mahaz is for you.”

    Raina G (cohort 2023)