It’s up to you. The typical stay is 2-3 days, up to one week. Some hosts have found it helpful to under promise and over deliver. These hosts will promise their guests one or two nights over the phone, and then decide later to offer more days once they’ve had a chance to meet their guests. Usually, this works out well, but again, you’re in complete control of your schedule and what you’re comfortable with. We do not recommend stays longer than a week.

WE RECOMMEND: Do not welcome guests for longer than one week. Promise a day or two and go from there.

It’s up to you. You are in full control of your schedule and are not obligated to say “yes” to every request. Some new hosts start slow until they gain some experience and are better able to gauge their comfort level. In any case, Israeli travelers understand you have a real life and are usually gracious when you are unable to receive them.

We Recommend: Having a guest every week would be busy. Pace yourself. When you need a break, say something like, “I’m sorry but we can’t host you at this time.” Encourage the guest to go back into the app to find another host.

No, but we do take other precautions to screen travelers before giving them access to our network of hosts.

We verify the identity of Israeli travelers. They are required to upload a photo of themselves and also a photo of their passport. We compare the two to ensure that they are who they say they are (like TSA screening at the airport).

See: How will I know if Israelis are approved and contacting me through the Planet Zula app and not just sharing my number with their friends?

You may want to “meet” your guest before giving your address. You may want to schedule a brief (10-minute) video chat on WhatsApp with your prospective guest before giving them your address and agreeing to host them. This is also a great way to break the ice and start building a friendship!

We recognize that Israelis often police themselves. “Good” Israelis will not share Planet Zula with “bad” friends because they don’t want this special network to be spoiled by a few rotten apples. We find that many of our guests want to show Israel and Israelis in a positive light, they desire to represent their country and their people well. 

We Recommend: you may want to have a video call with guests before giving them your address and inviting them to stay. 

No. Most of your Israeli guests will be proficient in English. Those who are not are usually traveling with someone who is. If you host multiple guests, you’ll notice that most will speak to one another in English when you’re present, as a courtesy.

No, you’re not expected to provide any meals, let alone kosher meals. Although it’s not an expectation, we highly recommend you offer coffee or meals if you can. These are some of the best times to connect with your guests. Also, it’s very bonding to cook a meal together. Let them teach you an Israeli dish or teach them a local dish, it will be a very rewarding experience. Guests who keep kosher will not expect you to so that’s not something you need to worry about. As you would with any guest, it would be considerate to ask if they have any dietary restrictions and take it from there.

We Recommend: share meals or coffee/tea if you can.

Maybe! You might be on the route from one destination to another. Israelis spend months in the US and will venture way off the beaten path for an experience. We would encourage you to put yourself on the map and see what happens!

Unfortunately, no. You must have a private room to offer your guests. If you don’t have a private room, let’s talk about your setup. Your home should be safe and comfortable. Access to WiFi is strongly encouraged as your guests will want to communicate with family and make further travel plans using the internet. Access to laundry is not required, but would be a real blessing to your guest.

Yes! The website and mobile application Israelis will use to find hosts on our network states clearly that hosts are believers in Jesus who love and want to bless Israel through the gift of hospitality. You can view the website at https://planetzula.com. In addition, our hosting network spreads by word-of-mouth among Israelis. They will tell their friends about this network of Christian hosts who love Israel and offer free hospitality to Israelis.

We Recommend: be yourself, your guest knows that you are a Christian.

Yes. You can access our training videos from your host dashboard or by clicking the button below.

The training videos:

• Help you see the impact you can have in the lives of Israelis through the ministry of hospitality.
• Explain more about the mindset of Israelis.
• Help you avoid potential hosting frustrations.
• Guide you as you prepare your home for guests.
• Offer practical insights for hosts.
• Suggest ways to engage in conversations about Yeshua.

We Recommend: watch all of our training videos and review as necessary.