It is designed for individuals who do not meet the eligibility criteria for service in the Israel Defense Forces, or who hold conscientious objections to military enlistment.

The program primarily was created for religious Jewish girls aged 17 to 24, although it is open to all applicants who cite diverse grounds for their decision.

[1] Service typically requires working thirty to forty hours per week over twelve to twenty-four months.

[citation needed] Haredi men who maintain that Torah study is their way of defending Israel are exempted under the Torato Umanuto arrangement.

Some Israeli conscientious objectors who object to serving in the army but are not eligible for an exemption have voiced a wish to do an alternative form of national service instead.

[citation needed] In 2012, Israel's cabinet extended military service exemption for 1,300 Haredi Yeshiva students as part of the Shirut Le'umi Mishmar.

At the end of the service, the Israeli volunteers receive a grant that can be used for things such as education, buying a house, or paying for a wedding.