‘Crying out for help’
"I needed to actually be on the ground and doing something to help the people of Israel,"
More Australians are needed to work on Sar-El, the National Project for Volunteers for Israel, to assist directly on IDF bases, engaging in non-combat tasks to free up soldiers for essential military duties.
Sar-El Australian representative Tammy Graeve said the uniformed volunteers do logistical support tasks like sorting medical supplies, packing parachutes and distributing snacks. The program accepts volunteers of various nationalities and backgrounds.
Graeve said Sar-El is “crying out for help” given the current challenges Israel faces.
She said the current war in Gaza has seen an increase in the number of enquiries, but more are needed.
Sydney resident Danny Hochberg recently returned from doing the Sar-El program.
“I needed to actually be on the ground and doing something to help the people of Israel,” he said.
He said he was lucky enough to find a place with 25 volunteers at Tel Hashomer in the centre of the country. “I served for two weeks with a group mainly from the United States, most of them Jewish, but not all,” Hochberg said.
“What we would do is pack supplies, which would go to the frontline for medical purposes for the troops. One of the more emotional things that I did was to pack ceramic plates into protective vests for the soldiers to protect them from bullets.
“Israelis are very appreciative of any contribution you make. Actually going out and volunteering and being productive is … satisfying, rewarding and also important to Israelis – they can never thank you enough.”
Volunteers typically commit to one to three weeks, with the option to stay longer. They undergo a structured program, beginning their days with the Israeli national anthem, Hatikvah, and receiving assignments in teams. All volunteers need to pay for is their air fare.
Sar-El takes a diverse range of people, from young adults to retirees, including non-Jews.
“There’s the younger [people doing the] Birthright program … which I think is beautiful. But then there’s a lot of people that have retired they’ve got more time, but … you have an influx of from 18 to 70-year-olds who are just wanting to give their souls and their heart to Israel in some way,” Graeve said.
Applications are carefully reviewed in Israel to ensure the suitability and security of volunteers.
More info: sarelaustralia.com
comments