Helping Israel by being there
"When my grandkids say, what did you do in the war? I'll be able to say I was able to help, and although it was a tiny drop in the ocean, it was my drop," says David Moses.
“If there is this small kernel inside of you that wants to go to Israel to help, and you can go, just go!”
That was Maya Weizman’s message to an audience of 300 at a Zionist Council of NSW (ZCNSW) event on February 7 at Moriah College, which aimed to raise awareness about volunteering opportunities throughout Israel.
Weizman was one of nine panellists who shared inspiring and deeply moving stories about spending time in Israel in the aftermath of October 7, whether it involved physical volunteering work – such as on farms or army bases – or simply spending quality time with Israelis going through trauma, personal hardship, or recovering from injuries in hospital.
The ZCNSW handed out Israel volunteering information booklets, with input from eight organisations, including the Duvdevan Foundation.
One couple in the audience was so moved, they decided that night to book flights to Israel in May.
Panellists agreed that while their trips to Israel were challenging – particularly emotionally – they gained as much personally from it as the help they gave.
They also reflected on the strength and spirit of Israelis, and how grateful the people were to them, just for being there.
David Moses – who did tasks from helping out at funeral services, to project managing construction of a communal kitchen and a laundry for evacuees from Israel’s south – described being a volunteer in Israel at this particular time as “one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life”.
“When my grandkids say, what did you do in the war? I’ll be able to say I was able to help, and although it was a tiny drop in the ocean, it was my drop.”
Yoav Yichie, who works in agri-tech, said his highlight was seeing a struggling farmer in Israel’s south smile again when realising help is at hand from volunteers, from as far away as Australia.
Mark Rohald said he felt compelled to volunteer, and while it took a big emotional toll, “you grow enormously as a human being”.
Panel members also included Davin Glick, Shoshana Eisner, Orna Triguboff, Charmaine Roth and Revi Kadoury.
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