MY IDF VOLUNTEERING WITH SAR-EL
Sar-el Volunteering in the Israeli Army was founded in 1982 and attracts an eclectic mix of around 4,000 people every year from over 30 countries. Despite being a regular visitor to Israel, I only heard about this scheme 2 years ago. I enjoy doing meaningful volunteering, but dislike committees, so it sounded ideal. Volunteers range in age - 16 to 80+! - including both Jews and non-Jews. There are heath and personal forms to fill in before you go, including agreeing not to discuss religion or politics on base (yippee). You pay your own way, and hand over a 200 shekel fee for the privilege. I volunteered over the winter bank holiday period for the last 2 years, being sent both times to the medical logistics base. Tasks like maintenance, painting and even putting away sukkahs can wait for another trip to a different base.
Arriving on base, a pile of army uniforms greeted us from which to pick our work apparel. Personally, trouser length was OK, but waist size was appropriate for someone more portly. Thank the Lord (and the Swiss) for velcro belts. Large baggy khaki shirt completed the wardrobe. This is behind-the-scenes, off-the-beaten track Israel. Sharing a room and communal bathrooms are part of the life changing experience.
The working week starts Sunday morning, finishing around Thursday lunchtime. Breakfast in dining room from 7:00 a.m. Salad (available at every meal), cornflakes or granola on a good day, yogurt, cheese, eggs, bread, and olives. Parade 7:45 a.m., including flag raising (photo opportunity) and the singing of hatikvah. Off to work, with some breaks, then lunch at 12 am. Work resumed in the afternoon and finished around 4 pm. To chill out, my afternoon ritual somehow evolved to watching repeats of Bonanza (2 of the leading actors were Jewish Cowboys) followed by American Football, showering, and eating dinner at 6 pm. There was a daily gathering at 7pm. where the 4 madrichot planned discussions, quizzes, films or guest speakers. Many people were safely tucked up in bed by 9:30 p.m! You are not at liberty to leave the base at any time, other than at the end of the working week, when you must!
I cannot think of comparable experience were you can overcome cultural, linguistic, age and even political differences through joining together for this common cause. Eating together, sharing accommodation (men on the ground floor, women upstairs), and asking the madrichot to sort out any issues. A visit once a week to the base shop is considered a treat.
On my first day, a Hebrew speaking volunteer was needed to work in the warehouse. My right arm can rarely resist temptation. My co-worker was Mike, a Professor at Buffalo State USA, veritable warehouse veteran, and now a close friend. The base receives pallets of boxes containing a potpourri (cocktail in Hebrew) of medical equipment and medicines returned from other bases, and awaiting assessment. These needed sorting, re-boxing and building into pallets by type. A second career beckoned as I became quite adept at creating and repairing army regulation boxes with sellotape, as well as operating a jack. Our Israeli managers mostly preferred to beaver away in their 30 degrees centigrade side rooms with the door kept firmly shut keeping out any cold. We were sometimes given orders to help prepare pallets for shipping out. The other volunteers worked on medical supplies, sorting them by expiry date for various uses, including donation overseas. Also medical kits were made up for many applications, such as atomic and biological chemical kits, combat doctors, and combat medics.
Every volunteer's story is different due to location and one-off opportunities. Here are two of my personal highlights. 8 volunteers were needed on an Intelligence base for a day. Cue right arm. We were picked up by coach and taken our hush-hush destination. We worked as a team sharing a table, folding operational maps into plastic folders, boxing them, and putting them on pallets for potential future use. Tables of soldiers and local civilian volunteers also worked on this. The soldiers came over and joined in with us. They were genuinely curious, amazed and grateful that we had come from overseas to help them at our own expense. There was a surreal disco atmosphere with Israel Pop and Grime over the speakers. Snacks, fruit and goodies were provided to fuel the efforts. When we finished, lunch in the officers mess, followed by a guided tour of the base, and access to the shop to buy better goodies than our base.
One evening, our guest speaker was Daniel Defur, the first blind soldier in the IDF. This was his first talk to a Sarel Group. Daniel, who speaks fluent Russian, Hebrew and French, came with his mother. When Daniel was 18, he wrote to Benjamin Netanyahu saying he wanted to ride in his bullet-proof car and serve in the IDF. Daniel (now 20) has been taken under the PM's wing, and indeed joined the IDF with due ceremony. A hugely inspiring speaker, who moved many people to tears. He has ambitions to ride in Donald Trump's car (he has written to ask) and address the UN. He treasures his model car collection. I chatted with him afterwards about which British cars he had (Lotus, Aston Martin) and suggested he write to Boris Johnson for a car share.
I met many interesting people and made new friendships. A Christian Lady, 76, from Norway came to Israel in solidarity against the antisemitism there. An American woman, who I discovered was on the Kindertransport. She has volunteered for many years, and organised our nightly four for a game of bridge. Phillip Bloom, professional clown, warehouse maven since Sarel began, blows balloons for a living, entertains children in the Israeli borders towns, Africa, and elsewhere. And many others.
There are a number of specific interest groups of volunteers (French speakers, South Africans, Younger People etc.). My last group of 34 (above) comprised mostly singles and ‘empty nesters’, which was hardly surprising. A number of people on the group wanted to visit and support Israel on a limited budget. They could stay for free stay at Beit Oded hostel in Tel Aviv / Jaffa during the weekends while volunteering. Numerous articles written by volunteers can be found on the Sarel website. These are worth reading, describing experiences very different to mine, including times when Israel was under attack. Programs usually include an outside trip. My 2 groups only got to go to museums (it was winter), but other groups have done more unusual things, e.g. joining an archaeological dig on the Sanhedrin Trail.
Before signing off, there are a couple of events either side of my recent visit worth sharing. There is a unit called Special In Uniform, which integrates disabled people into the army. I have met a quite of few of these soldiers on base. But, in the group before mine, Sarelniks got to join some special soldiers for their passing out parade on completing on completing their service. Just this month, an 84 year-old volunteer - a holocaust survivor - was surprised by her grandson in uniform. Latest updates on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/sar.el.org/
It was rewarding to have done the volunteering, helping the IDF in a small way. Something to hopefully repeat many times in future years. If you want to find out more, or even join me, get in touch. You even get a certificate at the end of each stint. Who is that wimp wincing at being punched?
Arriving on base, a pile of army uniforms greeted us from which to pick our work apparel. Personally, trouser length was OK, but waist size was appropriate for someone more portly. Thank the Lord (and the Swiss) for velcro belts. Large baggy khaki shirt completed the wardrobe. This is behind-the-scenes, off-the-beaten track Israel. Sharing a room and communal bathrooms are part of the life changing experience.
The working week starts Sunday morning, finishing around Thursday lunchtime. Breakfast in dining room from 7:00 a.m. Salad (available at every meal), cornflakes or granola on a good day, yogurt, cheese, eggs, bread, and olives. Parade 7:45 a.m., including flag raising (photo opportunity) and the singing of hatikvah. Off to work, with some breaks, then lunch at 12 am. Work resumed in the afternoon and finished around 4 pm. To chill out, my afternoon ritual somehow evolved to watching repeats of Bonanza (2 of the leading actors were Jewish Cowboys) followed by American Football, showering, and eating dinner at 6 pm. There was a daily gathering at 7pm. where the 4 madrichot planned discussions, quizzes, films or guest speakers. Many people were safely tucked up in bed by 9:30 p.m! You are not at liberty to leave the base at any time, other than at the end of the working week, when you must!
I cannot think of comparable experience were you can overcome cultural, linguistic, age and even political differences through joining together for this common cause. Eating together, sharing accommodation (men on the ground floor, women upstairs), and asking the madrichot to sort out any issues. A visit once a week to the base shop is considered a treat.
On my first day, a Hebrew speaking volunteer was needed to work in the warehouse. My right arm can rarely resist temptation. My co-worker was Mike, a Professor at Buffalo State USA, veritable warehouse veteran, and now a close friend. The base receives pallets of boxes containing a potpourri (cocktail in Hebrew) of medical equipment and medicines returned from other bases, and awaiting assessment. These needed sorting, re-boxing and building into pallets by type. A second career beckoned as I became quite adept at creating and repairing army regulation boxes with sellotape, as well as operating a jack. Our Israeli managers mostly preferred to beaver away in their 30 degrees centigrade side rooms with the door kept firmly shut keeping out any cold. We were sometimes given orders to help prepare pallets for shipping out. The other volunteers worked on medical supplies, sorting them by expiry date for various uses, including donation overseas. Also medical kits were made up for many applications, such as atomic and biological chemical kits, combat doctors, and combat medics.
Every volunteer's story is different due to location and one-off opportunities. Here are two of my personal highlights. 8 volunteers were needed on an Intelligence base for a day. Cue right arm. We were picked up by coach and taken our hush-hush destination. We worked as a team sharing a table, folding operational maps into plastic folders, boxing them, and putting them on pallets for potential future use. Tables of soldiers and local civilian volunteers also worked on this. The soldiers came over and joined in with us. They were genuinely curious, amazed and grateful that we had come from overseas to help them at our own expense. There was a surreal disco atmosphere with Israel Pop and Grime over the speakers. Snacks, fruit and goodies were provided to fuel the efforts. When we finished, lunch in the officers mess, followed by a guided tour of the base, and access to the shop to buy better goodies than our base.
One evening, our guest speaker was Daniel Defur, the first blind soldier in the IDF. This was his first talk to a Sarel Group. Daniel, who speaks fluent Russian, Hebrew and French, came with his mother. When Daniel was 18, he wrote to Benjamin Netanyahu saying he wanted to ride in his bullet-proof car and serve in the IDF. Daniel (now 20) has been taken under the PM's wing, and indeed joined the IDF with due ceremony. A hugely inspiring speaker, who moved many people to tears. He has ambitions to ride in Donald Trump's car (he has written to ask) and address the UN. He treasures his model car collection. I chatted with him afterwards about which British cars he had (Lotus, Aston Martin) and suggested he write to Boris Johnson for a car share.
I met many interesting people and made new friendships. A Christian Lady, 76, from Norway came to Israel in solidarity against the antisemitism there. An American woman, who I discovered was on the Kindertransport. She has volunteered for many years, and organised our nightly four for a game of bridge. Phillip Bloom, professional clown, warehouse maven since Sarel began, blows balloons for a living, entertains children in the Israeli borders towns, Africa, and elsewhere. And many others.
There are a number of specific interest groups of volunteers (French speakers, South Africans, Younger People etc.). My last group of 34 (above) comprised mostly singles and ‘empty nesters’, which was hardly surprising. A number of people on the group wanted to visit and support Israel on a limited budget. They could stay for free stay at Beit Oded hostel in Tel Aviv / Jaffa during the weekends while volunteering. Numerous articles written by volunteers can be found on the Sarel website. These are worth reading, describing experiences very different to mine, including times when Israel was under attack. Programs usually include an outside trip. My 2 groups only got to go to museums (it was winter), but other groups have done more unusual things, e.g. joining an archaeological dig on the Sanhedrin Trail.
Before signing off, there are a couple of events either side of my recent visit worth sharing. There is a unit called Special In Uniform, which integrates disabled people into the army. I have met a quite of few of these soldiers on base. But, in the group before mine, Sarelniks got to join some special soldiers for their passing out parade on completing on completing their service. Just this month, an 84 year-old volunteer - a holocaust survivor - was surprised by her grandson in uniform. Latest updates on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/sar.el.org/
It was rewarding to have done the volunteering, helping the IDF in a small way. Something to hopefully repeat many times in future years. If you want to find out more, or even join me, get in touch. You even get a certificate at the end of each stint. Who is that wimp wincing at being punched?
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