Beacons of Hope

Volunteers Show Solidarity

Over the past few months, more than 600 individuals from around the world took time off from work, parted from their families, boarded a plane and spent at least one week volunteering in Israel. While the intense coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has proved a deterrent to the masses of tourists, these individuals have taken it as a call to demonstrate heartfelt solidarity.

Mike Rosenberg, Director-General of the Immigration and Absorption Department applauds the "spirit of volunteerism" and those who rise to the occasion in times of trouble.

A volunteer framework was set up "in response to the many inquiries about helping in Israel," explains Vicki Angel , Director of Tnuat Aliyah . The project was advertised through local emissaries around the world, the Jewish press and Jewish federations. "Our emissaries interview, process and screen applicants, while Tnuat Aliyah coordinates the placements in Israel," explains Vicki. The response has been tremendous. "A mother of five from South Africa cooked three weeks worth of meals for her family and got on a plane to Israel; a member of the Australian Parliament volunteered in Tel Aviv's Civil Guard; eight professionals from Hungary volunteered in Karmiel's Civil Guard, and hundreds of Russians are volunteering on army bases.

Getting up from the Armchair

"Jews are sitting at home agonizing over the news," said Jewel Sarna, a physical therapist from Montreal who came with her husband, a lawyer. "We felt we had to be a presence, to do something constructive." The couple worked shifts in Beer Sheva's Civil Guard, joining police patrols and guarding schools. "We are a pilot group," says Jewel. "Hopefully, five or six people from our community can get together each week to come as we have." Dara Winston of Tnuat Aliyah explains. "We coordinate volunteers in our regular programs, such as Magen David Adom, as well as in Sarel, Civil Guard, kibbutz volunteers and community service projects.

Medical Professionals

The large numbers of inquiries from medical professionals, all of whom were willing to drop everything to come and volunteer, "inspired us to create a project for English-speaking physicians in conjunction with the Ministry of Health and the IDF. Our goal was to acquaint them with the system so that in case of an emergency where large numbers of Israeli doctors are called into the field, they can fill in the gaps in hospitals and clinics. The group met with the IDF Medical Corps, the head of a hospital burns unit and the Deputy Surgeon-General. They also watched gas mask distribution and paramedics training in a simulated terror attack."