Ann Young (right) building an ecological wall for the Peace/Earth Park in Neot HaKikar

Imagine hiking amidst glorious sunsets that set over beautiful terrain. Picture yourself soaking in the culture of harmonious concerts and lively folk dancing. Imagine floating in the waters of a natural spa, followed by a day at the beach. Picture yourself wandering through a small town, where you can meet people with greetings of "Shalom" and engage in conversations of Hebrew with those you meet in the street, all while you are surrounded by views of the desert.

You don't have to imagine this any longer, just come to Arad, Israel. Arad is a place where you can experience all the above and more and still feel a sense of place, a feeling of home at the same time you are experiencing the new surroundings, engaging in conversations with new friends and participating in meaningful activities. What better way to spend a holiday!

And we, from the Delaware and New Jersey Partnership 2000 communities, are the fortunate ones to be offered this opportunity to spend 3 weeks in Arad engaging in the volunteer project of our choice.

I feel so fortunate to have had so many meaningful experiences and fond memories of my time here in Arad, that it would take a novel to describe them all. Although I haven't had the opportunity to participate in the Partnership 2000 Volunteer Project, I have had the experience of calling Arad my home. Since February 2002, I have been studying at the WUJS Institute, a 7-month program for post-college students up through 50. WUJS has been an amazing experience for me. The program consists of a combination of Judaic classes, Israeli Studies and Hebrew Ulpan. There are weekly seminars throughout the country where we have opportunities to learn more about the intricacies of Israeli society: IDF, Bedouin Communities, Settlements, Jerusalem Seminars, Arts in Tel Aviv and so on. During each semester, we participate in at least one 4 day-tiyul (hiking trip): usually in the Negev or Golan Heights. The environment at WUJS is very inspiring: there are no grades, people are here for the love of learning and the opportunity of experiencing Israel. The community of WUJS is made-up of people from all backgrounds: Secular, Baal Tchuva, Traditional, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist..... There is a nice balance between people here respecting each other for who they are and the path they take, but also challenging each other too, in a thoughtful, inspiring way.

My main concern in first coming to Arad for the WUJS program was the safety. Although a big part of me choose to come in this difficult time to better understand what it was like to live in Israel now, I was very hesitant to make the final commitment because- how was I really to know the safety of Arad? It comforted me to know that Arad was away from all the terrorists attacks, but I still wasn't sure if I could stomach living in Israel, even in a quieter place. I feel extremely comfortable in Arad, whether walking through town, with a group or by myself. While the situation of Israel is on the minds and in the hearts of all of us day in and day out -especially when living in Israel, I am able to go through my day more at ease living in Arad than I would in a big city. I feel comfortable walking around Arad freely and don't feel nervous as I imagined I might have before arriving. Living in Arad, I am able to see, as I had imagined, that Israelis continue to live their life and deal as best they can with the situations they and their friends and families face each day. It has been important for me to experience this first-hand and understand that they too go about their daily lives, despite the terror that occurs in the country. And Israelis are so grateful that we are in Israel and supporting them with our presence during these difficult times. I am glad that there is a place like Arad where I can show my support and experience the daily life of Israel without feeling completely out of my comfort zone.

The beauty of coming to Arad and participating in the Partnership 2000 Volunteer Project is that it can instantly become your home if you are open to the experience. First of all, the families in Arad are extremely friendly and welcoming. It took me a little time to adapt to the Israeli style of just stopping by whenever you want; but they really open their home to you and make you feel welcome, like you are part of the family. Aside from that, Arad is a place where faces become familiar and neighbors and storeowners become friends. With a town of only 26,000 people, you feel its intimacy when you join people gathered for moments of celebration like Yom Hatzmaut and days of sadness and remembrance during Yom Hazikaron and Yom Hashoa. Although our town of Arad is small, we still have a weekly shook (open Market) that people frequent on Mondays for fresh fruit & vegetable, clothes, music and odds & ends. And then there are walks to "the point" where you can see even better the vastness of the desert terrain, where on a clear day, you have a straight view to the dark blue water of the Dead Sea. The sunsets are a spectacular show every night too. There are weekly folk-dancing evenings in the mercaz (town center) and an annual music festival in July. Where in the states can you experience an all night concert of Israeli music in the front yard of someone's home with 300 people singing along? For those of you from Wilmington, Arad has that same sense of smallness and community, where everybody knows each other, I imagine you too will feel at home as I have felt these past months.

In Arad, some of the volunteer programs are; working at a Senior Citizen Day Center (Beit Gilad), a Center for citizens of Arad who are physically and emotionally impaired (MeLev VaLev), a daycare center for working women (children from 6 months to 3 years) (WIZO) and also helping children at all levels from 4th grade to 12th grade in English.

[Imagine the feeling of helping a young teenager practice their English and the excitement they shine when they are able speak phrases that they couldn't have imagined they could have spoken weeks before. Think to yourself the fun of spending your mornings playing with 2 and 3 year old Israeli children, and the excitement of picking up Hebrew phrases as you entertain each other. You can't believe how much Hebrew you can learn from children that age; it's great. How about the warm feeling you get in your heart when you see the smile of an older citizen of the community shine because you have blessed them with company and a listening ear; imagine that feeling of making someone feel loved and cared for. I had the opportunity to participate in a mock-Passover Seder with residents of a retirement home in Arad and they were so grateful for our energy and enthusiasm; it brought tears to my eyes to see their smiles shine brightly. There are also options of working with the new Israeli immigrants from Ethiopia, Argentina and Russia. During the morning of Purim we walked over to the other Mercaz Klitas(WUJS students live in one with teenagers from Ethiopia, families and adults from Russia and Argentina). As we approached the other Mercaz Klita, over 20 Ethiopian children greeted us at the entrance -staring at our strange costumes and sending us smiles and welcomes. We walked in and were met by the parents of the children, who also extended their warm welcome. Together, we spent the next hour handing out Purim baskets, wishing each other "Chag Sameach", and singing and dancing as one community. At one point we asked if they would sing a sing for us from Ethiopia and they burst into a lively version of the song "Next year in Jerusalem"--an experience that brought tears to many of our eyes.

Av 5762 - August 2002