By Esti Bar-Sadeh Chair of the Volunteer Forum

We've gone through stormy and difficult days.  With the passing of the crisis it's worth processing everything that weighed so heavily on us, but also talking about the wonderful mobilization of Partnership volunteers.

At the height of the fighting in the north, the Volunteer Forum gathered to discuss possible ways of contributing during the national crisis.

The Forum decided to mobilize for the national effort, which is not merely a narrow, regional interest.  The volunteers view our region as committed to the entire north of the country and to the IDF.  Members of the Forum decided that the national crisis calls for activities of a slightly different nature than regional activities, and that we need to mobilize in a way that doesn't match normal Partnership activity, but rather in a way suited for wartime.  Therefore we decided to adopt the Givati Brigade fighting in the north and help out by sending packages and needed equipment to soldiers.  This is the first time volunteers from the region actually recruited money donations and purchased equipment.  We entered the field of fundraising with the knowledge that we have organizations and people in our region and community who, in such a critical time of need, choose to respond to the challenge.  The idea came up at the Volunteer Forum, with the involvement of Mr. Yossi Ackerman, Chair of the Partnership Steering Committee.

For ten days, volunteers recruited money and donations worth $25,000, out of which 700 care packages were prepared and a large amount of equipment was purchased for soldiers.

Volunteers from Jezreel Valley, Nazareth Illit, and Migdal HaEmek tirelessly raised contributions from the business community and joined forces with volunteer coordinators from each municipality in order to wrap and send the packages.  Residents from each municipality volunteered to help, and eventually we found ourselves meeting a seemingly impossible objective via our concerted efforts.

I'm proud to have been part of this impressive volunteer corps that tirelessly worked and invested efforts for the cause.  This activity is certainly a source of inspiration and pride for us all.

Thanks to members of the team who worked so hard and made possible these impressive achievements:  Jonny Alster (Chair), Ziona Shriki, Miri Steinberg, Itzik Ben-Haim, Zehavit Chayon, Golan Mishali, Moran Shahar, Moraia Tafla, and Yonatan Rosenthal.

Esti Bar-Sadeh

Chair of the Volunteer Forum

Partnership 2000