Volunteering for Israel
Looking for a way to spend some time in Israel doing something different?
How about serving in the army (kind of)?
That’s what I did this February in a program that operates all year round placing volunteers on Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) army bases working sided-by-side with Israeli soldiers in non-combat areas.
You will perform support services needed to keep the well-oiled machine functioning smoothly and the time you spend in the program is really appreciated by Israelis.
By Harold Kestenbaum
(edited by Stacey Miller)
I spent four weeks in Israel – two weeks on the central IDF medical supply base, a week off spent touring with my wife, and one additional week on the IDF paratrooper training base. The assignments typically run one to three weeks (or longer). For security reasons, you find out your assignment – where you’re going and what you’ll be doing - when you arrive (they could tell you sooner but then they’d have to shoot you!) The work week is Sunday to early afternoon Thursday and the army liaison madrichot can help you make weekend arrangements.
My work was not difficult, the hours were
reasonable and we had morning, lunch and afternoon breaks.
On
the medical supply base we packed medical supplies into kits for
distribution to field units – gauze pads, splints, antiseptic, bandages, pain
killers and over-the–counter medicines. I also did warehouse work, organizing
supplies and taking inventory. I inspected cots for field hospitals to make
sure that they were functional – i.e. not torn and able to support patients.
(No, we didn’t take naps on the cots!) On the paratrooper training base we
unpacked used parachutes, shlepped the parachutes around the re-packing facility
and began the re-packing process, leaving the “final assembly” to better trained
soldiers. Interesting note: the final assembly packer puts a tag on each
parachute with his/her name as both a quality control step and to encourage
personal responsibility.
During the day we wore army fatigues. We slept
in barracks – men and women separately, even married volunteers must sleep
apart. I understand that in more remote assignments, volunteers do sleep
in tents. There were group bathrooms and showers, obviously also separated. If
you’re looking for hotel accommodations, this is not for you!
We
ate in the mess hall with the soldiers - Israeli breakfast, meat lunch and light
supper (usually with a hot dish). You’re going for the volunteer experience,
not for the accommodations or the food! There is a synagogue on each base,
though minyanim were limited.
Each morning began with flag raising, together with the soldiers, and there were group sessions for the volunteers each evening covering Israeli society (history, current issues, language) and socialization. There was also a field trip for each assignment (limited touring and watching a parachute training exercise.)
One of the most interesting aspects of the
program was the participants. This was an English speaking program and
participants came from all over the US, Canada, England, Australia and South
Africa as well as France, Finland, Germany and Poland.
About
a third of the participants were not Jewish.
There were very few observant volunteers, but that does not pose an issue. All food on the bases is kosher. One of our IDF madrichot was orthodox.
Many of the volunteers have done the program more than once and the camaraderie is great!