My Sar-El Volunteer Experience in Israel

By Tikvah Nissenbaum

 

Life is full of surprises and, sometimes, wishful dreams do come true.  I was born and brought up in Israel.  My family was a religious one.  We went through the Independence War.  I hoped that one day I would serve in the Israeli army.

 

Years later when I was called to serve in the army my family forbid me to do so and I could not go against their wishes.  At this time I had just finished my teacher’s seminar in Jerusalem and I was eager to start working as a teacher. The army offered another alternative, “National Service”, which means one could do any type of work that the country needed at that time.  We were obligated to give four years of service instead of two years in the army.

 

Back then, many newcomers arrived and many new settlements were established.  Teachers were desperately needed.  I was sent to start a kindergarten class in a settlement at the border of Jordan and Israel at Latrun area.  Every day it took me one hour by bus to get to the crossroad.  Then I walked four kilometers to get to my classroom in Bakoa. This was how I served my country at that time.  However, the wish to be in the army was still in my heart even though I lived in Montreal for many years.

 

I heard about the Sar-El program, but I did not do anything about it.  When I met some friends who were hosting an information evening at their home about the program, I was invited.  There I met Jack Bordan, the representative of Sar-El in Canada.  He talked about the program and showed us an interesting video.  We heard stories from people who told us about their experiences.  I was completely taken and made up my mind right there and then.  I decided that I was going with this group to Israel.  This would make my dream come true.

 

One of the most rewarding experiences that a visitor to Israel can have is the Sar-El volunteer program.  People from all over the world, men and women, young and old, Jews and non-Jews dedicate themselves for a period of three weeks to work for the army.  They work at any army base in the country doing any type of work that the army needs them to do.

 

All the volunteers gathered at the new Ben Gurion Airport.  This Israeli airport is so beautiful and impressive that it took my heart away.  The architectural design embraces both ancient and modern times – it is magnificent!  In the center of the airport we met our madricha, our instructor.  She organized us into groups and then assigned us to different army bases.

 

The group I was in consisted of 18 people who were from Canada, U.S.A., England, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, and Pretoria (Africa).  We were fortunate to be placed at an army communication base.  At the base we introduced ourselves.  Right from the beginning I felt a common bond and a single goal united us:  to help and serve the army.

 

Our accommodations were in regular army barracks.  Men and women were housed separately.  After we settled in we were taken to a warehouse where we were fitted with an army uniform from head to toe.  We were very excited to be wearing the uniform with the blue Sar-El insignia on our shoulders.

 

Every morning, dressed in our uniforms, we proudly joined the soldiers for the flag raising ceremony.  On one occasion when a new chief officer was installed some of the volunteers, myself included, had tears in our eyes when we saw the Israeli flag waving up high and heard Hatikvah.  We actually felt like we were part of the Israeli army.  The big smiles of appreciation we saw on the faces of all the soldiers made us feel great!

 

Then we started our workday. We were taught how to put together wireless radio headsets and install them into the helmets of the combat tank soldiers.  The soldiers used the radios to communicate with each other when on active duty.  This was intricate work and required nimble fingers, good eyes, passion, focus, and concentration.  We were also taught how to clean the army’s car antennas and we painted the army helmets. Despite the seriousness of what we were doing, the work atmosphere was very relaxed.  We talked, we joked, we sang Israeli songs and occasionally we even danced.  We learned about each others personal backgrounds and about the countries we each came from.

 

Our meals were typically Israeli.  They were healthy, tasty, plentiful, and nicely presented.  We had a large variety of choices.  It was very pleasant eating together with the soldiers who were very happy to sit with us.  We were very honored to have them join us. 

 

Our first evening we were instructed as to the rules and regulations of the base - the do’s and the don’ts.  For example, we were not allowed to leave the army base at night.  On weekends, we had to leave the base from Thursday after lunch until Sunday before lunch. Our evenings were devoted to a variety of programs and activities.  Lectures by high-ranking army officers were presented.  They were about Israeli’s position in the Middle East, politics, and the socio-economic situations in the country.  At one of the activities that we participated in we were given a specific dilemma that concerned Israel.  We had to solve it with our own personal views.  What interesting evenings we had!

 

The trips we were taken on were to Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv.  They were based on Israeli history and its influence on our present time.  They were most informative.

 

The three weeks flew by.  Our last evening was the high point of our trip.  As a token of our appreciation, the chief officer of the base gave each volunteer a Sar-El tee-shirt and a Sar-El hat.  But the best thing he presented to us was a Sar-El certificate.  A testament to the work we did for the army.  I will cherish it always.  He also told us that we were a very productive and pleasant group.  He let us know that all the volunteers during the year saves the army over one million shekels.

 

Quite a few of my fellow volunteers have already registered for next year.  I am thinking about it.  How about you?  Would you like to try?  If so, please contact Jack Bordan at 514-735-0272.