On March 22 I flew to Israel to participate in Volunteers for Israel (VFI).  VFI began in 1982 as a way for Israel to deal with the manpower shortage caused by the war in Lebanon.  Volunteers are not told until they arrive at the airport in Tel Aviv where they will be serving, only that they will be on a military base.  This was a last minute decision but not undertaken without great thought. Thank you to my many supportive friends who spoke to me the day and evening of my departure - you made my departure much easier with your support.  

All but two airlines had canceled flights into and out of Israel: El Al and Continental. There was no room on El Al so I reluctantly flew in on Continental.  Security was fine, and there was lots of it.  However, the majority passengers were Israeli and they were clearly not concerned. 

Late Sunday afternoon we arrived in Israel, and I was met at the airport by Sar-El, the Israeli arm of VFI.  We drive for about a half hour to the town of Ramle and a military base, which fixes and distributes electronic devices in the Judea and Samaria region.

Spartan would be a generous description of the barracks I'm staying in.  My roommate is Ben, a 26 year old from Holland who is not Jewish.  His grandfather was in the Dutch underground and, after being captured by the Nazis, spent nearly four years in various concentration camps.  After visiting some of the camps with his grandfather several years ago, Ben told his grandfather before his death that he would do something to help the Jews.  This is Ben's tenth and final week of volunteering, and he is planning to return in three months. 

Monday 5 a.m., did I just hear the Muslim morning call to prayer?  Yes, it turns out our base is next to a very large Arab village with three mosques.  I would soon get used to the many calls to prayer as well as the low-flying Israeli F16s. 

After breakfast, I spent my first day working with Gert refurbishing helmets.  Gert is a 25 year-old Christian from Denmark who is here because he wants Israelis to know they are "not alone in their struggle and that not everyone in the world is an anti-Semite".  Refurbishing helmets includes fixing various dents (from stones, wear and tear) with an epoxy like substance, sanding and then painting the helmets.  Today we completed about 50 helmets. It is impossible to do this work without personalizing each helmet you work on. 

All our meals are in the mess hall with newly recruited soldiers in their basic training.  "Soldiers" means teenage boys and girls…high school students in military uniform.  Over half are carrying weapons including Galils (upgraded M16s), UZI's and M16s both short and long stocks.  At each meal a guard (teenager) is posted at the door, gun in hand, and another watches over the larger guns at the entrance that cannot be taken to the table.  Food is…never mind.  The faces range from fair-skinned Europeans to dark-complexioned Ethiopians.  The mess is far more reminiscent of a high school cafeteria than a military base.  Can you imagine seniors at Brookline High School being issued weapons?  Shouldn't these teenage soldiers be working at The Gap or JP Licks?

With all the terrorism we read about and see on TV, you might think otherwise, but Israelis seem to live life with great passion.  They are the civilized living in an uncivilized neighborhood.

Tuesday I had breakfast with Gert, Ben and Keir.  Keir is a 28-year-old New Zealander who is here for the adventure, "doing something good and worthwhile" and the special feeling he has for the Israeli spirit.  I am the only Jew and the only American among the four of us.  It is both inspiring and a bit disappointing.

Today we traveled to a warehouse to work with other volunteers and some soldiers in an assembly line refurbishing ventilators for gas masks.  These masks need ventilators, because they are designed for infants and the infirm that cannot use a gas mask without assistance. Our makeshift assembly line completed more than 1,500 masks today.  Like yesterday's work with the helmets, it is impossible not to personalize each ventilator you work on, hoping they will never be used but knowing that each one has to be perfect.  There is no room for error, and the work is both somber and satisfying.  (Yes, we have each been given a gas mask that includes an Atropine Injection in the kit in case of nerve gas attack.  We are required to carry them when off the base.)

Wednesday most of our group of twelve spent the day refurbishing headsets for the helmets that the tank and armored personnel carrier vehicles soldiers wear.  This is tedious work at best but certainly rewarding.  The Israeli military wastes nothing, they cannot afford to.  Today we learned that the Sar-El program saved the IDF $2.5 million dollars last year.  

Thursday I was back to helmet refurbishing.  Finally we had good weather and were able to spend the day working outside watching many F16s pass overhead and an IDF Bell Ranger helicopter land next to our work area to transport an Israeli officer.  Friday and Saturday we must leave the base.  Sunday morning we must be back by 10 am to continue work.  I'm writing this note from an Internet Cafי in Tel Aviv and will probably stay at the nearby Sheraton. 

What an interesting week it's been. 

Best,
Doug