My Sar-El Experience

Once we started the descent to Ben Gurion airport and I could see the city of Tel Aviv from my window behind the wing of the El-Al airplane, it became a very special moment for me. As I found my way to the Sar-El meeting point in the arrival hall, I met my dear friend Yona, who was not only there to greet me, but also gave me a cell phone to use during my stay in Israel. The kindness and hospitality of this wonderful Sar-El host was a heartwarming: “Welcome to Israel”. The last time I was in Israel in1968, yet it felt as if I had just returned home.

As volunteers came in from different places around the world, the bases filled up and a new one had to be opened to accommodate the overflow. The first night we spent the at “Bet Oded”, a hostel in Jaffa, where I shared a room with three other ladies. I also found out that my friend Philip from the Netherlands was at a base in Ramle, which was already full, and I was therefore assigned to another base near Be’ersheva. In the morning we went for a walk through Jaffa. It was 26 Celsius on the Mediterranean coast, a wonderful warm climate, especially for someone like me, who had just arrived from Switzerland.

After a short orientation our group boarded the bus to our base in the Negev. There we were assigned rooms and issued our uniforms.

Tamara, a wonderful girl from Argentina, was assigned as our ”madricha” (group leader). She made everyone welcome and said, when Israelis see people from other countries coming to lend physical support; they feel encouraged as they see that someone cares about them and their country. Yona called again to make sure I was doing fine? The sun was shining, the climate was rather warm and so were the Israeli people, - I felt wonderful. Finally I was assigned to the mechanics shop, where three of us ladies took inventory of truck parts. At the age of 54, I thought that I was old, but one of the women I worked with was 75 years old and I ended up feeling “young.”

The meals were served in the mess hall where we ate with the soldiers who were happy that we were there to help. The meals were kosher and actually very good. We never left the tables hungry and had the unique opportunity, to meet and practice the Hebrew language with many Israeli soldiers.

During the course of my 3-week program IDF soldiers presented many topics, such as Israeli history, the customs, geography and the military, it was very educational for many of us volunteers. We sang Israeli songs together and got to know each other, - as a result many new friendships were formed.

Friday we went on a trip to the Air Force museum, where we met the mayor from Be’ersheva with a group of veteran pilots from the Independence war, and we applauded them. Many of us had tears in our eyes.

For Shabbat we were invited to our Sar-El host’s house in the community of Efrat, a town situated in the beautiful Judean hills. We left Jerusalem on a road leading through tunnels. Efrat, was a very peaceful place, where people walked through the streets wishing each other ”Shabbat Shalom”, in total contradiction to descriptions we read in our newspapers, where they describe it as a settlement in the West Bank. According to those news reports one gets the impression that the whole country is under siege. I was able to walk in the middle of the road because no one was driving. People visited each other in their homes and stopped to talk with each other, I was amazed. Where else do you find such a peaceful place and such comradery?  After Havdalah, people started getting busy again. We stopped and gave a little girl a ride home. This is what amazed me most, children are walking around and people give them rides. Trusting your neighbor with your children, where do you see that in America?

The loud sounds from the mosque in the nearby Arab town woke me up at 4:30 AM. Someone said that there are only tapes playing, no one is actually praying there at that time in the morning.  Sunday it was time for Philip and me to return to our bases. The buses were full with soldiers returning also. Once we arrived there, it was work again. I was assigned to paint names and numbers on the army trucks and trailers. 

Wednesday went by bus to a base near Ashdod, where a French and a Russian group joined us. We were updating packages with children’s gas masks and adding atropine syringes to them.  It was assembly work very much needed. Over a 140 volunteers joined to sing the Hatikvah together, it became very moving moment for all of us.

Thursday we went on a trip to Jerusalem where we visited the Holocaust museum “Yad Vashem”. It is very moving to be in a dark room with only 5 Jahrzeit candles reflecting on mirrors to give the impression of a million candles, and to hear the names of the children who died, with the sound of sad music. Outside, trees have been planted for the righteous gentiles who helped hiding Jews during the Holocaust. Next we visited the Supreme Court. The building is a masterpiece of architecture, with an outside wall on the inside and daylight filtering into the walls. We also visited the Knesset, where just a day before the labor party had walked out. Three tapestries are from Marc Chagal, including a mosaic on another wall.

This weekend I visited my friend Anat in Ashkelon. We drove to Kibbutz  “Shde Yoav” (Yoav’s field), which has famous hot springs. The water smelled like sulfur and cures your aches and pains. The place was packed with Israelis bathing and dancing. People here do not all stay home scared, they live and enjoy themselves. Why are Americans so scared, I wonder? The sandy beaches here are wonderful, and the Mediterranean climate is great, but the big hotels are empty because people are scared to come here. What a shame!

Life in Israel goes on despite the tragedies people have to experience. It seems that because everyone know life can be short, it is lived more intensely!

Sunday again back to work. This time I got to join the base in Ramle, where my friend Philip was stationed. I got to assemble antennas. Two female soldiers asked me why I came to Israel to volunteer? I told them that it was because we loved Israel and wanted to help out, and assured them that there were a lot of people all over the world feeling the same way. All three of us had tears in our eyes as they said that they appreciated it very much. I wish that more people would understand how important it is to come to Israel and lend support. It is not enough to stay home and to send money – even though that also is needed -, but it is the physical presence of people who visit Israel, that boosts the morale of the soldiers and lets the Israelis know that they are not alone.

As a newcomer to the base in Ramle, I was able to go yet on another trip, to the house of Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv. He had 20’000 books in his library, which he read in five languages, as he was older. My three weeks of volunteer service for the IDF ended only too soon.

Sar-El is truly a rewarding experience for both, volunteers and soldiers. It was rewarding to get the feeling that you were able to help with physical labor. Whether it was quartermaster supply – filling duffel bags, organizing warehouse supplies, taking inventory, or base maintenance - painting, repairs, gardening and other various tasks, there were jobs everyone could master. I am very thankful to my Israeli friends who suggested this program to me and enabled me to help lighten the load of overburdened Israeli soldiers. The purpose of helping out became more meaningful as I was able to give freely of myself.

During the last week my generous hosts, the Seif family, made it possible for me to visit many places and witness important facts about Israel, but before I knew it, it was time to fly back to the USA. Why did I feel that instead of going home, I was leaving home?

One thing I know for sure, I will go back to visit Israel again, because this program offered me the greatest experience of my lifetime. I recommend it to anyone who wants to support the State of Israel and its people.

Lilo Kirn, November 25, 2002