I have enjoyed reading the testimonials and they have brought back many memories of my time in Israel as a volunteer with Sar-El during Desert Storm.  I was on an army base up north.  Couldn't tell anyone then and reluctant to now!  That tells you something! 

From the letters, many things have changed.  Air conditioning? Cell phones?  We couldn't use the telephone.  Sheets and pillowcases?  We had a not so clean sleeping bag for out cots.  New volunteers get gourmet food compared to what we had.  Breakfast and supper was the same.  Chopped tomatoes, scrambled eggs, yoghurt, warm sweet tea, butter, loaves of bread, olives, bowl of fruit on each table.  At noon it was the same except the scrambled eggs were exchanged for a meat or chicken. None of the soldiers spoke English but we communicated just fine and they were happy my little group of 11 was there. 

Other than being a Zionist, and wanting to help, I think the main reason I went to Israel was because I knew my effort would help in a direct way.  In the U.S., I could stuff envelopes, make telephone calls, etc. These jobs are important for sure, but I liked working side-by-side in a real job knowing I was freeing someone for the defense of Israel.  I was treated as an equal; part of the team by the soldiers.  I didn't have a "make busy"  job.  I worked in the kitchen and loaded trucks alongside the soldiers.  This is a wonderful organization and the people that join are wonderful.  They help Israel stay strong.