Our history

During the 1982 Galilee War, communities in the Golan Heights were at risk of losing their crops due to manpower shortages, as many were called up for army reserve duty.

Dr. Aharon Davidi, then serving as Director of Community and Cultural Activities and a former head of the IDF Paratrooper and Infantry Corps, recognized the urgency of the situation. He reached out to friends in the United States, who successfully recruited 650 volunteers to come to Israel and save the crops. 

 This effort marked the beginning of Sar-El in 1983, a non-political volunteer organization dedicated to supporting Israel. Since then, over 160,000 volunteers from more than 30 countries have contributed their time and effort to assist the IDF, with some even choosing to make Israel their home. In recognition of his impactful work, General Davidi was awarded the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism in 2010.