8 | FEBRUARY 15 • 2024 J
N
essay
‘Go … Just Go to Israel’
I
’m putting out a challenge
to everyone — go to Israel
now and volunteer. I spent
a week volunteering there in
mid-December. Go there to
visit, volunteer and let the
people of Israel know that we
support them. Go … just go.
For many decades, there’s
never been a more dire time
for Israel to need volunteer
support than now. Remember
that all army reservists have
been called up, resulting in
hundreds of thousands of
people leaving their families
and jobs to serve in this war.
Children need help. Elderly
people need help. Businesses
from all industries and
charities now are short-staffed.
There’s an endless amount of
volunteer opportunities in a
wide variety of fields. Whatever
your area of expertise is, I am
sure there is a need for it in
Israel.
Each day I watched the news
before I made my decision
to go, my heart would break
more and more. I decided I
had enough of watching the
news and reached out to family
in Jerusalem to ask if they
could host me if I flew there to
volunteer. I bought my plane
ticket and off I went without
knowing what my plans would
be.
If you didn’t plan your
volunteer appointments in
advance, no need to worry.
Dozens of WhatsApp groups
are dedicated to each type
of volunteer work, such
as farming, visiting and
entertaining displaced families
relocated at hotels, visiting
people in hospitals, packing
food and supplies for soldiers
or families in need.
For security reasons, I
am publicizing Volunteer
Headquarters https://
chat.whatsapp.com/
HG4Lk0sb6j6LtBSpx5P10D,
with permission from the
administrator.
Once you join this group,
I recommend introducing
yourself and asking if people can
make recommendations for you
based on where you will be in
Israel and the type of volunteer
work you are looking to do.
I also found it helpful to visit
some volunteer opportunities
that didn’t require
appointments, such as the
Tel Aviv Expo where they are
receiving, storing, organizing
and shipping various supplies
to soldiers, displaced families
and others. As you help them
during the day, talk with
other volunteers and get
recommendations for other
WhatsApp volunteer groups.
If you brought a duffle bag
full of supplies, such as new
clothes, you can drop them
at one of several donation
centers throughout the
country, including the Tel Aviv
Expo. Within the WhatsApp
groups, the following items
were mentioned: AA or AAA
batteries, Balaclavas (ski
masks), bars of soap, black
digital watches (plain), blister
plasters, cable ties, deodorant,
first aid kits, lip balm, medium
thick black markers, disposable
razors, shaving gel, small
talcum powder, toothbrushes
and toothpaste.
Google Maps and Google
Translate also helped me along
the way. You also can buy a
Rav Kav card and preload
any amount to use for all
public transportation in Israel,
including trains, buses, etc.
For more info, visit https://
ravkavonline.co.il/en/public-
transport-in-israel.
MY EXPERIENCE
Day 1: After traveling by train
from the airport to Jerusalem, I
went to a Magen David Adom
location to donate blood. One
blood donation can save up to
eight lives. Visit www.mdais.
org/blood-donation to find
locations within Israel.
Day 2: I volunteered at
Pantry Packers in Jerusalem.
This organization provides
nutritional support to families
in need all across the country.
This is a great volunteer
opportunity for all ages. Visit
https://pantrypackers.org/ to
book a time to volunteer.
Day 3: Based on a posting
within a WhatsApp volunteer
group, I took the train to Tel
Aviv and walked over to the
Expo. The work was simple
PURELY COMMENTARY
Volunteer offers tips, advice and a challenge
for potential volunteers bound for Israel.
Rory Scherer
volunteers on a farm
picking oranges.
RORY SCHERER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
continued on page 10