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

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