AUGUST 1 • 2024 | 27

Many diaspora Jews feel 
deep connection to the 
Jewish homeland. Some, like 
Linder, find their bonds to 
Judaism strengthened and 
energized once they witness 
firsthand Israel’s resilience, 
spirit and survival instincts. 
In his case, helping Israel 
to wage war is resonant of 
his ancestors’ flight from 
eastern Europe, those who 
managed to prosper in the 
U.S. — and those who were 
murdered in the Holocaust.
“The work we did isn’t 
fighting,” he said. “But it 
does allow soldiers to fight 
who might otherwise have 
to perform the tasks that we 
did.”
Linder’s activism perpet-
uates a theme exemplified 
by his parents and grand-
parents, getting directly 
involved to help those in 
need. In 2022, he and a 
friend raised $300,000 to 
purchase ambulances, with 
help from a Romanian 
Zionist organization, to 
assist Ukrainian medical 
facilities.
“We were told that our 
ambulances definitely will 
save lives,” he said. “Again 
and again, I’m reminded 
that individuals can do 
amazing things.” 
Sar-El got its start in 1982, 

during Israel’s invasion of 
southern Lebanon. The late 
Aharon Davidi, a decorated 
paratroop officer, recruited 
a group of 650 American 
pro-Zionist volunteers 
to fill in for soldiers who 
were fighting and therefore 
couldn’t tend to crops or 
perform work duties. The 
following spring, Sar-El was 
formed, a nonprofit; the 
name is a Hebrew acronym 
that stands for “Service for 
Israel.”
Since its early days, more 
than 240,000 volunteers from 
30 countries have come to 
work alongside IDF soldiers 
and commanders, providing 
logistical support, about 
40,000 since Oct. 7. Along 
with goal of strengthening 
Jewish identity, the organiza-
tion states as one of its goals 
offering “a realistic view of 
life in Israel and encourage 
the possibilities for aliyah 
among Jewish participants.”
Linder said he hopes to 
return to Israel. Then he 
showed me a picture of an 
Israeli tank crew that he 
and a Jewish friend and IDF 
veteran from Romania have 
“adopted” with the purchase 
of bulletproof vests. 

Find more information at 

www.sar-el.org.

Linder’s base Natan Sar-El group at flag raising

Linder and his friend 
Louis Post sit on the 
many duffels with 
uniforms and 
sleeping bags packed 
for troops.

Steve Linder and the 
base’s executive officer