I never knew I had to acquire that talent. Previously, all I had to be proficient in was economics, business administration, marketing, personnel management, medical engineering, public relations, law, diplomacy, three foreign languages (and the use of the microwave when I got home). “A piece of cake”, as they say. But even that long, enjoyable and successful career in international business was not preparation enough to train me to deal with the constant tug of war that typified my life over this past year.

First year of retirement: think - first year of free time, leisurely pace of life, back to the university to (finally) study anthropology, the freedom to choose from the many interests I enjoy.

 Now think again: first year of hands-on “grandmothering” together with everyone thinking you have free time to run around doing the errands for the whole family. And …"can you babysit?” … “can the little one stay with you until he/she is over the flu/diarrhea/cough/fever/stomach ache...?” Sound familiar?

But most of all this was the first year of finally getting around to the volunteering I always said I would get around to…first year of the ESRA Students Build a Community project in Kiryat Nordau, Netanya. Did I know anything about volunteering? No. Was I prepared for the attention the project required? No. Was I going to enjoy this? YES!

I made the decision to treat this as a responsibility equal in importance and time allocation to the other duties in my life. Family and friends were going to have to empathize and accept the time I would be investing in the project.

ESRA has participated and contributed support to the Hefzibah Students Build a Community Project for several years. The successes of the project led to the desire to expand and offer the same opportunities to other neighborhoods in Netanya. Together with the municipality, the Kiryat Nordau neighborhood was chosen for the establishment of the next project, and Jackie Edri was hired as the professional supervisor of the project. I was offered the position of liaison to ESRA, a position I was pleased to take on.

The project offers rent-free living quarters to students studying at institutions of higher education. In return, the students undertake to perform eight hours weekly of volunteer work with needy 4^th, 5^th and 6^th grade pupils from Rashi school that teaches, primarily, children of Ethiopian immigrants in the ethnically mixed neighborhood of Kiryat Nordau.

At the beginning I had the feeling that I was just tagging along; that I had little to offer in the way of guidance and valuable input. The terms of my business career had armed me with skills and abilities that seemed unsuitable and irrelevant to the needs of these students and pupils and their daily struggle to become contributing members of our society. I began to understand that I was going to have to refine and acquire new “tools” in order to make an effective and worthwhile contribution.

First task for the project was to find suitable apartments in the neighborhood. Then began the recruiting and interviewing of potential students to form the core of nine young men and women who would be the most critical resource of the project. Choosing the right candidates was vital to the success of the project. What were the characteristics that we needed? How could we pick up in a short, polite interview, the warning signs for unsuitable candidates?

Listening and watching then became an important means by which I began learning a lot. Listening and watching the professionals (social workers, community leaders, youth workers, school principal and advisors) gave me indications as to how they deal with the people we are working with and for. Listening and watching the college and university students taught me to appreciate their abilities and to identify their difficulties. Listening and watching the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th grade pupils has taught me to see their human needs and weaknesses, and to appreciate the challenges these children face daily.

The nine students are learning to live together. The apartments are slowly filling up with used furniture, reference books, piles of paper, computers and what seems like tons of laundry in various stages of cleanliness. That I do remember – the toils and tribulations of student life during the college years.

The pupils are slowly learning to consider their tutors friends and confidants. This seems to be the first stage, the prerequisite, even before helping them with math, penmanship, Hebrew or English and just getting the day's homework completed. The pupils' parents have shown that they understand the importance of schooling for their children’s success, and they support and appreciate the work the volunteer students are doing.

What do I have to offer to all these people? So far I still have the feeling that I have gotten out of the project much more than I have so far put in. I expect I’ll find that this will balance out during the coming months of activities that we have planned.

In the meantime, anyone want lessons in juggling?

To volunteer contact Cynthia 054 661 7781.