A group of people aged 60 plus, dressed in army uniforms, are at an army base, working at assembling army kits, repairing tank transmissions, folding parachutes and engaged in a variety of other jobs. Who are they and why are they there?

Sar-El is the Hebrew acronym for sheroot l’Israel meaning “Service for Israel.” Volunteers from all over the world leave their jobs or retirement activities and comfortable homes to come to Israel, at their own expense, to work in the army. They perform vital tasks usually done by reservists, thus releasing them for important military duties.

Sar-El was founded by General Aharon Davidi, the former head of the I.D.F. Paratrooper and Infantry Corps. In 1982, at the time of the 1^st Lebanon War, Davidi noted that the ripening crops were left unharvested due to the manpower shortage since reservists had been called up to serve in the army. He sent a number of friends to the USA to recruit volunteers to help take over agricultural work – 650 persons responded to the call. These first volunteers were immensely enthusiastic about the experience and expressed the idea that this voluntary program should be perpetuated and even extended to include other areas. Thus Sar-El was born.

In 1983 Sar-El, the National Project for Volunteers for Israel, was established as a nonprofit organization with General Davidi as its founder and chairman, positions he continues to hold. The Sar-El Foundation is the civilian arm in charge of recruiting volunteers and, once in Israel, the army is responsible for them. Since its inception, 121,000 volunteers from the USA, South Africa, Canada, France, Holland, Germany, Britain, India and other countries, including those from the former Soviet Union, have answered the call. Each year 4,500 volunteers arrive in Israel, with many older Israelis joining them in this program.

Major Tiran Attia, who heads logistics and education for the Sar-El program, describes the volunteers in glowing terms: “This is a win-win situation. The volunteers are dedicated and motivated, enthusiastic to be of concrete help to Israel in a hands-on situation, while the army benefits from their efforts which are of immeasurable importance. The functions performed by Sar-El volunteers free the reservists, who would otherwise be doing those jobs, and allows them instead to continue their military training.”

Volunteers have to comply with several criteria: be over the age of 18 and up to any age as long as they are fit and healthy. Most of the volunteers are retired professionals. They all pay their own way to Israel, stay for 3 weeks, work an 8-hour day, live in barracks like the regular army (men and women live separately, even if married); and eat their meals in the mess hall with the soldiers.

They are assigned to work in several army bases around the country, in hospitals, rehabilitation centers or retirement homes.

How do the volunteers find their way into the program? In Canada, according to Jack Borden, Vice President of Sar-El Canada, word-of-mouth is a major incentive with returning volunteers praising the experience.

I interviewed Jack Borden and his wife, Sylvia, while they were in Israel recently; they had arrived with 78 volunteers from Montreal and region. Since their retirement, both have been dedicated, active supporters of Sar-El: Jack, an engineer and the former rector of Concordia University in Montreal, has written the Sar-El Handbook and created the website. He has been in Israel as a Sar-El volunteer 21 times, while Sylvia, a physiotherapist, has returned here 18 times. He represents Sar-El in Montreal, Ottawa and the surrounding regions, while there are Sar-El representatives in Toronto, British Columbia, Calgary, Halifax and other parts of Canada as well.

“While word of mouth is a powerful channel,” said Jack, “we also use other methods to inform the public about the Sar-El program. We advertise in the Canadian Jewish News and I give power-point presentations and speeches to Jewish organizations, community centers, synagogues and so on.”

“Since I can speak for Sylvia and myself from our personal experiences, I tell them we see Israel from a different perspective, not from the window of a bus as tourists, but from hands-on experience that is invigorating, challenging and memorable. What can compare with the unique opportunity to wear a regular Israel army uniform, make a meaningful contribution to Israel while working side-by-side with the Israel army and interact with the soldiers on a personal level. It’s exhilarating. It’s the Jewish way. And it’s Zionism in action.”

The Sar-El Foundation sends groups from Israel to speak about the program at Jewish community centers around the world. The Foundation works with the Jewish Agency as well, especially in Europe and in the Former Soviet Union. Volunteers from the FSU have said that they usually feel their experience could be a prelude to actually making aliyah.

From the moment they are greeted at Ben Gurion Airport the Sar-El group meets with the soldiers who will be their guide, mentor, translator and their liaison with the base commander. She/he assigns them their uniforms, work duties, registers any complaints and organizes social/cultural/recreational activities including tours around the country. Evenings are devoted to cultural events including lectures on Judaism, Israel and Zionism. Weekends, volunteers are on their own and may choose to tour the country or stay in other cities, all at their own expense.

Major Attia explained how the guides are chosen: “Very carefully! From the moment they are drafted into the army, they already know they are being considered for this project. There are a number of criteria upon which this decision is made: according to their profiles, if they are highly motivated, if they speak more than one or two other languages – English, French, German, Russian or Spanish in addition to Hebrew, can relate to older people and are mature enough to take responsibility in coping with unexpected events. Those who are capable of undertaking this important function undergo an intensive 7-week training program plus an additional month in actual working with volunteers.

Based upon their performance in training, the successful applicants are given the assignments. All work done by Sar-El volunteers is under supervision, with their guides constantly available and at their service.

Major Attia continued that “an additional achievement of a Sar-El volunteer is that of acting as a role model. In bases where they serve, some of the soldiers may include those from disadvantaged families or those with particular personal problems. These volunteers, coming from around the world at their own expense, giving up comfortable lives to work and live in the camp for the love of Israel, are an inspiration. We find that the soldiers’ morale and behavior improve and they perform much better.”

Most, but not all, volunteers are Jewish. Those that are not are told that proselytizing is forbidden, as is the giving of gifts of religious objects or ornaments.

In recognition of its achievements, Sar-El has been given a number of awards, among them: Founder and Chairman, General Aharon Davidi was the recipient of the President’s award for his dedication to the volunteer project over the years. And, in the year 2000 he was honored with lighting one of the 12 memorial torches on Mt. Herzl in celebration of Israel’s Independence Day.

Judging from the viewpoint of the army and the burdgeoning, international list of prospective volunteers, Sar-El is a real Israel success story.

It is an important way to create a cadre of goodwill ambassadors for Israel; in promoting aliyah; in contributing to Israel’s economy and in assuring the promotion of Jewish continuity.

For more information contact:

www.sar-el.org

Sar-El Office Tel Aviv (Yafo): Tel: 972 (0)3-526-7503;
 Fax: 972 (0)3-683-4650