Volunteers for Israel

Annually for the past 12 years, most recently in February 2014, I have spent time serving as a civilian noncombatant volunteer on Israeli military bases. I offer my services through the nonprofit program Volunteers for Israel (866/514-1948, www.vfi-usa.org and www.sar-el.org). 

I always go in February, serving for two weeks each time, although volunteers can serve year-round and for longer or shorter periods of time. My wife has served twice.

My personal work assignments have included warehouse work, packaging medical supplies, fixing jeep radio mounts and antennas, repairing M-60 tank fuel systems, renewing camouflage nets and sand bags, sorting clothing and more.

I’ve been stationed at bases from the Lebanese/Syrian border in the north to the desert in the south. I’m certainly not unique, as every year there are several thousand volunteers — ages 16 to 90 — from many countries, many religions and every socioeconomic group. You do not have to be Jewish to participate, and upward of 25% of volunteers are not.

Volunteers travel to Israel at their own expense, but room and board and work uniforms while on the Israel Defense Forces bases are free. Weekends are spent off the base — time for touring all over Israel.

I’ve asked many of these wonderful people about their reasons for doing volunteer work at military bases. As you may imagine, the answers were as varied as the volunteers, themselves.

Some had been to Israel many times as tourists but wanted more personal, intimate involvement (to get out of the insular “tourist trap”). Some had written checks for years to various causes that support Israel but decided to get personally involved on the ground. Some went for religious reasons. They all wanted to give the very best of themselves!

I share these reasons for volunteering with my fellow volunteers, but I also have other reasons. I want to continue working shoulder to shoulder with the young soldiers who protect the Jewish homeland, to look them in the eye and tell them they are not alone. I am inspired by the country’s spirit of survival and remarkable success.

My personal contributions to Israel are small, but I’m proud to do what I can when I can. Later on, when I am unable to travel, I hope my memories will be intact so I can think back upon all the truly wonderful people I met and the inspiring sights I witnessed during the times I was in Israel.

STEVE PLOTKIN

Newtown Square, PA