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Volunteers Tell All When Describing
Their Tour to Israel:
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| What did we do? What didn't we do? My husband's main job was carrying rocks to make the desert garden attractive. Believe it or not, he loved it & became quite creative! (He'd never do this around our house....) I volunteered to clean (not all of the painters were neat, so I caught their spills) & I hung curtain swags for a splash of color. My photos tell the whole story: from total disaster to total beauty! Our own accommodations were solidly middle-of-the-road (i.e., not deluxe-plus-plus), which made us feel more at home, less like tourists. |
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| It was a part of Israel that tourists rarely glimpse: hardware stores, corner synagogues, neighbors stopping by to chat. Giggling children passed the work site & taught us Hebrew phrases. By the end of the first volunteer day, we had painted every wall in sight. By the second day, pottery urns sprouted with geraniums and the garden received hamra, the reddish-brown soil, followed by oleander, palms, and spring bulbs hidden for the coming year. On the third day, we hung light fixtures, assembled furniture, carried kilos of refuse to the dumpster, and met Jewish refugees from Uzbekistan, Ethiopia, Tajikistan, and other places too exotic to remember. I heard them recount fleeing life-threatening anti-Semitism to come "home" to Israel. Now, all they needed was a clean, quiet, affordable home to rent...almost unheard-of here. This summer, I did some real good. |
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In short, the food is great (fresh, healthy, bountiful), the trip organization and price are good values, and you could not be helping a better cause. Bring the sunscreen, they'll give you a t-shirt, take lots of pictures. If you're a Zionist (Jewish or otherwise), this is like the old pioneering days of Israel's early statehood. You've gotta experience it! |
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I pitched in to help solve Israel's rental housing shortage with a diverse, fun team--mostly Jews, but also Christians, families, singles, young, old, black, white. We probably learned just as much from each other as from touring the country. This was one of the best summer vacations I've enjoyed in a long time--fulfilling, unique, purposeful, action-packed, positive, and fun. Thanks, Operation Restoration! |
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We brought along our 11-year-old (going on 20!) granddaughter. It was our intention to have a little bonding time before her teen years. Not only did she bond with us, but she embraced her heritage. We were so proud. She had the opportunity to help those who were less fortunate, to pray at the Western Wall, to ride a camel, to float in the Dead Sea, to hike to areas of spectacular beauty.... Already, she's planning for a year-abroad program in college in Jerusalem! We must say that Operation Restoration tries to make the trip special for those of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. We could not be more pleased and have memories-of-a-lifetime to show for this special week-and-a-half in the Jewish homeland. To all the bubbes & zaydes out there: this is one way to a kvetch-free summer! |
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E-Mail
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Elderly neighbors tried to tell us something in Hebrew. We asked what they were saying, and our director interpreted. "They're saying, 'May you be blessed for helping those with no one else to care.'" In every task that I did, I remembered and thought, They have no one else. What if I hadn't volunteered? |
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Stop talking about it and do it. This is a one-of-a-kind trip and the space goes quickly. For a price like this, you should be getting airfare alone! Instead, you get everything but lunch and the kitchen sink. Reserve as soon as you can. You don't want to miss it. |
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Helping the immigrants makes you appreciate what you have & stop underestimating your abilities. Even if you're not a handyman, you can do a great deal. I think I'd recommend it to every corporation to send your top executives--the mind is freed of such clutter. The volunteer schedule is like a military operation--each minute has a specific task, but it's not taxing on your energy. Speed-painting, speed-landscaping, speed-cleaning. The time passes quickly and it becomes like a race with other team members. There were moments when we could not stop laughing and had to rest (okay, so maybe we were exhausted). Everyone excels at something. By the end of the day, a good soak in the tub does wonders! |
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We took a break for lunch at a shopping mall. Israelis surrounded us when they saw our Operation Restoration t-shirts (& that we were covered with paint). Many said "todah" (thank you) for helping the olim. The locals were friendly, outgoing, and gave us a better view of the country than if we had just come to sit on a tour bus or attend a conference. I'd encourage anyone to come & see & be part of the real Israel. |
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Return to Operation
Restoration
Volunteer Page
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| Let's face it: few of us spend much time outdoors anymore. Our volunteer workdays were like summer camp for adults! It brought a whole new rhythm and perspective to my life. Even now, sitting at my high-tech desk in an important office, I fondly remember the simple pleasures of sunshine and fresh air, plus the good feeling of knowing that I assisted Israel in a first-hand, tangible way. |
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| There's a great rule on the trip: no complaining. What, you think I want to hear about your aches & pains on my vacation? This "rule" changed my life. I've always been a negative person. Always. But no more. The group kids around, and smiles, and laughs--such a bunch of kibbitzers! I feel like I've been to a good kind of reform school and am now acting 20 years younger! |
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| Sometimes you give to a non-profit and the money goes who-knows-where. There are fancy awards ceremonies with expensive meals. Operation Restoration works quietly, and effectively, doing exactly what they say: recycling properties & housing Jewish refugees. No big salaries. No fan- fare. Just results. A project like this deserves big bucks. They can be trusted. Go and check it out for yourself. |
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