Helping Hands

This article, from 'Australian Friends' member Daniel Abel, describes the brilliant time his group had while volunteering in Orr Shalom's Yaacov Ze'ev Graduates' Home. Many thanks to John and Jesma O'Hara for organizing the visit.

29 people participated in our Helping Hands tour of Israel, with ages ranging from 15 to 78! After two weeks of intensive touring, we arrived in Tel Aviv and started volunteering at Orr Shalom's Yaacov Ze'ev Graduate Home in Kiryat Ono. Our love for Israel and her people found expression in our volunteer project.

Over three days we did electric work, plumbing, painting, cleaning, landscaping, and general maintenance. We planted dozens of flowering plants in the garden and made it a place that all the graduates will enjoy.

The volunteering left a special place in our hearts, because it felt as if we were leaving something worthwhile behind, rather than merely touring the land and then leaving. It was great to see that the work was carried out with such excitement and zeal by the members of the group.

We were even blessed to have one of the housemates, Dmitri, take time off from the army to help us in our work, and it was lovely to have met him. We left the project knowing Dmitri and the others will be fantastic caretakers, and we look forward to hearing updates in the coming months.

We left Israel with fond memories, great stories, and a deeper connection to the land and her people. Kol Ha Cavod to Orr Shalom!

If you have a group coming to Israel and are looking for volunteer opportunities, please click here.