In the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, when the kibbutz movement was in full flower, foreigners wanting to help in Israel knew just what was expected of them: get on your hands and knees and start digging in marginal agricultural soils. Or spread the feed in the chicken coops. Or take care of the wee ones, Continue Reading »
Having wanted to go to Israel for an extended period of time, doing so with Skilled Volunteers for Israel provided the framework for a way I could find something useful to do while there and give structure to my days. Terry Hendin, SVFI’s Jerusalem based Volunteer Coordinator matched me with the English speaking MELABEV Memory Continue Reading »
Although each day’s activities were different for Debbie & I, the JOY was the same EVERY day. We’ve both worked in long-term care for decades in the past, as part of our Nursing careers. But Melabev was really Special. Perhaps it was Special BECAUSE we were volunteering, perhaps because ALL Club Members are Jewish – & Continue Reading »
I had the unique opportunity to volunteer at the Learning Center in the Dr. Helena Kagan Youth Center this past summer. I helped facilitate enrichment activities in English as a second language for neighborhood children and adults in Katamonim, an underprivileged area in Jerusalem. To say that I learned more from them is an understatement Continue Reading »
This summer I participated in the Volunteer & Study track of the Conservative Yeshiva. Skilled Volunteers for Israel set up my volunteer assignment as a counselor at the YMCA Peace Camp. The experience was truly a treat. Everyday brought new challenges, each needing to be solved in different languages and in different ways. I was Continue Reading »
This is my third summer volunteering at ENOSH, a social club for English-speaking adults who are mental health consumers. In previous summers, I volunteered through Skilled Volunteers for Israel at Melabev, an adult day center, working with people with dementia, and Merkaz Klass, a community center for at-risk children, tutoring low-income Ethiopian and Russian children. Continue Reading »
The purpose of my trip was personal growth as a Jew, a member of the second generation of European Jews who lived through the Holocaust and a chef. During these past few weeks, I found way more than that. I learned what it is to fall in love with a country. Belgium is the country Continue Reading »
I cannot believe that in a few more days my work at the Gan will come to an end. Never in my wildest imagination did I expect to become so attached to the staff and the children during a three week placement. I expected an opportunity to experience an immersion into a segment of the Continue Reading »
This is my second Skilled Volunteers adventure. Given that the concept for this trip was a first – a working partnership with an Israeli focused Canadian organization – the Friends of Hebrew U (“Friends”), I did not know what to anticipate. There were 12 of us and 9 had previously travelled to Israel with friends, some Continue Reading »
Gary Opolsky is participating in the Canadian Friends for Hebrew University program – Learn! Experience! Volunteer! Gary has a unique perspective and he took a few moments to share his experience. From Gary: Bottom line -great experience! Please note that I’m basically half Israeli given that I speak the language so my perception may be Continue Reading »
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