Volunteering with SAR-EL by Jeff Grossman
My two weeks of volunteering with SAR-EL, the International Volunteers for the IDF from January 19, 2025 to January 30, 2025, will stay with me forever. I will tell you what motivated me to go, the response of the people I met, what I think I may have contributed, what I gained, and why you should go.
At SAR-EL, you experience every range of emotion, and some you did not know you had. I met people from all over the world, Canada, France, UK, Germany, Australia, Spain, Holland, Argentina some of whom were not Jewish but simply felt a need to help Israel. I worked at a logistics base near Beersheba. You are issued a IDF uniform and work from Sunday to Thursday on tasks which help to relieve the IDF reservists. The work involved packing medical kits, making food packages and sorting soldiers’ uniforms and sleeping bags. You will have the journey of a lifetime that you will take home with you in your heart. A part of me is still in Israel. And will always be.
Jeff Grossman
Police Officer with over 36 years of service
Vice President of Texas Shomrim
Second Vice President National Conference of Shomrim Societies