It’s hard to get a true sense of a foreign land when you visit it as a tourist, especially Israel. And not everyone is lucky enough to be able to live and work there in order to experience the true flavors of its culture, people, cuisine, and history. Thanks to an organization called Sar-El, which is a Hebrew acronym for “Service for Israel” you can do both.

Sar-El is a non-profit, non-political organization that administers a program to bring volunteers from all over the world to work in Israel. Volunteers get first-hand experience of what life is like in Israel. The U.S. organization that recruits volunteers for the program is Volunteers for Israel ®.

“The first time I volunteered, in July 2002, I worked on a military base sorting clean work uniforms for the IDF,” Celeste Wieselman, receptionist for the Jewish Federation-St. Louis and Sar-El volunteer, said. “During my three-week stay, there were probably 25 or 30 of us from all over the world. I developed relationships with people with whom I’m still in touch.”

Sar-El originally developed in the early 1980s as a way to help fill the work shortage when soldiers and reservists were called for duty. Under the direction of the IDF, now volunteers take the places of soldiers who are called to do other things; volunteers can be assigned to work on bases, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Wieselman’s enthusiasm for Israel and her experiences as a volunteer is effusive and unbridled. “You become very close to people when you’re there and that’s the bad part of this experience…you become emotionally involved with them, particularly the soldiers. You are afraid to hear about things happening in Israel because now they are people you know, not just names.”

She has volunteered three times and has loved every minute of each stint. On her second visit she was stationed on a communications base. “We worked on these intercommunication helmets, like the football players wear, to refurbish them,” Wieselman said. “I will never forget there was this little 18-year-old IDF soldier who was explaining how to take these wires out and I just didn’t get it. I kept envisioning some soldier in a tank wearing one of my helmets saying ‘Is anyone there? Can you hear me?’ Even though there are people who inspect the helmets, I didn’t feel comfortable with that job. So they moved me to another job where I spackled and painted the helmets.”

Linda and Jerry Koenig first got involved with Sar-El in 1995. “We worked on an army base and then on a navy base which was in Haifa,” Linda said. “We helped prepare the bandstand for Prime Minister Rabin’s visit to commission a new ship in the harbor. He actually spoke to us.”

The Koenig’s have volunteered together two times and then one additional time separately. “I volunteered for heavy duty work in a supply yard where they stored parts for tanks and artillery,” Jerry said. “We also built concrete structures used for bunkers on the Syria border. You can see those bunkers in the movie Beaufort.” Linda has also worked in a warehouse and has supervised landscaping of one of the bases. They both got to participate in an archeological dig near Jerusalem where they helped unearth a Roman amphitheatre.

Linda and Jerry are the co-chairs for Iowa, Missouri and Southern Illinois region for Volunteers for Israel. They estimate 75-100 people in the St. Louis area have volunteered. “It’s a very rewarding experience and I’m very thrilled I get to help other people get to Israel,” Linda said. “When you volunteer there you get to know the people; you get to work with Israelis side-by-side, speak with them, and learn some Hebrew.”

Sar-El’s goals, according to its Web site, are to:

* Contribute to the promotion of Jewish continuity.

* Create a cultural and educational exchange between the Diaspora and Israel.

* Partner with non-Jewish supporters of Israel in a mutually beneficial experience.

One of the things Wieselman likes the most about this volunteer experience is being treated like everyone else who lives and works in Israel. “You are immersed in the country and culture. They treat you like they treat anyone else,” Jerry said volunteers even wear the same uniforms as IDF members. Volunteers live in dormitories on a base and eat in the mess hall with soldiers so there are opportunities to socialize with IDF members. But as Wieselman says, “This is not for princesses or princes. You walk to the mess hall regardless of the weather and you need to be physically fit in general.”

Both Wieselman and the Koenigs are passionate about this program. “You know you’re contributing to Israel not just financially but by working side-by-side with Israelis,” Jerry said.

“When you’re there…I can’t even begin to describe the feeling,” Wieselman said. “You know you’re part of something bigger than yourself. The people there are Zionists or whatever you call people who care about Israel. You’ll never feel a connection to Israel this strong. This is the strongest way you can feel a connection to Israel and Israelis.”

For more information visit: www.sar-el.org, www.vfi-usa.org or contact the Koenigs at 636-394-6027.