Volunteering Maccabiah

I'm sitting in my lounge room contemplating the benefits of volunteering. Israel has so many options!
A year is ending and a new Shana is about to begin. Personally volunteering to invite guests over on a Shabbat or even for a Rosh Hashana celebratory meal tops my list of preferable voluntary gestures.I
We are encouraged to volunteer, almost every nation has roof organisations for those natives of Russian,Spanish, French or English, and its in our psyche to volunteer for the good of the community.

Coming to live in the desert has its benefits, its just an hours bus ride to the lowest point on earth, climbing
Massada with like-minded volunteers one feels like they have conquered  the Everest back in the days of Pamela Earhart. There is nothing like floating freely on the Dead Sea , watching the colourful sunrise as one looks toward Jordan in the distance.

One writes back to fellow colleagues encouraging them to support great organisations all giving hope that maybe the Holyland can provide some solace or moralistic enlightenment nurturing ones need to be connected to the motherland or our home.

I've avoided supporting the causes promoted by Jewish Organisations in the Diaspora for now. Feeling that the spirit of voluntary work should not just be monetary.  Some organisations offer volunteers accomodation in exchange for picking crops(LEKET), volunteering in towns that are constantly under threat from the next barrage of missles, wether by educating the youngsters in their bomb shelters or security rooms or repairing damaged buildings, or sometimes playing with kindergarten children teaching them games in foreign languages or just being mentors to help them get through the days until the next missle bombards them.

Some people volunteer for medically proven establishments helping those with cancer, children injured by mines in the Golan Heights a remnant from the Wars with Syria,or even helping the blind and disabled whom have been run over by fast cars or just born that way.

There is a great theatre place in Yaffo with an attached restaurant run by the blind called Naalagat.
An amazing place to dine during your stay in Tel Aviv that can be prebooked so you can choose from a vegetarian Menu or not and the profits keep the place running providing employment for the many blind people whom are very capable of providing a great service to local and foreign diners.

But if you are volunteering not just for personal pleasure but hoping to offer generous funds because the cause is worthy then try Keren Or a school for disabled in Jerusalem or maybe Ezer Mizion for its transplant programs for needy patients, and of course there is ADI the roof organisation.

My parents brought us up on KKL an organisation which is run by dubious people whom waste many funds and I donated years of pocket money like a young girl from a naive Jewish enclave only to find out that on more than one occasion the money never go to the promised destination.
Still KKL was an organisation of reputable standards building forests and setting up cool vacation areas for locals to have family BBQs or for children to have recreative time.
Some of the money does still go to planting trees to fulfill ones wish of having roots or connections to the land of ISRAEL. And yes the Carmel Fires that saw the loss of Prison guards and police staff is almost a memory.  The Carmel Forest is once again blooming and one can go and see the monument in memory of those whom lost their lives so still there is justification.

Some years back I almost got involved with the Maccabiah, recollecting memories from my past where Jewish teenagers proudly support their sport teams coming to Israel for a memoreable lifetime experience.
I haven't yet volunteered for the Maccabiah cause I'm not the sporty type and really hope that one day I will be able to volunteer for a much needed organisation which helps Jewish Sportsmanship.

I attended a memorial event for the Maccabiah Participants on more than one occaision and have family that are associated to several of the victims families from the Yarkon River Bridge incident that left the Australian Jewish community bleeding. This year there will be an event that is taking place in Teddy Stadium that I pray will go without a hitch.  Unfortunately I recall babysitting as a teenager for a couple of the victims families and also was a neighbour of at least two of the victims families. These people had faith in Israel in the Jewish State and more importantly were supportive of Israel in times of need. Some of them still do and have sent their children to the Maccabiah and just try not to discuss it see it as an unfortunate event that won't reoccur faith but the price paid by victims is high people whom get paid to do a job which they do not oversee in an effort to cut their running costs, should in time pay the price of their laziness or reckless behaviour.

Should I remind you of such inconsiderate,selfish individuals, but the Yarkon Bridge incident wasn't the last time something like that happen.  One may recall the Independence Day celebrations on Har Herzl when a youn female officer lost her life due to negligence just 2 years ago, the Versaille incident in Jerusalem during a family wedding... and the hope that each year such incidents will not reoccur due to the attitude of some Israelis and their trusting comradeship attitude of their compatriates.

Luckily this year the participants to the Maccabiah in Israel return home with memories of all the Sportsmen and Sportswomen participants and the Closing Ceremony didn't report any careless mishaps for the Diaspora participants. I just hope that next time you plant a tree consider where you want to volunteer and which cause is worthy of your financial help and efforts.

Having signed on as an ADI  Donor,and help donating to Aleh an institution in the South when I have some spare time its time to think about your own community whilst their efforts may be admirable sometimes others whom have made Aliyah would be serviced better by providing job subsidies or places of employment for fellow Olim or even offering help to volunteer a seat to a person celebrating the holidays alone are but a few alternatives.
As a resident of Modiin previously from Australia we look forward to keeping in touch with fellow supporters of Israel while you tour Israel and enjoy its fruits.

Mikki Indyk
Translating Dreams in the Holyland
Travelling Twins Blog

Sailing the Meditteranean over a Shabbat Meal

What a week its been for spontaneous travel experiences for me.. Having my days filled by my twin daughters its time for some ME time.  Friday night  I find myself alone again for dinner but the previous day on a great site I've discovered for mostly younger travellers there is a Shabbat dinner just over half an hour away.  Great offer and all I have to drive no washing dishes just bring a drink. Thinking I might be rejected cause they'll look at my profile and see Im a mother of young children what do I have to loose, they are at their grandparents and its my night off for a Traditional Shabbat Meal with complete strangers. Maximum no good I hop in my car and return home instead of being miserable that my family isn't with me. The best part is I don't have to cook and come back rejuvenated.  So spontaeeaty is my favourite word lately giving myself some unexpected experiences meeting people from around the world without paying for an air ticket and enjoying it too.

It took me a whilst what sort of a Street is Macdonall in Ramat Gan, Im to discover the residences of The Philippino Ambassador and an empty lot with overgrown plants and a block of units hidden away opposite a petrol station.   Finally I approach the home thinking I must be at the wrong place almost ready to turn away dissapointed at having received such a nice reply and some Guy telling me Im most welcome just walk down the street past the vacant lot and I take one last peek and decided to knock on the door.

Many years ago I lived in Ramat Gan and know the area quite well but had never been here. Greeting me to one of the best Traditional Meals for Shabbat a bunch of 8 Israeli guys ( 5 are flatmates) and 2 other females a Columbian and Russian gal and a couple very much together. A nicely laid out white table cloth with cutlery and dishes all ready for us to dine.  I get introduced to Morry, Adam,Uri,Nataliya,Danielle,Gadi and the others and chat with them about their travels in Africa eating Gali something I'm yet to try and hearing stories of St Petersburg and Nataliyas new life in New Jersey, opposite we see an attic like bed above a very high large book shelf covered with some great Religious books and an enormous picture of 7 people in fancy dress from a Purim Party they held.  I'm flabbergasted this is the life I should have led, years ago I was also 27 and ready to party had just met my partner and my life changed course..
After the Kiddush and the blessing for washing our hands we enjoyed the traditional sweet Hallahs , just like in my home 2 and the blokes are serving the meal as we start off with a couple of jokes about the burnt fish, which wasn't so burnt, and after enjoying a great Gazpacho with a dash of Tabasco on come the noodles, the Eggplant and Tahina dish, The sliced baked potatoes, and stuffed Capsicums/Red Peppers for those of you whom like them.  Thinking the company couldn't get any better and the food was finished they announce a serve of Sharons Sorbet and Chubby Hubby Ice Cream from Ben and Jerrys.  They take off the dishes and bring on a juicy red Watermelon with some Salty Bulgariaa n Cheese Cubes which I dig into with a toothpick to finish off with an Israeli style treat.  The Couple leave and I'm getting tired with a drive home but the guys and 2 other ladies are still in the mood to party so I stay a little longer and just before I get too exhausted from talking about Tattoos and Bat Yam a seaside town in Israel Im asked if I can offer Gadi a lift to Tel Aviv.   I say my farewells hoping I'll see this bunch of Israelis again some time.
Gadi tells me he is off to the US in a few weeks and I tell him a bit more about me and my Australian past and how I really enjoyed myself. Gadi assured me I'll be welcome anytime whenever they next have a Shabbat meal and want to meet people just to bring my smile and not worry about my age difference.

Of Course I'm happy, and I head home to my children happy and rejuvenated for another weekend.
Suddenly on Monday I see a post for guests to join in a Sailing event in Herzilya after 6pm until after 9pm checking the post I see the couple are from my home town Modiin and are 10 yrs older than myself looking for a crew to sail the Meditteranean. The logistics are difficult but hey I pick up my young son from kindergarten take him home and get the older children to babysit for just over an hour until their father comes from work to take over.  Its surreal, maybe one can go back in time. Living in Sydney my late father co owned a yacht with a mate and I used to sail in Sydney Harbour past the Opera House and Fort Denison
and Modiin has no Sea and the Meditteranean isn't the Pacific but hey If I'm dreaming I don't want to stop.
I get to Herzilya only to discover I forgot my wallet and driving Licence at home hoping I don't get caught by the police I decide to risk it. Luckily my daughter assures me shes put it in my bag for when I return so I know I'll be right.  Meeting the couple at the Yacht Club reminded me of the best in Sydney and if I didn't see signs in Hebrew I'd be sure I'm not in Israel.  I meet another Israeli, David, Kaya and Fredricka from Florence and a German guy called Alex whom proved very nice.  Well we sailed off into the Sunset looking onto the Israeli coastline pulling ropes and trying my had a steering must admit Im a bit rusty...

Enjoying the two hour sail after a cup of tea we return relaxed and happy and I return home to await my next adventure and enjoy the company of friendly Israelis and tourists enjoying the lifestyle I used to live.