Save the Date: Sunday, June 1, 2008 - Israel Day Parade in NYC
If you live in metro-NY and want to march
with your fellow VFI volunteers and the Jewish Agency to show your
support for Israel on this the 60th
Anniversary of Israel Independence - Join US!
Additional details will be sent out and will be available on this web site.
If you wish to help
VFI organize this event, contact us
or by calling 212-643-4848
If you can not join us in NY we hope that you can find a local venue to help celebrate Israel’s 60th Anniversary.
Now is the time - YOU are the difference.
Purim '08 - Mishloach Manot - Connecting to IDF Soldiers
Due to the generosity of our volunteers, VFI was able to raise $7,000+ to purchase Mishloach Manot packages for IDF soldiers in Israel. We had VFI volunteers who signed up to be involved, with Brooklyn ZOA, with the distribution of those packages in Israel. These volunteers were led by Carol Hananel from VFI-LA. Approximately 2,500 packages were delivered to about 8 bases in the Jerusalem/Jordan Valley area and to bases in the Tel-Aviv / Beersheva area.
There were additional distributions at Tel Hashomir hospital, Kook Yeshiva and for the residents of Sderot.
Thank you to ALL who generously contributed to make this project a success.
Thank you to ALL who wrote the letters of encouragement that were delivered with the packages.
The photos of the IDF soldiers who received the Mishloach Manot packages are enough to tell you that the packages were well received and appreciated
Sar-El's call for Volunteers
Sar-El has a call out for volunteers from now till this summer.
- Special construction projects on bases in the North and South of the country
- Volunteers are needed on the regular bases as well
This year is the 60th year of Israel's independence - the best gift you can give Israel is YOURSELF!
Photo Gallery of VFI Volunteers now available
We have placed a Photo Gallery of VFI Volunteers in action on this web
site.
You can see the new Photo Gallery - by following this
link.
If YOU have photos from your recent volunteer experience that you want to share - please feel free to pass them forward.
25 Year Anniversary of the Sar-El Program - a special celebration was held on August 9, 2007 in Israel
The 25th Anniversary of Sar-El celebration was held in Jerusalem at the Convention Center on August 9. Over a thousand people attended including representatives from the various countries that have provided volunteers to Sar-El over the past 25 years as well as hundreds of young people who were volunteering this summer. It is estimated that there have been 125,000 Sar-El volunteers since the beginning of the program in 1982 with the US having provided approximately 30,000.
Vade Bolton, President and Marian Sacks, Treasurer represented VFI at the celebration.
The program was filled with music performed by groups from each branch of the IDF. There were also dancers. Speakers included Major General Avi Mizrahi, Head of Logistics and Medical Branch of the IDF; Zeev Bielski, World Jewish Agency Chairman and General Aharon Davidi, Founder and Chairman of Sar-El.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the honoring of seven individuals for outstanding service and commitment to Sar-El. VFI’s Immediate Past President Josef Herz was one of those honored for his dedication and leadership for VFI/Sar-El. In Josef’s absence, Vade Bolton accepted the Certificate of Honor award on behalf of Josef and the VFI Board.
A private dinner was held later that evening for guests and Sar-El leaders
from other countries. General Davidi was the host. During the
dinner Vade Bolton, VFI President, presented to the General a plaque acknowledging
there would be a garden of trees planted known as Davidi’s Garden
in a JNF/KKL site. The Garden was made possible by over $3,000 being
donated by the VFI Board and Volunteers from all across the US.
Marian Sacks and Vade Bolton both described the event as memorable and that they were both pleased to have had the opportunity to represent the VFI Board as well as our volunteers.
A Letter of Appreciation to the Summer 2007 Volunteers
"I would like to take advantage of this stage to thank all the volunteers
from abroad that came to Israel in order to help
the IDF. You are great people, highly motivated, work loving, ein-avoda complainers.
You are doing a work of one week
in an hour, even the high commanders can't supply the resources needed for
you in order to work more. I would like
to thank you, for that you came, from abroad, leaving behind your families,
friends, jobs, just to help Israel. Even if
it's only about cleaning huge warehouses, folding clothes and smelly blankets,
so what if it's only about hard long
kitchen jobs, so what if you get not air conditioned rooms, gets to eat military
food, and are not allowed to enter the
gym? You are still happy, you are still pleased, you are still highly motivated
for work, and most importantly still
really fun to work with.
I hope you enjoyed your staying here, hope the popsicles you got were tasty,
hope that when you get home you'll have
plenty of interesting stories to tell, and of course have a pleasant flight
home.
Yours,
Shlomi (aka "Shmone")"
Planting Trees in Israel: To Honor Aharon Davidi and 25 years of the Sar-El Program
Due to the generosity of VFI volunteers, VFI will plant ~600 trees in a special JNF/KKL Aharon Davidi's Garden. This initiative is our effort to Honor Aharon Davidi on the 25th year of the Sar-El program.
Thank You to ALL the VFI volunteers who generously contributed to this initiative.
2008 - Additional ONE Week Programs added to the schedule
Three additional ONE WEEK Programs have been added the schedule for 2008.
They are: February 10 to 14, May 18 to 22, and October 26 to 30.
This is in addition to the April 13 to 17 ONE WEEK program that was
already on the schedule.
One of the unique features of the ONE WEEK program in addition to being shorter than the typical two or three work program is that you will need to be at Ben Gurion Airport to meet the group at 8AM on the program start date. That typically means to you either arrange your flights to get you to Israel very early on that date or that you arrive before the start date.
To view the 2007/2008 schedule - click here
Another Way to Help: Plant Trees in Israel
Did you know you are able to help Israel in another way?
You can have YOUR TREES planted in Israel for any simcha or occasion and VFI stands ready to assist you!
The cost of each tree is $18 and we are your direct line to JNF. For additional information - click here.
May 6, 2007 - the Israel Day Parade in NY
Approximately 65 VFI volunteers gathered at the Cafe K at 10AM to meet, to eat and schmooze. They also had the opportunity to meet IDF Lone Soldiers who were visiting the US, sponsored by the Jewish Agency.
Later ~90 VFI volunteers gathered with the Jewish Agency contingent to march up 5th Ave for the Israel Day Parade. Other VFI volunteers marched with other groups. They along with ~100,000 people marched to show their support for Israel.
A special thanks to the workers and the volunteers of the VFI-NY office for making the arrangements and helping organize VFI's participation in this event - with a special mention for Jaclyn Mishal and Richard Bernstein.
20-April-2007: New!! VFI’s Travel Journal Is Now Available
Once you’re back home, will you really remember all those VFI experiences
you said you’d never forget?
You will if you bring VFI’s handy new Travel Journal with you. Record your special memories and impressions in our attractive, lightweight, spiral-bound book. You can also jot down addresses of your new friends, shopping lists, purchases, etc. The Journal also has practical Israel travel tips, a dictionary, and pockets that hold the VFI Handbook and other important items.
For VFI Members the cost is only $15.00. And they’re easy to buy from your local VFI representative or the New York office.
Buy more than one; they make wonderful gifts for anyone traveling to Israel. Order yours while supplies last!
6-April-2007 - Ulpan-chik option added for the May 6/7, 2007 session and in the following months
VFI
is happy to announce that an Ulpan-chik option will be offered
for future program dates. Sessions will be available
for program starting: June 17/18, July 8/9, August 19/20. Oct 7/8, Nov 18/19,
Dec 9/10.
The Ulpan-chik option was developed by VFI to address an issue - most of our volunteers do not speak Hebrew - so it limits their interaction with Israelis, on the base, at their work location and on the streets. The Ulpan-chip hopes to address that issue by offering practical Hebrew classes on the base in the evening and in an immersion environment - allowing you to use what you learn immediately.
Additional information about the Ulpan-chik option can be found here.
Purim Project '07 – Mishloach Manot for IDF soldiers
VFI volunteers and friends of VFI, through their generosity were able to raise ~$3,000 for the Brooklyn ZOA Mishloach Manot project in two weeks. The money was used to purchase Mishloach Manot packages in Israel. The Sar-El organization, VFI volunteers, and volunteers from other countries were involved with the distribution of ~2100 packages to IDF men and women in bases all over the country.
Just another way that VFI connects people to Israel. Kol Ha’Kavod to the people who participated in this drive.
A Volunteer Gathering in NY – February 4, 2007
On a bitterly cold Sunday in February, approximately 60 VFI volunteers
from the metro-NY area gathered in the VFI NY office for a meeting. They
came to hear Ms. Sandra Sasson, a Press Officer from the NY Israeli
Consulate discuss the current situation in the Middle East.
Josef Herz, VFI National President, talked about what VFI volunteers can do to prepare in case of an immediate need for volunteers because of war or a natural disaster in Israel.
At the end of the meeting, to celebrate the 25th Year Anniversary of Sar-El, a cake and refreshments were served.
3-Jan-2007 - An announcement from Sar-El for US Volunteers
The following announcement was posted on the Sar-El web site for distribution to volunteers from the United States.
Jan. 2007 Shalom – SAR-EL announces the recruitment and processing procedure of US resident volunteers for the SAR-EL program in Israel. 1) SAR-EL will rely on Volunteers for Israel’s Ambassador Program to process applications for SAR-EL’s program in Israel. 2) NEW volunteers should submit their paperwork and application fees to Volunteers for Israel® ('VFI'). 3) RETURNING volunteers, Associates and VFI volunteers, are encouraged to submit their paperwork and application fees directly to VFI for processing. Volunteers for Israel® ('VFI') welcomes the opportunity and is looking forward to working with SAR-EL Associates in the US Volunteers for Israel® can be reached via email: info@vfi-usa.org OR ambassador@vfi-usa.org. By telephone: 866-514-1948; in metro-NY: 212-643-4848. VFI web site can be found at: http://www.vfi-usa.org B’Shalom, |