VFI Rehab Hospital Program

This trip was different.  After doing 18 programs with Sar-El, I was going with VFI for the first time.  Very different.  This time we had planned touring on weekends.  I was skeptical.  I had been to Israel so many times I wondered if any of the tours would be something new.  But Julia turned out to be a most unusual tour guide.  Even for places I’d been before she made interesting with new facts and great stories.  She was able to answer all our questions and make every presentation fact filled and new.  In addition, she was able to find places of real interest that I had missed during my many trips.

The hotels were all comfortable and centrally located.  Our days were filled with sights sounds and tastes all over the top and most new to me.

As I look over our packed itinerary I cannot decide on which was the most interesting.  And at 83 I found the pace comfortable and Julia extremely attentive to everyone’s concerns and wishes.  We all got to do and see what was important to each of us.  With unforeseen blips never getting in the way of our plans as things got moved around to insure we all got to do everything.

The days at the hospital were interesting and for me educational.  Meeting and getting to know the other volunteers from many different countries enabled me to see dedication to Israel from Jews and non-Jews from all over the world.  The staff at the hospital was helpful and the patients appreciative of our efforts.  We even got to do additional volunteering helping Pam pack and organize her product for soldiers and learned to knot tzitzis for the soldiers.

Rochelle Marshall <rzmarshal@aol.com>
February, 2025

The combination of volunteering with touring only enhanced this journey.  The team at VFI exceeded my expectations at every turn, with their kindness, compassion, knowledge, personal stories and remarkable acts of doing. They were flexible and responsive to our needs if we needed more help or direction.  Accommodations and meals were very good. I felt safer there than walking the streets of Chicago.   I was touched by seeing volunteers from all over the world come to Reuth Hospital for very long term time commitments to help Israel in any way they could. Every role is so important.  I was fortunate to have been given the opportunity to round regularly with some of the physicians while there.  Our guide, Julia, was wonderful and among the best I have traveled with. There is nothing she would not do for you.  Pamela Lazarus is a remarkable human being who continues to make a difference in the world, one day and one step at a time offering hope for all of us.  Toda Raba to all of you.

Robert Moss MD, Chicago
March, 2025

We enjoyed a sumptuous Shabbat dinner to begin prior to going to the rehab center in Tel Aviv. We took a walking tour of Jerusalem the first Shabbat on a cold rainy day. Despite the cold rainy weather conditions we saw places we had never seen before thanks to our tour guide Julia. After we completed our first week at the rehab center we went to Haifa in the German Colony for an overnight. We had the opportunity there to visit a reform synagogue for Shabbat which we enjoyed. We traveled north up the coast to the Lebanon border and took in many beautiful sights.

During the weeks in Tel Aviv, we worked, played and explored the city. We visited hostage square several times. It was heartbreaking! We went Motzi Shabbat and stood with the crowd marking the tragic return of the dead. We listened to family members speak in English and Hebrew, and cried despite not being able to understand every word. It was monumental to be there in person, see and hear for ourselves what is going on! We volunteered at the Reuth Medical Center in Tel Aviv during the week. We met and spoke with so many people who expressed their gratitude for our support! We talked to staff, patients and their families which showed us Israel on a more personal level than any sightseeing trip could do. 

We enjoyed seeing Tel Aviv in the afternoons after work and meeting other volunteers during our stay at the Maxim Hotel. More tours in Tel Aviv included Neve Tzedak, Anu museum, Palmach Museum, Florentine neighborhood with graffiti art! VFI also gave us the information to explore other volunteer opportunities with a schedule that provides flexibility. We tied Tzitzit for soldiers and helped out at the Chamal Ben Yehuda 86. Everyone who can should explore as many opportunities as they can. We met people from all over the world coming to volunteer who were not all Jewish including individuals from Canada, South America, South Africa! The happy hour at Maxim’s with unlimited soup, snacks and wine and was a highlight of many weekday evenings.

Our stay ended with a visit to the Gaza envelope. Beware, this was a difficult day! We cried and bore witness to October 7 and were able to pay our respects to the deceased in person. We said Kaddish, cried many times and lit a Yartzeit candle at the infamous bomb shelter. The Nova festival sight was tragic. The beautiful flowers at the greenhouse in Kfar Aza were a testament to the resilience of Israel! Overall we came home with a better understanding of the people of Israel and had the opportunity to give back in a meaningful way.

Thanks to all who made this trip possible. From Steve explaining what we were about to do prior to our trip, to Julia our fantastic tour guide and to Pam for giving us ideas to explore on our own. We enjoyed our time together and cannot wait for our next trip with VFI.

Dennis & Sharon Kaye, Silver Spring Maryland 
Februrary, 2005

I was treated to several Jerusalem tours, as well as Tel Aviv plus north and south of there.  Her knowledge and ability to deliver the history and current information of Israel and current events made the tours life like.  She was able to help me create a boarding pass for my return flight; I was particularly anxious about the boarding pass in that I had not been able to get on a flight on another trip in the past. 

The touring days were always a welcome lift from the daily volunteer work.  I felt that being a volunteer in Israel was an honor.  Julia treated all volunteers as though they were royalty.  I have no critical comments to make about my time in Israel; just keep doing what your doing.

Tom Myers
Plantation FL, 2004

It was wonderful to meet the patients and hear their stories about their lives and Israel.  Probably the most fulfilling part was to meet other volunteers from other countries and why they are in Israel.  It was truly horrifying to hear some stories but they are all there to help our homeland with no expectation except to help.  The second best thing was having Julia as our guide to the most exciting destinations and learning about the country and about our and the Jewish faith.  I would encourage everyone to volunteer for this trip it was totally fulfilling.

Robert Berman,   August, 2024

My primary work was assisting with breakfast meal service and accompanying patients to and from various therapies.

The work is somewhat physical, requiring the pushing of wheelchairs and walking up and down staircases between departments. The hospital accommodations are rugged by American standards.

In the evenings of the work week, we had time to go out to dinner or visit other sites of interest in Tel Aviv. It is easy to take a bus or cab from the hospital to wherever you want to go.

The weekend touring was wonderful … Julia’s knowledge and enthusiasm helped us to get a real feel for what is going on in Israel now. She was willing to answer questions and adjusted the tours to our special requests. The hotels we stayed in while touring were very comfortable and had large tasty buffets!

Both Julia and Pamela were readily available for problem-solving during the trip. They both went above and beyond to support the volunteers!

Standing strong with Israel,

Freddrika Kammer,
Chicago, IL, August 2024

I began my Reuth activities under the guidance of Eitan, the hospital’s volunteer coordinator.  The dorm room that Alan, my fellow VFI volunteer, and I shared reminded me of being in college, not a bad feeling for a man of my advanced age. 

As I learned my job of accompanying patients from their ward to their physical or occupational therapy appointments, I met the many other volunteers from all over the globe that Reuth depends on to serve their patients.  The best part of my experience was the relationships I developed with the other volunteers, the patients and the hospital staff. 

And the three Shabbat tours that Julia, our professional guide, led were educational and extremely moving.  This was especially the case during our visit to October 7 massacre sites which included the grounds of the Nova music festival.  Through this experience I was able to learn so much about how individual Israelis view the current situation and how it affects their lives and outlook for the future.

To convey what this experience meant to me – It was life changing even beyond the 12 months I spent many years ago as a Fulbright Fellow at the Technion.  

Jim Ultman, June 2024

After learning what volunteers do in the hospital I decided to volunteer at Reuth Medical Center. It was somewhat natural for me due to my background as an EMT, and I had worked in a hospital before. But little did I know that there would be other challenges that I would meet.

I was first assigned to work in the mornings to help feed the children in the children’s department. After that, I would go to assist the speech therapist by bringing their patients to them for their speech therapy sessions. Seeing children in this setting and knowing all the different circumstances they are living through can be personally quite difficult. Trying to understand someone in another language can be a challenge even though most staff members speak English, but some don’t. My Hebrew was very inadequate but it was a good thing that I was able to communicate to the others in English, Russian and a bit of Ukrainian. At times I wanted to cringe at the difficulties and hardships the children have to endure, let alone their families. It was baffling to see those children smile and laugh.

As time passed at Reuth, I built relations with the staff, patients and families. Through other’s hardships and difficulties, I endured what I would call “moments of building myself up.”  Though it may seem sad or difficult to see patients in their moments of vulnerability and hardship, I saw an opportunity to make a difference in a person’s life. To be present to bring a smile to them, laughter and even a sense of hope.

I remember encounters with dear patients whom I call my friends and family that showed me the importance of being in communion with other people. How holiday celebrations or simple gatherings can bring such joy, peace and happiness. Upon discharge, after completion of therapy sessions, patients would come searching for me to let me know that even in their dark times they were able to see bits of light. I acknowledged that I was that little bit of light that shone in this person’s vulnerable time and hardship. Being able to make a difference, to bring light, a smile or laughter, in a difficult world, motivated me to get up every morning. The simplest of tasks may mean the world to another.

 I hope that this testimony will inspire others to venture off and make a difference, to bring light, to bring smiles upon faces, and fill the hospital halls with laughter.

David Gumenyuk

…I would like to take the opportunity and thank the volunteers who choose to join and support us during these difficult times we’re all experiencing since October 7^th. The Israeli nation is going through an unprecedented crisis. Your presence means a lot to our patients, their families and our staff alike.

DR. ORIT STEIN REISNER,
TEL AVIV DIRECTOR OF THE REUTH REHABILITATION HOSPITAL