July 28, 2013
Blog Author: Gabi Herman
Watching old episodes of Friends at weird times of the day has always been a part of my life in Canada, but I did not expect it to be in Israel. I keep turning on the TV just to see what this country is watching, and she seems to be watching the same outdated (but still funny) comedy. Friends fosters mutual understanding, friendship, and easy entertainment for Israelis and North Americans alike. Of course, I write this a little bit tongue-in-cheek; the number of deep, Friends-less connections I've been privileged to make so far with Jewish people of all backgrounds is extraordinary. Today, on our day of volunteering, our cohort got to connect on this deep level with some very unique people, learning about each other and hopefully adding to each others' lives.
The first place we went to volunteer was called Yad Rojeh. Yad Rojeh is an organization which provides work and support to adults with developmental disabilities – they called them "anashim meyuchadim," or "special people." Yad Rojeh needed help painting their fence, and also invited us to sit with the people there and help them with their work. Back in Toronto I work with people with special needs, so this was exciting to me. After painting for a little bit, I went inside one of their rooms for working. With my mediocre Hebrew, I tried my best to introduce myself to the people present, and then sat down beside a woman who looked to be in her 20's. She was folding labels for date boxes, so I joined in and helped. As we folded, we chatted about basic things: pets, music, and the weather in Canada. There was beautiful art made by the people at Yad Rojeh all over the walls. By the end of our time there, I gained more than a few extra words of Hebrew. I gained the experience of doing a job which I'm already passionate about in Canada in Israel, too. I am pretty sure that the people at Yad Rojeh gained something as well. We departed with hugs, and went to our next location.
We had lunch in Potchim Atid's cozy facility. Singing, reminders to drink water, and cat naps followed. At last, we got to hear about the organization from a staff member. Potchim Atid (opening the future) does just that for children who are at risk. Throughout the year, children are paired with advisors, and meet them at least weekly for support. Over the summer, Potchim Atid runs a summer camp in the late afternoon to give the children something to do in a supportive environment. Diller's job today was to act as their counselors, with activities we had planned and would execute. We set up the activities swiftly, and waited for the children to arrive. They came noisily. Once they were divided into their groups, I tried my best to get to know the kids in mine. Using so-so Hebrew again, I noticed how nonjudgmental they were of my accent and linguistic faux-pas. In fact, I seemed to be making friends with my babbling. We ran around from station to station (with water breaks!) for a long time. Suddenly, the end of the day came. The children thanked us loudly. I received a lot of hugs. Before Diller left the camp, we presented Potchim Atid with backpacks and school supplies in order to help equip children for the school year.
A common vein I noticed throughout today was how wherever we went, we seemed to make connections. Through talking to the people we were helping, even about TV shows like Friends, we established a common ground. The volunteering made it actually meaningful with the beauty of lending a hand. Today, more than ever, I felt a sense of international cooperation and comradeship. Diller is truly giving back; we're getting a lot, too.
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