Horowitz

 

Oregon teens lend hands in Israel

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2009-02-01T00:00:00

Seven Oregonians are among the 125 college students on Year Course—Young Judaea’s program for first-year college students in Israel—who spent part of January working to make a difference in areas affected by the crisis in Gaza.

Oregonians on Year Course are Joshua Wasserteil, Rachel Pergamit, Karen Silbert, Rivka Horowitz, Liat Melnick, Jacob Gelrod and Malia Haselton.

Students on army bases provided support for IDF troops involved in Operation Cast Lead. Students performed some of the menial, but essential, jobs on the bases, including working in storage facilities, packing food, and sorting uniforms.

In an email to the Jewish Review, Horowitz described her experience with sar-el (army volunteers): “It was a really neat experience. We got to package supplies for the soldiers and got to meet a lot of really neat Israelis who were also volunteering.”

In addition, Young Judaeans in Israel are volunteering with children and families staying at the Judaean Youth Hostel, whose homes are in areas near Gaza. Young Judaeans are planning special activities to keep the children entertained.

Year Course students are also raising funds for those affected by the conflict. Some participants recently held a movie night in Jerusalem, where they also sold army paraphernalia, in an effort to raise money for the IDF. Other students are selling wrist bands which say, in Hebrew, “My heart is with the South.” Proceeds from the bracelets will be donated to bomb shelters in the south.