Why we Keep Returning: Yozma Volunteers in the Galilee

By Michael and Nurit B. NJ, USA

For three weeks this past May/June my wife and I spent three amazing weeks in the Galilee. We are part of a self-organized group called Yozma Volunteers (Yozma = initiative). We approach volunteering by immersing ourselves in the area in which we work - connecting with local residents, supporting small businesses and otherwise gaining a more complete understanding of the area.

Our group has been to Israel twice since the war, once in the Gaza envelope and more recently in the north. On this latest trip we were 13 individuals. From May 23-30 we stayed in Kfar Szold and volunteered in the Hula valley. Some of us worked at a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Others worked in Dafna and Manara, preparing them for the return of the residents who were evacuated. We travelled to Metula and Malkiya where we patronized local businesses. We visited the Druze villages in the Golan and we watched as Kiryat Shmona began the slow journey to recovery. Our next stop was Kfar Masaryk, where we stayed for 10 days and worked in many of the frontline kibbutzim and the Bedouin village of Aramshe.  

All these communities are struggling to renovate their towns and villages and bring their residents back to the north. All are eager to see that the outside world cares about them.

We are now planning our next trip to the western Galilee for this March. We will be working closely with the regional council and continuing the relationships that we established earlier. If you or anyone you know is interested in joining us, please contact me.