Voluntarism
by Esther Herlitz and Matti Weill
Almost one third of all Israelis are volunteers.
In fact, Israel itself
may be regarded to be the result of a very successful voluntary
effort. Zionism, the movement
for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland, rallied
political support and engaged in practical work, entirely
on a voluntary basis. Moreover, the Zionist movement created
voluntary agencies to serve the individual and the community
while still under British
rule.
Even during 400 years of Ottoman
Turkish rule, the small Jewish community in Palestine
had its own mutual aid societies as well as links to voluntary
agencies throughout the world.
A Jewish Tradition
The scholars who supervised the "Community
Chest" in Talmudic times were volunteers and the Tzdaka (charity) tradition, which emerged from the injunction to
"love your neighbor as yourself," encourages all
people to help each other in times of difficulty or crisis
- not just the rich to help the poor. Jewish schools - Cheder,
Talmud Torah and Yeshiva - were voluntary institutions, as
were the burial societies, bath facilities, brides' aid groups
and more. Most philanthropy was handled confidentially and
often as matan baseter "secret giving." Wherever
possible, Jewish communities worldwide functioned under voluntary
self-government.
In the period preceding Israel's Independence in 1948, the
Jewish community had its own autonomous institutions. It
established its own school system, and to protect Jewish
settlements, life and property, the Haganah,
a clandestine self defense organization, was established;
later the Haganah spearheaded the struggle for independence
and ultimately became the basis of the Israel
Defense Forces (IDF).
More than anything, the kibbutz and moshav are based on voluntarism. Both the kibbutz (collective
settlement) and the moshav (cooperative village) represented
an effort to develop agricultural settlements under very
difficult conditions, by voluntary communal effort.
Voluntary organizations were soon founded: Magen David Adom (Red
Star of David - equivalent to the Red Cross and Red Crescent)
for first aid; Akim, for the mentally handicapped; Ilan for
handicapped children; Zehavi, to help large families; the
Soldiers Welfare Association; and the Society for the Prevention
of Road Accidents. Voluntary women's organizations such as
Na'amat (the Histadrut Labor Union's Working and Volunteering
Women), Wizo (Women's International Zionist Organization)
and Emunah (National Religious Women's Movement), immigrant
aid societies and youth movements all played an important
role in those early years.
Voluntarism since Independence
Independence in 1948 brought about changes in the attitude
towards and the practice of volunteering. Many functions,
which had been performed by voluntary organizations, were
turned over to the newly formed government. The Haganah and
other voluntary fighting units gave way to national military
service and many community services, once handled by volunteers,
are today managed by government agencies.
Pressure to get things done, and done quickly,
was great. Immigrants poured in by the tens of thousands - after all, the "open
gate" policy was Israel's raison d'être - and
they needed special assistance. Nowhere in the world was
so much aid provided by government agencies to newcomers,
yet voluntary help was also needed.
In 1971, then Prime Minister Golda
Meir appointed a commission to study Israel's disadvantaged
children and youth. It recommended a renewed emphasis on
voluntary efforts and in 1972 the government-funded "Israel
Voluntary Service" was established to encourage and
coordinate voluntary activities of independent agencies.
Volunteer coordinators were appointed in the Ministries of
Education, Social Welfare, Health and Immigrant Absorption
as well as in local councils and voluntary organizations.
Today the voluntary effort is coordinated by The National
Council for Voluntarism and by local volunteer councils.
Funded by the Prime Minister's Office, it is comprised of
representatives of voluntary organizations, government ministries
and agencies and academic institutions, as well as private
citizens. The National Council for Voluntarism is affiliated
with international organizations such as the International
Association of Volunteer Effort (IAVE), the Association for
Voluntary Administration (AVA), the World Alliance for Citizen
Participation (CIVICUS), the European Network Agencies for
Voluntary Action (VOLUNTEUROPE), and l'Association pour le
Volontariat Européen (AVE), and is represented on
the governing bodies of many international voluntary organizations.
Voluntary Tasks
Over the years, "one-on-one" programs have been
introduced for tutoring in kindergartens, day-care centers
and schools. University students also tutor teenagers (receiving
a partial stipend) through a service called Perach (flower),
becoming role models for disadvantaged children. Specially
trained legal advisors to "claimants," have been
introduced into the Small Claims Court. Volunteers maintain
the Citizens Advice Service (advising on work, taxes, social
security and legal matters), hot lines and an advisory service
for the aged, for youth and for women.
Immigrant aid associations burgeoned with
the influx of immigrants from the former
Soviet Union and from Ethiopia.
The massive wave of immigration in the 1990s of more than
one million people from the former Soviet Union, gave rise
to volunteering among Israelis who had themselves come from
Eastern Europe in the 1970s; their assistance in the absorption
of the newcomers is immeasurable.
Israel's security needs called for voluntary
efforts. Several thousand men, women and teenagers joined
the Civil Guard, which operates under the Israel Police.
During Israel's wars,
volunteers filled the gap, took the place of enlisted men
in the social services, in hospitals and much more.
Volunteers from eight rescue teams arrive promptly on the
scenes of emergencies throughout the country. Sometimes working
with IDF helicopters and mountain climbing equipment, they
often risk their own lives to save the lives of hikers and
others who become lost, injured or trapped. Volunteers from
these units have also gone abroad to help in diaster areas,
e.g., after the earhquakes in Turkey.
A new corps of volunteer environmentalists
and nature lovers assist in environmental problems. Ya'al
(Helping Hands) groups volunteer in all hospitals, while
other groups attend to the needs of the handicapped, the
disabled and bereaved families. Prevention of traffic accidents
is another important voluntary task. Many international voluntary
organizations such as Rotary, Lions, Variety, B'nai B'rith
and the Soroptimists also have branches in Israel. A new,
country-wide project named with all my heart has been initiated
with the blessing of Prime Minister Barak,
to assist families with low income. All major voluntary organizations
participate in the project by collecting and distributing
foodstuffs, household goods, clothing, school accessories
and more.
Voluntarism from abroad
Several programs offer volunteers from abroad a chance to
serve in Israel, usually on a short-term basis. Many come
each summer to help on archeological excavations. Some work
on kibbutzim while others help in social services. Some young
German volunteers view their service to the elderly and sick
as atonement for the war crimes of their country against
the Jewish people.
Training
The successful volunteer is a skilled one. Thus, training
for volunteers and organizers is in great demand. Training
programs are offered by the National Council for Voluntarism
as well as by some universities and many colleges and agencies.
Educating the young toward social action starts during their
last years of high school. Students are required to engage
in volunteer activity several hours a week, helping the elderly,
the disadvantaged, new immigrants and the handicapped. (In
national emergencies, high school students have assumed important
voluntary tasks most successfully.) It is hoped that they
will continue to volunteer in some capacity throughout their
adult lives.
Benefits
Although the rewards of volunteering are mostly intangible,
awards have been introduced by various agencies. The President
of Israel, in conjunction with the National Council for Voluntarism,
presents the "President's Volunteer Award" to twelve
volunteers each year, both Jews and Arabs.
Volunteers are also insured free of charge under the Work
Accident Insurance Bill handled by the National Insurance
Institute.
Contemporary Volunteer
Force
The composition of the contemporary volunteer
force differs from that of previous generations. Since a
majority of Israeli women are part of the work force, they do not have much free time
to devote to volunteering, but longevity provides many retirees,
both men and women, with time to volunteer. There is a substantial
number of male volunteers in the religious community and
in security related volunteer tasks. As a result, the number
of male and female volunteers is almost equal.
Today, 32% of the adult population in Israel are volunteers
of one kind or another. Of the total number of volunteers,
the younger generation accounts for 25%, while the largest
group is made up of those aged 51-64.
Volunteers tend to be alert to needs in the community and
thus often become pioneers in new services and lobbyists
for new legislation. By definition, volunteers are flexible
and can shift their activities as needs change. People volunteer
for a variety of reasons: to help; to improve society; to
keep busy; and to make friends and meet new people. Research
has shown that the problem of rejection of the volunteer
by the client, known in other countries, hardly exists in
Israel.
Voluntarism is very much a part of the
Israeli ethic. It seems that Israelis have taken to heart
the question posed by a Jewish sage long ago: "If I
look out for myself only, what kind of a person am I?"
*Ms. Herlitz
is the founder, and first director, of the Council for Voluntarism
in Israel. Ms. Weill is the Council's present director.
Sources: Israeli
Foreign Ministry |