By Jerry McIntosh 

The mobile phone of Major Miki Austin, commander of the Hatzerim base near Be’er Sheva, rang, interrupting his welcome to the 96 freshly arrived Sar-El volunteers to Israel.  Given the fact that Gaza and the current war was only 30 kilometres away, his audience froze, expecting dire news.  But no, it wasn’t a warning of a terror attack, it was Miki’s five-year-old son calling to say goodnight, as he has done every night since his father, a reservist in the IDF, returned to active duty four months ago in the wake of the devastating Hamas attack that threatened to overwhelm this very base. 

The sense of relief that followed this normal, everyday domestic event underscores the reality that faces Israel and the Sar-El volunteers who have gathered from around the world to support the IDF.  We are all here for four days of packing, organizing, sorting and labelling boxes of foodstuffs and clothing. At the end of our first day on the assembly line we are told our efforts had prepared 8064 individual field rations for the troops.   

In return for our work, Sar-El provides volunteers with basic accommodations; at Hatzerim, either a bunk in a barracks for the men or in a nearby tent for the women. Accommodation on each base varies, but the three meals each day are surprisingly delicious and plentiful, not what you might expect on an army base!   

By performing the mundane duty of packing supplies, we relieve active-duty troops now battling on the frontline in the war.  One of our chores: spending a few hours slipping a Challah and small bottle of grape juice into a paper bag that will be delivered to the troops on Shabbat in three days. On the bag is a Hebrew label from the general staff to the troops, “ We wish you to persevere in your important mission, and for the spirit of friendship and your great commitment to continue to be the light that guides your way.”   

The encouragement on the label is meant for the volunteers too, but motivation doesn’t appear to be a problem amongst our diverse group.  In addition to the handful of Canadians there are Americans, Brazilians, Scandinavians, French, Belgians, Czechs, British and Australians – both Jews and non-Jews —  from more than a dozen countries.  Without exception, all report rising anti-Semitism in their home countries encouraging them to come here.   

To get here, volunteers are expected to provide their own airfare to Israel. But once you arrive, Sar-El looks after pretty much everything else including a uniform to wear while working — and given that there really isn’t anywhere on the base to spend money, the financial cost of volunteering with Sar-El is modest.  

My tour of duty began on a Sunday morning and ended on Thursday afternoon when the bus dropped us off at the Tel Aviv train station. Weekends are your own responsibility but after several intense days working together, most volunteers connect and make Shabbat plans together in Tel Aviv or elsewhere in the country.  I had the privilege and honour to be hosted by friends in Jerusalem whose Shabbat table was filled with inspiring conversations and revealing insights about life in Israel today. 

Given the long distances that volunteers have to travel, most sign up for two weeks, but it’s not uncommon to meet people who have volunteered for three or four weeks, and many are on repeat visits.  One octogenarian in our group had returned to Israel 50 times! 

The October 7th massacre and Israel’s subsequent war of self defence has clarified a number of issues for me.  I am convinced that the genocidal campaign that Hamas and its allies around the world are waging is an existential threat to all Jews, both in Israel and around the world.  

Personally, I am confronting a number of decisions about what choices I want to make in light of this current reality: What responsibilities do I have in the face of this threat? Where do I stand at this pivotal moment? And what do I need to do to resist? 

My wife is Jewish. We met in 1988. Before we got married, we took the Jewish Information Course at Holy Blossom Temple, and we agreed that the orientation in our home would be Jewish. At this critical time, I have decided to convert to Judiasm, the faith that has been my cultural and spiritual home for the past 30 years. I have no doubt about where I belong: I belong here with the Jewish people waging a war for survival.