What motivates someone to volunteer for the military at almost 74 years old? And even abroad, to Israel? Rolf Weiss, a longtime friend and supporter of Christians standing with Israel, embarked on this adventure and shares his experiences here.
By Rolf Weiss
Years ago, I read a newspaper article about Israel: "A country that can't afford pacifism." The piece was interesting, but then I put it aside and forgot about it. After a while, I was suddenly reminded of it—and then things started happening very quickly: several emails—first to newspapers and then to Jerusalem—information, conversations, questionnaires, a medical certificate, a police clearance certificate, an official letter of recommendation, health insurance, and so on. Just the usual security check before you're allowed to enter a military base. Because that's exactly what I intended to do: work as a volunteer on an Israeli military base.
Why Israel?
Israel is surrounded by many enemies and must therefore be vigilant. Just one day after its founding on May 14, 1948, it was attacked by four Arab states, but despite their overwhelming superiority, it was not defeated. Then came the Suez Crisis in 1956, the Six-Day War in 1967, and the Arab invasion on Yom Kippur in 1973. Repeated attacks on a country only about the size of the German state of Hesse. This was followed by years of rocket fire from Lebanon and later from the Gaza Strip, which continues to this day. And repeated brutal terror, primarily against civilians, always with the aim of destroying the Jewish state.
Israel cannot risk losing a war – it would be the end of its existence. There is no room for pacifism; the country cannot afford that luxury. Therefore, it needs a strong army, a defensive army. Israel has established the highest moral standards for its army, even though it is repeatedly forced to defend itself militarily. Often, these standards even work to its own disadvantage. Anyone who doesn't yet understand the difference between wars of aggression and wars of defense can learn it very quickly here.
Volunteering is an opportunity to go behind the scenes and experience daily life on a military base firsthand for ten days to three weeks. Around 4,000 volunteers from many countries across the globe do this every year, about 50 of them from Germany. For all of them, it is also a sign of friendship with a country that has been engaged in a bitter struggle for survival for 75 years. A country that, according to the Bible, God himself chose as his land and his people.
For me personally, the mission was a clear signal to Israel that I, like many other Christians, stand with Israel. Although I know the country and its people from many trips, I was always amazed at how warmly the Israelis thanked us for our efforts. The small amount of work alone couldn't have been the reason. In Israel, they have a keen sense of how visitors feel about the country.
As a volunteer in uniform
These missions are organized by "Sar El," which roughly translates to "Service for Israel." Yes, volunteers wear uniforms while working. No, they do not handle weapons. Their tasks are mostly simple maintenance of equipment, as there would be too little time for training. The mission is intended to support a people who, like no other, are defamed, slandered, and attacked; often by people without particularly malicious intent, but with only very one-sided information.
At 7:15 a.m. we had breakfast together, followed by a short roll call at 7:45 a.m. with the raising of the Israeli flag. That essentially concluded the military portion of our day. Lunch was at noon and dinner at 6:00 p.m. – simple, but good and plentiful. Our daily work hours were about six to seven. I worked in the medical department. It wasn't a field hospital, but rather a central hub for storage, provisioning, and logistics. We sorted, assembled, and packed supplies, primarily equipment for deployments to various camps. Some of the supplies we prepared went to a field hospital on the Syrian border, where wounded soldiers from the Syrian civil war were being treated – without any inquiry as to whether they were civilians or which side they had fought on, as rebels or as soldiers of the Syrian government under President Bashar al-Assad.
Israel has by far the best medical care in the entire Middle East. Syrian hospitals were mostly completely overwhelmed by the war and some were even destroyed. The wounded were often left at the border by Syrians, who then picked them up and took them to hospitals in Israel, where they received free treatment.
Three main rules for volunteers
During our assignment, two female soldiers in their early twenties were seconded to serve as liaisons and supervisors for the volunteers. They organized the individual work groups, provided the necessary information, and held an information session every evening with the latest news, films, presentations, discussions, and much more. The Israeli army provides rigorous training, but not military drill. This also applies to the volunteers. When there is work to be done, they work intensively; when there are no tasks, they relax. All with an easygoing, relaxed attitude
Of course, there are some rules to follow. The three most important points are: no attempts to convert anyone, no drugs, no alcohol. In that order.
Jewish resistance to Christian conversion attempts is well-founded. No group has caused Jews as much suffering as Christians over the past 2,000 years. However, openly professing one's Christian faith in Israel is perfectly possible. In any case, actions speak louder than words – especially when volunteering on a military base in Israel.
