Word: davidi
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...work as tourists--and still enjoying the same low-cost ticket home--doesn't make up for lost work time in the U.S., or even for the original plane ticket itself. Room, board, and some travel costs within Israel are paid by the Israel Defense Forces, but General Davidi frankly admits. "There's no obligation other than the moral one, once you've started. At any time a volunteer can simply say. "That's it,' and leave...
Personal enrichment beyond the sense of moral achievement can result from the communal military setting so different from the lives of most Americans. Groups organized upon departure stay together for the entire month, and the program accepts 141/2-year-olds up to 65-year-olds. Gen. Davidi says he believes "a balanced distribution of ages contributes to the stability and good spirits of the group," and he estimates the average age to be around 30. Couples are welcome but are not guaranteed special accommodations. Younger people are encouraged to go in the summer, but there are no limitations other than the administrative...
...CLOSE-UP look which the foreign volunteers enjoy of the Israeli army perhaps constitutes the crux of the program's message. Volunteers consistency describe the soldiers and the bases as "informal," even "gentle" in away, to the point where Gen. Davidi can make the claim that "we have a non-militaristic army, one which is designed solely to defend Israel...
...program has its darker side. General Davidi freely acknowledges that these volunteers are badly needed by Israel, not only for immediate practical relief but also as a "bridge" to the future: "The links between Israelis and the Jews of the Diaspora should be strengthened; Israel should serve as a safe haven for all Jews, just in case...
...Davidi also looks upon the program as one small step in the overall process of strengthening U.S.-Jewish ties, and even as a means of providing a "safety-valve" if serious anti-semitism ever flares up in the U.S. "Even though things seem perfect in the U.S. for Jewish life, one can never tell. We have a long history and a long memory...