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PAGE 14 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE July 25, 1986 AMERICAN • H O T. E L For personalized assistance call: DORIS J. PERMAN Catering Director 688-8600 Fine Kosher Catering Bar Mitzvah Conventions ■ Bat Mitzvah Special Events Wedding / Receptions Theme Parties Dr. Marvin C. Goldstein, President SPRING STREET AT INTERNATIONAL ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30303 the Golde i\Budd ha restaurant Nail Wizard New Location Toco Hills Center, By Blimpies 634-NAIL Manicures • Pedicures • Sculptured Nails Adventure story A volunteer for Israel Grand Opening Nail Wizard Salon Grand Opening Special: Sculptured nails, 1 set $ 30 00 633-5252 An exciting experience in au thentic Mandarin and Szechuen cuisine. The menu is a pleasing combination of modest prices and more than 100 exotic entrees and dinner combina tions. Hours Mon. - Thim.. 11:30 a.m. - 10 p.m. Fri. - Sat. ........ 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Sun. 12 noon - 10 pan. Open 7 Days Fleet cars and trucks MR 2 Leasing all makes and models TRADITION You Can Count On It! We Welcome All Organizations, Meetings and Luncheons. REDUCED PARKING AVAILABLE. time—a time they made us mint tea and shared homemade treats with us. It was a time for socializing, a time to learn about the Americans and their home-life and to gain some understanding of us. At first, most soldiers could not speak English and we spoke almost no Hebrew, so the common lan guage was a sign language of sorts with a little Yiddish. In a short time it reversed itself. We were speaking Hebrew and they were learning English. To be a part of this scene was pure pleasure. Many would ask why we would leave our comfortable homes and families to serve in the Israeli army, especially living in such conditions. How could we make them under stand that this was the least we could do for these struggling peo ple so long oppressed! How could we explain how we empathize with these young people who when reaching the age of 18 years must serve in the army (two years for girls and three years for boys). Those who wish to further their education and postpone army ser vice until their education is com plete must serve an extra year. Then, too, there is the reservist time. Each year the soldier returns for a month of duty, unless there is a crisis when service can be for two or three months. To leave their families, businesses, jobs for all this time each year creates untold stress not only on the economy but on the families. We, the volunteers in the army, helped to reduce this time by our mere presence and eager ness to help. Businessmen become mechanics overnight; secretaries can be found testing electrical equipment; doc tors and professionals of all kinds may be found painting tanks and trucks and others serve in many areas demonstrating talents they had never previously discovered. No goldbricks or griping in this army! No training program is needed. Just the enthusiasm and willing ness to learn. The warmth and generosity of the soldiers and civilians more than made up for the discomfort of sleeping on army cots, eating the same army food for a month and such other facilities uncommon to our daily American life. One day a week was set aside as tour day. The bus would come, the oranges and lunch packed and off we would go for an exciting and interesting sightseeing tour. This was seeing Israel as no tourist could envision. We came to a greater understanding of the country, the people and philosophy while work ing and living with them at base and in private homes. We spent a weekend at a kibbutz picking oranges and as guests of the kib- butzniks; families hosted us on Shabhat in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv and we were hosted at a moshay on another Shabhat. Wherever we went with our little Volunteer patches be it the cities, the countryside or Continued next page. Danny Tourial Danny inuites you to see and drive the all-new 1986 Toyotas. Harriet Meltzer in uniform. in excellent health. Participants perform non-combatant, behind- the-scenes work for the Israeli army; pay reduced air fares; are provided housing and meals and a look at a 'way of life very different from their own. All this while they observe the lifestyle and arrive at some understanding of what the Israeli people are about. During my first volunteer stint at an amphibian tank corps base, the electrical equipment was tested, cleaned, packed and inspected. The group consisted of some 47 volun teers representing various states and ranging in age from 18 to 68. In 1984 at a medical supply unit 1 came to appreciate the “M. A.S. H.” television series, as we inspected the kits (medical duffle bags), re placed missing supplies and sized rubber boots, gloves and masks, and enjoyed the interaction with the soldiers (ranging in age from 18 to 45). At first the soldiers were some what skeptical and one could almost read the expressions on their faces (What is she doing here? 1 thought 1 left my mother and grandmother at home but it seems they sent replacements). Yet, in no time this all changed as we became the mishu- gana gals and guys—volunteers working so hard. In fact, the soldi ers came from all corners of the base to see what these volunteers were doing. It took a while to realize that the volunteers were depriving the sold iers of their usual break times because of our very nature: wor kaholic attitudes and the desire to be productive. Each day about 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. the soldiers would encourage us to “relax, take it easy and don’t work so hard.” In turn we would tell them we did not come to Israel to relax but to work, work, work. This interaction was almost like a cartoon at first. It took us about a week to under stand this was their tea break 1905 Clairmont Road (1 2 black south of :• North Druid Hills Road) Willett Toyota 2650 N. Decatur Rd. Decatur, GA 30033 299-0551 by Harriet K. Meltzer, VFI I began the first part of my Israeli adventure as a tourist in 1979 but it could not compare to the more exciting times of 1983 and 1984 when I served as a Volun teer For Israel (VFI) in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) program. As a child I was not a strong Zionist but became a member of Hadassah and B’nai B’rith in my late teens and became a life member of Hadassah and have felt that Israel needs our support in every way possible. All my adult life I have enjoyed volunteering, whether at a home for battered and abused children, the Cancer Society or the synagogue. After reading a blurb in a local newspaper while living in Boca Raton, Fla., 1 contacted the VFI office and shortly thereafter an interview took place. I can recall being forewarned about the primitive conditions on base, lack of the usual comforts, work hours, heat, etc. Indeed, a really extreme picture was painted but I was undaunted and determined to make my mark on this little Jewish nation. Since making this decision and now ranking myself as a “reservist” in the Israeli army, I have served for one month at a time, two con secutive years and am looking for ward to my return hoping to take along a contingent from Atlanta. The New York-based organization provides this opportunity to Jews and non-Jews from around the world who meet the criteria of age and health. Volunteers must be between the ages of 18 and 65 and