Sar-el Volunteers for
Israel
The Sar-el program (an acronym for Sherut Le'Yisrael)
in Israel combines volunteer service to the country with army service
in a short span of three weeks. It was started in 1982 during the Lebanon
war by Dr. Aharon Davidi, a former head of the IDF's
Paratroop Brigade who was working on the Golan
Heights. He started the program in response to increasing numbers
of rotting crops caused by the drafting of farmers into the reserves.
That year 650 volunteers began their service to the country working
in agriculture. Currently. the focus for volunteers is at army bases,
with such tasks as supply packaging. A total of 88,000 participants
have volunteered since the start of the program.
Sources: Deitch, Ian. The
Jerusalem Report. "The International Corps." (October
21, 2002), Sar-el.
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