for Bernie

Dear Bernie,
As Tamara told you, I am not the principal of Baal Shem Tov School andy more. I retired. And, I am busy not with consulting the principals of schools, where they have problems and difficulties as in our school.
I miss the pupils a lot.
Tamara told me that your group has come to our school. It's a pity that I can't meet you in the morning in our school and I can't see you smiling to me and I can't see the happiness of our kids when they see you in the morning and I can't get a hug from you as a Dad's hug.
But, it's our life.
I want to tell you thank you for all the years that you were in the our school. Thank you for all the days, hours, seconds that you give to our pupils and thank you for helping our pupils in learning English, for the love that you gave them and sometimes there are kids that don't get it at home and your helped them to fell that somebody loves them and needs them.
you and your group of CAARI volunteers are in my heart.
You are so nice and a wonderful person. When I am writing you these words, I imagein your eyes and your smile when you are listening to me and tears are in my eyes.
It is so nice that I had the privilege to get acquainted with you and with other people from CAARI.
I wish you to be healthy and continue to volunteer. Take care of yourself. I hope that you enjoyed visiting Israel - our small and beautiful country.

With love,
Sincerely yours,
Mira (former principal of Baal Shem Tov School)

''To Be Appreicated!' by Joan Hulkower - Comments by Clare Figler

Greetings from CAARI 2012!
The reccurent theme at the hospital has been " You mean that you pay to come here to volunteer?" This year is the 5th year that I've come to Ichilov Hospitals Rehab dept. What has struck me the most and what keeps me from coming back year after year is how much they appreciate us.
What exactly is it that we do? The patients are there for rehab following orhtopedic surgery or other orthopedic problems. They are either in a wheelchair or use walkers. They come to a central dinning room for their meals.We don't know who serves them breakfast when we are not there but when we are there we are it. The food comes up in bulk and our job is to dish it out, either scrambled eggs (chavita ) or hard boiled eggs, salad, olives ,hot cereal (usually too cold and needs to be rewarmed in micro) bread (women like it toasted) and a slice of cheese. Coffee or tea. Word was out that Clare and I have spoiled them, because we actually ask them what they want before we give them the tray. We communicate in sign language, some kitchen Hebrew, Yiddish, German, Spanish and even English. A smile, a thank you or even a kiss on the hand is the best. Miriam, a very heavy set Israeli -Arab woman, is the dishwasher and over the month she became our friend and tried to learn a few English words. After breakfast and the clean up we help the staff by changing the bed linen.The floor holds 34 patients and some days wemade as many as 9-12 beds each. Then of course is coffee break time.
Nitza the secretary a wonderful sweet young woman who has been there for 12 years bought us new mugs for our own use in anticipation of our arrival. In the staff coffee room they still have a picture on the bulletin board that I took 5 years ago with Nettie and Maish.
Today, our last day there and Nitza's birthday was a celebration. Nitza baked a cake, and all the staff and doctors came in to thank us for coming and hoping we would come again and for a longer period of time. We exchanged emails. It's good to be apreciated.
Love,
Joan (Port Washington, NY)

Comment by Clare Figler (Boston):
To all the recipients of this wonderful email from Joan, my hospital mentor and friend, I could not have said anything better than how Joan has put it. Any friend of Joan's is a friend of mine. How lucky I am to be here (now my second year) in Israel. Never has so little honest work in the serving, kibbutzing, bed-making, setting up, getting this little or that little thing or need met given soooo much pleasure. Beyond being appreciated, I am re-born each day with pure enjoyment of this little community service.
Pay to volunteer? A pittance.
Clare Figler

Sunday - Feb. 12 in Jaffa by Rosalie Whitehill

Shalom,

We began the week with community service. Who can believe that this is our last week in Tel Aviv. Time has just flown by. After lunch, we toured Old Jaffa.....and we went to the area where the port is being renewed with fancy shops and restaurants (very little open as yet) and it was reminiscent of South Street Seaport.....and noticed some beautiful apartment buildings overlooking the port area (millions of dollars to purchase one). We also passed a new complex that housed a theater with productions performed by blind or deaf people, cafe where waiters are deaf, and a restaurant that is completely dark......seems to me that's a great way to develop greater sensitivity to people with those handicaps. Dinner was at a marvelous Mediterranean style restaurant....with hot, home-made pitas, felafel, eggplant salads,delicious humus, and lots of other delicious salads, then kebabs...and baklava type deserts...what could be better.
And..tomorrow another special day!
Rosalie

Raining on our Parade?

By Anice Stark
Friday, Tu B’Shvat, this is the day we all look forward to - helping JNF -KKL with this big family day. We left bright and early, dressed in our colorful JNF-KKL sweatshirts, to the Ben Shemen forest, one of the oldest planted forests in Israel. When we arrived there were already crowds of people waiting to be given the trees to plant. The planting hill with all the flags and pre-dug holes just waiting for little saplings was a site to see. The first early arrivals were a group of school children mostly young school children singing TuBshvat songs. We were assigned jobs, to hand out the trees, give out candy bars to everyone, and show people to the areas to be planted. The 47 of us were busy, busy. It has been a rainy winter and it had rained through the night so the ground was quite muddy and as we walked down the hill to the planting area our shoes became caked with mud - at least a couple pounds of mud. But, then came the rain, cold and wet - we trudged back up with the through the mud, 47 CAARI people eager to work and help out on this special day, but the cooler heads prevailed and so back to the bus we went.

Tu'Bshvat Celebration

CAARI was so ready for this holiday. We decorated the tables, practiced our lines for our readings, ordered the dried fruit, wine and music! Our Tu’Bshvat celebration of trees, Israel and a green environment was a wonderful and festive occasion. Gloria led us through the Seder with her creativity and energy. And...Gidi's music made our feet dance! See all the pictures and enjoy with us.