More than two years since Oct. 7, 2023, volunteers from the United States and around the world continue to fly into Israel to help in any way they can. Their enthusiasm has not waned with time, even after the Oct. 10 ceasefire—whether it’s feeding soldiers, assisting displaced families or cleaning up kibbutzim devastated by the Hamas attacks.
In the weeks and months following the atrocities, volunteers from across the globe converged on Israel to pick fruits and vegetables in kibbutzim left without workers, pack parcels for soldiers, collect supplies for evacuees, visit injured soldiers and lend a hand in countless ways.
Remarkably, their dedication remains strong. JNS recently spoke to three American volunteers who have made multiple trips to Israel since the war began.
Sue Maltiel from Palo Alto has been coming to Israel for years. “I have fallen in love with this country,” she says. “My first trip after Oct. 7 was in the spring of 2024. I knew I had to be here. Israel is fighting a war for all Jews and for the West, and we have a responsibility to help however we can. This is my third post–Oct. 7 visit and I still feel that strong need to be here.”
A coordinated volunteer “ecosystem” helps people find where to contribute their time. For New Yorker Abbe Ellam, the Swords of Iron-Israel Volunteer Opportunities Facebook page, now approaching 50,000 members, has been invaluable.
“As soon as I joined, it opened up a whole new world for me,” she tells JNS. “They constantly post volunteer opportunities, arrange discounted hotel stays, and respond quickly to any questions volunteers have.”
Ellam says she’s inspired by Israeli resilience and unity. “The more they lose, the more they give,” she says of Israelis. “They are selfless. The resilience and unity I saw among Israelis and volunteers from all corners of the world was incredibly inspiring. Seeing the joy on a soldier’s face when you hand him a sandwich—there’s nothing like it.”
Volunteer opportunities are posted on platforms such as Revital’s Hamal, Shlomi’s Food Truck, Sar-El, Leket Israel, Grilling for Israel and Volunteers for Israel.
Robert Freibaum from Maryland says seeing Israel firsthand changed his perceptions. “The biggest change for me is realizing how diverse and misunderstood Israel is. I never understood the vulnerability Israelis feel. Yet it’s also a place of comfort and safety for Jews. I now understand more deeply what that means.”
The work ranges from picking crops and hosting barbecues for soldiers to running arts and crafts sessions for displaced children. Volunteers help cook lunches for lone soldiers at The Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin, pack food boxes, prepare medical kits and tie army tzitzit for troops.
“When you volunteer, you meet people from all over the world and experience what it means to give,” says Freibaum. “Seeing the soldiers’ appreciation and sacrifices is indescribable.”
Freibaum remembers an emotional visit to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square. “Hearing [freed hostage] Bar Kuperstein lead a prayer, his father’s voice breaking as he tried to speak, and the sound of the shofar—it was unforgettable. There were so many moving moments, from hospital visits to seeing the cemetery at Be’eri after delivering sandwiches to soldiers.”
The emotional encounters with Israelis are just as powerful. Maltiel recalls visiting wounded soldiers in hospitals. “Many had lost limbs and were younger than my own children. Not one complained. They thanked me for visiting, but I’m the one who’s thankful for their sacrifice.”
For many volunteers, the experience strengthened their Jewish identity. Freibaum concludes, “It’s inspired me deeply. I think it’s made me a better Jew—or at least a better person who’s proud to be Jewish, no longer hiding in the shadows.”
