A well organized one day seminar for Telfed volunteers was held on Friday 6 September at Ulpan Etzion in Jerusalem. The purpose of the seminar was to teach valuable information and share the ideal procedures for welcoming and assisting new Olim from Southern Africa, Britain and Australia. The crowd, which numbered almost 20, included volunteers from various regions, including Jerusalem, Ma’ale Adumim, Modi’in, Gush Etzion, Beit Shemesh and the Binyamin region. The day opened with registration and light refreshments, followed by personal introductions. Telfed CEO, Dorron Kline, Yigal Shaltiel (Head of the Jerusalem office of Ofek Yisraeli) and Ian Head of HOB introduced the participants to the organisations they represent.
Dorron spoke, in depth, about Telfed and the services it provides for Olim. Focusing on volunteerism, Telfed’s Events and Volunteers Co-ordinator, Aviva Tal-Ohr, explained the invaluable role of volunteers in the community, and the processes and procedures that are in place to welcome and engage with Olim.
After a short refreshment break, we were joined by Noga Maliniak of the Jewish Agency for a workshop titled: “Volunteering: Why me? Why now?” An interactive game encouraging the participating volunteers to gain a better understanding of various situations which arise when dealing with Olim was an important addition to the day.
We look forward to meeting with regional volunteers in other cities, across Israel. If you would like to become a volunteer, please contact Aviva on 097907805 or [email protected]. Volunteerism is an integral part of community building, and we take this opportunity to thank all our dedicated volunteers.