Safety and Security

Greg Houska, Chair

October 2026

I am finally heading to Israel on October 30 to volunteer with the Sar-El organization after my previously planned trips were delayed. Sar-El (often translated as “Service for Israel”) places international volunteers on Israel Defense Force (IDF) bases to do support work normally handled by soldiers, thus freeing the soldiers for operational duties

I arrive in Israel on October 31 and plan to explore Tel Aviv. This will be my third time there, and I find it similar to California, but with better Middle Eastern food and equally impressive beaches and night life. I am so looking forward to the typical Israeli breakfast buffets of cheeses, breads, salads, yogurt, etc.  Just this topic could be a subject for a whole column!

On November 1, I return to Ben Gurion airport to be introduced to my fellow volunteers and be provided with the location in which I will do my service. Israel is a small country, but has about fifty military bases or institutions. I have been assured that it will probably not be in a dangerous area. I have been hoping that I will be working near the Negev desert.  Other than the Dead Sea, I do not know much about this area. 

I will be there for five days – a short time, but volunteers can extend their service for multiple weeks.

Following this time, I will return to Tel Aviv for a few nights before returning home. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences in future columns.