Unit 1 WHO CARES? PART 4 The Real AID IN A BACKPACK READING In 2012, three Israeli army officers set out on a trip each group of 25 volunteers includes five who are NEW WORDS to after completing their army service. 35 fluent in the local tongue. In Ethiopia, for example, A The post-army trip has become a “must” for many aid Nothing unusual about that – about 40,000 young FFL volunteers included five Amharic speakers young Israelis. Where do these young people backpacking Israelis go backpacking each year to cheap and from Israel’s large Ethiopian Jewish community. 5 exotic destinations in the Far East, Africa and Latin typically go? Why do you think they do it? destination “Our workshops are not just about making us feel to take advantage of America. But these three – Gili Cohen, Yair Atias good,” Cohen says, “but about making a real change B Read the article on page 19 and find out about a and Boaz Malkieli – had a new idea. Why not take positive 40 in the communities.” In Ethiopia, volunteers taught different kind of Israeli backpacker. Then answer the compassionate advantage of the many young Israelis already in blind and mute children. They renovated a shelter questions below. to found these countries in order to make a positive and brought along a dentist to treat children living 1 In what way are Fighters for Life different from other volunteer 10 difference and show the world the compassionate there and to train local healthcare professionals. 1 Israeli backpackers? (lines 1-12) mission face of IDF soldiers? And so, Fighters for Life (in “We bring whatever communities ask for – dentists, Hebrew, Fighters without Borders2) was born. COMPLETE THE SENTENCE. to head to 45 doctors or cardiologists,” Cohen says. They … . departure Since it was founded in 2013, FFL has been Elsewhere, FFL has sent groups to work with 2 What do we learn about FFL in lines 13-23? agenda organizing volunteer missions for young Israeli children in the slum of Mumbai Dharavi, , agriculture 15 CHOOSE THE TWO CORRECT ANSWERS. backpackers heading to Gondar, Ethiopia; Buenos where they carry out agricultural and renovation construction Aires, ; Mumbai, India and five additional a. Who founded it. projects. In 2015, FFL sent its first group to the San personal hygiene destinations. Those who are accepted for the program b. Why it was founded. 50 Fernando slum in , Argentina. unique begin preparing six months before departure. They Mornings there are spent mostly on renovation and c. Where it operates. to enable meet with past FFL volunteers, do volunteer work in building projects, and afternoons teaching. Although d. How many volunteers there are. to carry out 20 Israel and plan an agenda for their mission. This the volunteers stay for only two , they return e. How volunteers are selected for the program. support usually includes agriculture and construction projects, to work with the same children the following year in immigrant f. How volunteers prepare for the program. as well as teaching English, math, music and personal 55 order to ensure continuity. to establish 3 Why does the writer mention Houses, hygiene to children in orphanages or slums. embassy “I don’t think there is any other place in the world Israel’s Foreign Ministry and Israel’s immigrant consulate Cohen believes Israelis have unique tools that where people so young thought of something so population? (lines 24-37) 4 local 25 enable them to carry out such a program: a noble,” said FFL’s president, Major General Eliezer COMPLETE THE ANSWER. fluent connection with the worldwide network of Chabad Shkedi, a past commander of the Israeli Air Force. 3 To explain why … . community Houses, support from Israel’s Foreign Ministry 60 FFL has 10,000 followers on Facebook, and Cohen 4 What are we told about FFL in lines 38-55? blind and an immigrant population that speaks many sees great potential for growth in the future, as word different languages. “When we decide to establish a a. How the volunteers help the local communities. mute spreads and the project receives more funding. “We 30 volunteering project in a country, we first contact the now go to each place once a year, but we hope … b. What the volunteers gain from their experience. to renovate Chabad House and the Israeli embassy or consulate we can do it three times a year,” he says. “Our c. How the local population feels about the shelter there and get their full co-operation,” he says. And 65 funders are good people who want to show the volunteers. to treat healthcare because speaking the local language is so important, world the real Israel.” d. Why the volunteers stay for only two weeks. professional 1 צבא ההגנה לישראל / جيش الدفاع اإلسرائيلي What can we understand from lines 56-66? continuity IDF = 5 לוחמים ללא גבולות / Fighters without Borders 2 محاربون بدون حدود Both Eliezer Shkedi and FFL’s funders agree that (-). noble משרד החוץ / وزارة الخارجية Foreign Ministry 3 commander מייג'ור ג'נרל, אלוף / لواء a. not enough people know about the 4 Major General organization funding

b. FFL volunteers are doing commendable work Practice, page 111 c. FFL needs more volunteers E SPEAK UP Some people would say we should d. FFL will grow in the future help people at home before we volunteer to help people abroad. What do you think? Which quote C Would you like to travel? If so, where would you like below best reflects your opinion? to go? Would you volunteer for Fighters for Life? Why “I don’t want to live in the kind of world where we or why not? don’t look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anybody who needs a D A STEP BEYOND Wherever there is a need, Israelis helping hand.” – Charles de Lint, Canadian writer step in to provide aid. Find the Israel Aid Map online. “Never worry about numbers. Help one person Choose one location and find out how Israelis are at a time, and always start with the person helping people there. Report your findings to the לוחמים ללא גבולות | nearest you.” – Mother Teresa *Courtesy of Heroes for life Israel class. 18 19