The two young soldiers in charge of the volunteers (many of us are more than three times their age) thanked us for spending a week or two on the army base packing medical supplies for the soldiers. They let us know how much they appreciated our willingness to live in barracks, to eat in the dining hall, to wear uniforms, to stand together each morning as the Israeli flag was raised, to sing Hatikvah, to work each day with a sense of pride, to spend evenings learning about the heroes of yesterday, today, the here and now.

The two young soldiers told us again and again, hands on their hearts, how significant it was to see our group of 50 men and women representing 13 countries giving back to the land and the people we love. They brought tears to our eyes with their expressions of gratitude for our showing up.

And we? We were overwhelmed by their sincerity. Soldiers—Israeli soldiers, those who put their lives on the line every day, reassuring us that our presence lets them know that they are not alone. For this meaningful experience, we thank Sar-El (The National Project for Volunteers for Israel). We received far more than we gave.