In the post-Oct. 7 landscape, we often ask ourselves: How can we strengthen the relationships between Israelis and American Jews? How might we work together to build a stronger future for both of our communities? And what will it take to show up for each other, anchored in openness and possibility? For us, two Jewish leaders based in the U.S. and Israel, the answers lie in acts of service.

Last month, we co-led the inaugural weeklong Jewish Service Alliance Israel Service Seminar — a delegation co-organized by Repair the World and the Israeli service learning nonprofit Yahel that brought together 24 leaders from the Jewish Service Alliance to volunteer on the ground in Israel. Together, we rolled up our sleeves to engage in meaningful learning and tangible projects: We painted murals at a center for at-risk families. We assembled furniture for seniors. We gathered 140 leaders at the first-ever Service Matters: Israel Summit to shape the future of international service in Israel. In doing so, we built relationships with local communities that showed us a slice of Israel beyond the headlines. 

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Service leaders from the United States and Israel hear from a representative from the nonprofit Bedouin Women for Themselves in the Bedouin village of Segev Shalom in southern Israel during a summit in Israel earlier this month.

In Jerusalem, we met Drori and Mahamud — Jewish and Arab leaders whose friendship has spanned over 15 years. Together, we packed food for Jewish and Arab families across East and West Jerusalem. In Petach Tikvah, we joined at-risk teens, including survivors of the Oct. 7 atrocities, to assemble 1,000 Passover food baskets for 11 of the most impoverished neighborhoods in the Center of Israel. Led by the youth movement SAHI, we were deeply inspired by the youth who were not only giving back to their community but also taking charge of their futures. SAHI’s motto moved us all: “The greatest thing in the world is doing good!”

With calloused hands, expanded minds, and our hearts wide open, volunteering in Israel reaffirmed what we know to be true: Service is among the most meaningful ways to strengthen the bond between Israelis and American Jews. As importantly, service can be a bridge for Israelis and North American Jews to write the next chapters for Israel and the Jewish people — together.

Here’s why: 

1. Service is an instrument for connection.

At a time when some American Jews feel alienated by the dominant discourse about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, engaging in acts of service alongside our neighbors can unlock a deeper sense of connection. Service in Israel allows us to move beyond binaries; to see a country through the lens of its people — Jews and Arabs, secular and religious, immigrants and sabras — working to build a better future. When we serve together, we change the conversation from “us vs. them” to “all of us, together.” Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel famously stated, “What we need more than anything else is not textbooks but text people.” The Israeli service field is rich with innovation, and there’s so much we can learn from one another. 

2. Service helps us heal — individually and communally.

In Israel, service is an expression of national resilience. Since Oct. 7, 2023, more than 50% of the Israeli population volunteered to help Israel recover. We heard countless stories of Israelis stepping up to meet the immediate needs of their communities. We were moved by stories from Nova music festival survivors who found strength in caring for others. A 12-year-old hostage who was recently released initiated a volunteer project because her mother said service is the one thing that is truly helping her heal. Service teaches that resilience isn’t about escaping hardship; it’s about showing up for each other in our most vulnerable moments — and finding ways to contribute meaningfully when so much is out of our control.

3. Local community partnerships are vital for a sustainable global future.

Our service projects throughout the seminar and during the summit were made possible through deep, ongoing partnerships that Yahel has cultivated with grassroots Israeli nonprofits. These organizations don’t engage in service symbolically. On the contrary, they are mission-driven groups addressing long-term needs: housing, food security, mental health services and much more. Yahel understands what it takes to build sustainable relationships. The organization’s year-round presence with international volunteers builds trust and enables them to serve in collaboration with local partners to truly meet local needs.

4. Learning through service enriches relationships and strengthens our ecosystem.

We know that service, done well, cannot be transactional. That’s why the seminar included deep, reflective learning rooted in Jewish texts about resilience, suffering, exile and humility. Our learning also explored the broader context of service in a society grappling with many systemic challenges: poverty and hunger, the collapse of mental health infrastructure and strained economic and social safety nets. This integration of action and learning can be a game-changer for strengthening the international volunteer movement in Israel and for deepening the relationships between Israelis and American Jews.

Our vision for the future

Many leaders and volunteers shared that participating in the Israel Service Seminar and summit was the first time they had been back to Israel since Oct. 7, 2023. Some had not been to Israel in more than a decade. They loved the opportunity to learn, contribute and engage with their hands as an antidote to the brokenness that can sometimes feel all-consuming. They shared how meaningful it was to return to Israel with a purpose and how safe and inspired they felt serving alongside and engaging with real people. 

The Jewish service movement is at a pivotal moment, ripe with potential. Now is the time to ensure that hundreds of thousands of people coming to Israel — volunteers, young adults, Jewish educators and everyone across the Jewish ecosystem — can have meaningful service experiences in Israel that will enrich our shared future.

These experiences must meet pressing needs, be grounded in rigorous Jewish learning and engage with Israeli changemakers to transform North American Jews from “visitors” to “partners” in influencing the future of Israel. 

Partnering with each other across national borders and cultures to design the inaugural Israel Service Seminar was truly a joy. And it reaffirmed that the Jewish service movement depends on vital collaborations to yield an enduring impact. Fortunately, these collaborations are already taking root: Jewish Federations of North America and Birthright are partnering to scale volunteering programs in Israel, and dozens of organizations at the summit are facilitating volunteers in Israel. But to scale this work holistically, we need greater investments in infrastructure and strategies for recruitment. Only then will we be able to build a movement of service in Israel — and find our way forward with openness, generosity, empathy and joy.

Cindy Greenberg is the president and CEO of Repair the World. Dana Talmi is the executive director of Yahel – Israel Service Learning.