Israel in May 1967 was under threat from all directions and young Jews from the world over began to volunteer to come to Israel to help in any way they could. I was one of those who came during and after the Six-Day War. I was working in Brussels at that time and I had to return to England in order to close my flat in London. On my arrival in Brussels, I was seconded to a group leaving for Israel.
On arrival at “Lod Airport”(now Ben Gurion) we were herded into a reception center of the Jewish Agency. Nobody knew that we were coming but at least we were provided with accommodation and food. While waiting in the reception center, a taxi pulled up and someone shouted, “Anyone for Jerusalem”? One place only!” I gathered my belongings and dashed out into the taxi. That was the last that I ever saw of the group from Brussels.
I was taken to Ulpan Etzion in Baka, Jerusalem, where, again, nobody knew who we were. The whole country was recovering from the effects of the Six-Day War. This meant that no-one had organized what to do with the volunteers.
I arrived on the 30th June, but the next ulpan (Hebrew language study) was due to start on the 15th July. This meant that we had to be moved before that date. I was moved to Talpiot to another reception center of the Jewish Agency which took on responsibility for the volunteers.
A group of volunteers was sent to Ziv Hospital – which was opposite the Bikur Holim Hospital – now a part of Sha’are Tsedek. The place had not been used as a hospital for years and was very dilapidated. A group of volunteers was given the very distasteful job of cleaning out the rooms and the toilets.
We had no one to tell us what to do or where to go. The official from the Jewish Agency promised us that we would have a madrich (leader) but it took several days until he arrived. We were told that we would be given the job of cleaning out the Hebrew University which had been isolated for nineteen years with only a police patrol every two weeks. We were bussed there every day and left to our own devices.
We were given the materials to clean up the University and discovered notices which had been put up in 1948 and remained untouched. Experiments in the Hadassah Hospital were found also untouched. The grave of Ussiskin was found in a cave. One of the police patrol, during a very boring period on Mount Scopus, had painted Mickey Mouse and Disney characters in one of the rooms, but to his disgust the powers that be repainted the room white.
I witnessed the last police patrol from Israeli Jerusalem.
Our madrich did arrive at the Ziv Hospital, and began some sort of organization. Towards the end of August, the Jewish Agency decided to send the volunteers home.
I decided, as an unattached bachelor, to stay in Israel. I was sent to Bet Giora in Kiryat Yovel which was then a reception center for new immigrants. This was the beginning of fifty years in Israel with all the ups and downs.
I am now a proud grandfather to eleven grandchildren. They are my contribution to the future of the state.
– Michael Bar-On, BA, LRPS
