Newswise — An associate professor of social work at Southern Connecticut State University has volunteered for a two-week "tour of duty" at an Israeli military base as part of a program sponsored by "Volunteers for Israel."
Constance "Connie" Mindell, a resident of West Hartford, actually signed up for the program last month, before the outbreak of war between the Israeli government and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"I thought it would be a good way to give something back to the people and the government of Israel," said Mindell, who lived in that country from 1973 to 1978 and witnessed the Yom Kippur War, which was fought in October 1973.
"Since the war began, my friends have been urging me not to go," Mindell said. "But I feel my assistance could be more useful now than ever. There are more men and women being activated from the Army Reserves and so there is even more work to do."
Mindell said she will not know the specific tasks she will be asked to perform, nor the base to which she will be assigned, until she arrives in Israel. But it will involve non-combat, civilian support duties. Typically, this could involve such activities as packing medical supplies, repairing machinery and equipment, preparing meals, painting and maintenance work. The volunteers work along side the Israeli military forces.
Mindell is scheduled to leave for Israel on Aug. 5 and return to the United States on Aug. 20.
While living in Israel with her family during the mid 1970s, she worked as a social worker at the Center for Child Development and Family Rehabilitation in Jerusalem. Upon returning to the United States, she lived in Guilford, before making her home in Monroe for about nine years. Last year, she moved to West Hartford, the community in which she lived before moving to Israel.
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