Local Prep, Global Presence: How a Packing Party Prepared Me for Israel

March 23, 2026 | Israel & Global

By Dean Weiss

Where It Started

The first time I packed a winter care package at The Network, it felt like a modest way to help in our own community.

This past January, I had the chance to volunteer in Israel, and for two weeks I listened to the stories of the people we supported – survivors of October 7th.

What I learned there made me see The Network’s efforts not as distant charity, but as essential preparation – a way to practice the habits of respect, coordination and steady presence that strengthen how we show up for neighbors, whether down the block or across the globe.

The Work We Did

Planned trips gave the trip structure: some days we packed food boxes, others we built benches in a kibbutz, and still others we planted flowers along walking paths.

Those projects mattered – they delivered meals, created spaces to gather and added small, visible signs of care.

In Israel, plans often changed, and that bit of chaos opened the door to the chance encounters and unplanned moments that turned a meaningful trip into an unforgettable one.

A Story I Won’t Forget

One afternoon, while preparing to work at a kibbutz, an elderly woman carrying her groceries stopped to tell us how she was caught off guard in the shower when sirens blared. She ran, terrified, into a shelter and hid there as gunfire sounded outside.

When the attackers entered and briefly overlooked her, she stepped forward – wrapped only in a bed-sheet – and pleaded, in the little Arabic she knew, offering her jewelry in exchange for her life. For a moment they were silent, stunned by her vulnerability; then they took the jewelry and left.

Joy and Grief, Side by Side

On New Year’s Eve, we came across a few young men dancing on the beach, music pumping from a boombox. Slowly more people joined, the circle grew and truly was a spontaneous neighborhood party welcoming the new year.

Laughter and dancing filled the air, shadowed by a quiet, underlying grief: several of us walked to a nearby square where photos of victims hung – the display was a quiet counterpoint to the beach’s celebration.

What It Means Now

Seeing needs up close shifted how I think about The Network’s Mitzvah Month packing parties: they’re not symbolic gestures, but practical training in coordination, respect and humility. The handmade hats and scarves aren’t just a way to stay warm; they tell the recipient that someone cared enough to make something by hand.

That personal touch, a visible sign of time and thought, communicates dignity in a way a store-bought item never can. It also trains volunteers to value small, sustained gestures: showing up reliably, listening without rushing and treating recipients not just as people with needs, but as people with stories.