Service Amidst Sorrow: Finding Healing on Good Deeds Day in Israel

By Melissa Levine, Senior Director of Field Activation, in reflection of the JSA Israel Service Seminar.

In times of profound darkness and brokenness, service truly brings hope and heals. I am so grateful to Repair the World, Yahel Israel, and the Jewish Service Alliance for an incredibly meaningful week that brought me healing, hope, and inspiration.

This year, 24 leaders of the Jewish service movement traveled to Israel for the JSA Israel Service Seminar, spending a week serving, learning, and understanding the country’s volunteer infrastructure. We also were in Israel on April 6th which is Good Deeds Day, an initiative born in Israel and included in Repair the World’s National Days of Jewish Service (NDJS). 

On Good Deeds Day, I witnessed how profoundly service can bring hope. After an incredibly meaningful shabbat, we left Jerusalem early for the Gaza envelope, where yellow ribbons and signs reminded us of the 59 hostages still held in captivity. That contrast between joyful Judaism and ongoing tragedy set the tone for the day.

Our first stop was the Shuva junction, where Shuva Achim (Shuva Brothers) created a pop-up rest stop for soldiers just kilometers from Gaza. What began as a coffee stand is now a massive operation serving 3,000 meals a day and distributing essentials. A sign above the tent quotes the Birkat HaMazon, the prayer after meals, which says  “Shuva Adonai et sh’viteinu ka-afikim banegev. Hazor’im b’dima b’rina yik-tzoru.” This translates to “Bring us from exile, God, as the streams return to the Negev(South); those who sow in tears shall reap joy.” Standing in Shuva, part of the Negev, where meals and nourishment are offered, I felt the weight of those words—ancient wisdom meeting the painful present, illuminating our darkest hours.

Next, we visited the Nova Festival massacre site in Re’im, where grief overwhelmed me. I couldn’t step onto the grounds at first. Everything I had read, seen, and mourned since October 7 came flooding back—memorials, tributes, and the haunting absence of life. Nova survivor Shalev Biton shared his story of escape and survival, aided by Younes, a Muslim Israeli Bedouin caretaker who risked his life to save Jews. Shalev shared a story of how he helped another survivor, Shachar, and reflected, “It became much easier to survive when protecting someone else.” That truth resonated deeply. Helping others can carry us through darkness.

Leaving the site, the simple act of boarding a bus to safety felt like a luxury. This devastating reality, rather than crushing my spirit, ignited a profound clarity: Jewish service brings hope in times of brokenness. Service offers healing, direction, and solidarity when it’s needed most.

Melissa packing produce for families in East and West Jerusalem.

In Ofakim, a diverse Jewish community that lost 47 residents on October 7, we saw resilience firsthand. Osi, drawing on her Moroccan and Iraqi heritage, hosted us for lunch in her home—miraculously spared during the attacks. After preparing hundreds of meals for soldiers, she began hosting large groups twice monthly, working to prepare meals for soldiers and those in need. When Magen David Adom the Israeli Red Cross needed a blood donation center, she transformed her late mother’s house next door to meet the need—turning grief into service.

We also met Yahaloma Zechut, founder of Ofakim’s Community Resilience Center. Born to Egyptian parents, she was among the first women to serve as a military airplane technician. After surviving multiple terrorist attacks and battling PTSD, she built Ofakim’s first resilience center. Her philosophy—“We need to do for ourselves and not wait”—has been vital for a low-income community with limited support. Yahaloma focuses on empowerment, not just aid, building relationships that sustain long after a crisis.

Our final stop was Segev Shalom near Be’er Sheva, where we volunteered with “Bedouin Women for Themselves”. The organization equips Bedouin women with skills and prepares food packages for unrecognized villages—areas the government doesn’t officially acknowledge. We packed 100 food boxes for single mothers and families. The work felt familiar, echoing Repair the World’s efforts to bridge divides and build shared understanding.

This emotionally charged day brought constant tears, hugs, and meaning, and showed the impact of community. I have felt broken. And service helped heal me. The combination of the hard work preparing for NDJS and Good Deeds Day before getting to Israel, then serving and learning from remarkable community organizers who activated after October 7th, all while building bridges through service in Israel created a powerful healing experience I didn’t know I needed. I am so grateful for this experience. 

As Shalev said, “Be better for the people around you, even taking a tiny step. Show a bit more love to people around you, and I’m sure the world will be better.”

In times of profound darkness and brokenness, service truly brings hope and heals. I am so grateful to Repair the World, Yahel Israel, and the Jewish Service Alliance for this meaningful week that gave me exactly what I didn’t know I needed—healing, hope, and inspiration.