Volunteers Feedback
Miriam – UK 27/10/2019
Thank you so much everyone! I had a wonderful time and made some life-long friends with the other volunteers!
The work was very well-structured and organised, we always knew what we were supposed to do.
The volunteer house provided good accommodation, comfortable and well-stocked with healthy food, books and a guitar! (I’m sad I didn’t have time to leave some artwork in the house!) Of course, the highlight of the week is the Kiddush on Friday night – a getting together of the community, with music, food and a great vibe.
I was here for Rosh Hashana, so we had a lovely celebration for the New Year as well.
Tips to future volunteers: 1) there’s not much to do in the area, but the day is structured so that your time is mostly filled. You can take walks in the surrounding area – although it is mostly big agriculture.
Miriam – UK 27/10/2019
If you are coming to Israel. GO HERE.
I read all the other reviews and agree with them all, so I’ll just add 🙂
The minute you walk into this amazing community you walk into another beautiful world. Imagine everything you like in other work away experiences- fun, connections with other amazing volunteers, instant family, connection to locals, amazing and nutritious food you wouldn’t cook for yourself unless you had a reason, a feeling of giving, and a way to meet other travelers that you can then share stories, places and hitchhikes with.
This place has all that- not to mention, laundry detergent (yes!) comfy beds, a feeling of family, and interesting and varied work (gardening, helping in the kindergarten, setting up events etc.).
And the best thing about Garin Harel that makes it unique above all is the amazing wealth of spiritual knowledge that is shared, taught, discussed and appreciated. Everything at Garin Harel is done with care and awareness and the class content that is taught will change your life in probably a BIG way.
I came here as a volunteer for a week and then just kept coming back because this place is amazing.
Ok. Enough. If you aren’t convinced yet, go to the facebook page and look at all the pictures of the volunteers smiling. It’s not a joke- that’s actual happiness. JUST GO.
Diana Sandu – Moldova 25/9/2017
Thank you so much everyone! I had a wonderful time and made some life-long friends with the other volunteers!
The work was very well-structured and organised, we always knew what we were supposed to do.
The volunteer house provided good accommodation, comfortable and well-stocked with healthy food, books and a guitar! (I’m sad I didn’t have time to leave some artwork in the house!) Of course, the highlight of the week is the Kiddush on Friday night – a getting together of the community, with music, food and a great vibe.
I was here for Rosh Hashana, so we had a lovely celebration for the New Year as well.
Tips to future volunteers: 1) there’s not much to do in the area, but the day is structured so that your time is mostly filled. You can take walks in the surrounding area – although it is mostly big agriculture.
Shimon Znati – France 14/9/2017
In my life journey,
there is a “before Garin Harel” and an “after Garin Harel”.
The one who’s looking for a nice journey will find a lifetime experience. The sailor who search for a temporary place to set his anchor will find a second home.
The traveler that wishes to meet people will make friends for life.
I highly recommend you to come with an open heart to this amazing, beautiful, light full community where you’ll give energy to work for a common-good, as building shade for the children or painting caravans. You’ll live with great persons in an house full of love and sharing. You’ll learn some tools for life that will help you listen to your heart and make your journey even greater.
That was the sum-up of my stay there, and I’m sure you’ll find in yours something similar, as “there’s something about that place” ( it’s called LOVE, i guess ! )
Shimon
Rashel – France 28/8/2017
Every time I try to define what exactly is Garin Harel, I found myself stucked with words that cannot touch only the half of what I experienced there. The words that will try to define this « Spiritual Community » will always neglect the most important part of it, the part that you really want to live and to feel.
I will advice every traveler from all over the world to go there, even with closed eyes, even without knowing exactly where they would arrive; because for sure, there will find there a new family, that will help them opening their heart to themselves, help them trying to grow a better person.
My long time in Garin Harel has really changed my life, as I learned there how to be aware of my actions, how to be aware of my real self and to everything that surrounds me (it is still -and will ever be- a work in progress (: ).
I send with this message a last thank you, to every single people (including all the wonderful children ! ) of the community.
I also want to thank every person that will decide to go there for doing this movement of opening…
Lots lots lots of love,
The little Frenchie, Rachel.
Yasmine – Belgium 26/06/2017
Beautiful souls of the Negev
I almost forgot to write a feedback because of the simple fact that these three months didn’t feel like a workaway at all…
You already know how I feel about the community and above that it is immensely difficult to describe the beauty, the love and the light in words that don’t nullify the truth, so I want to address the future volunteers instead. To all of you who are reading this and other outstanding reviews thinking ‘nah, this must be too good to be true’: go and find out for yourselves. And while you do so, if you’re really drawn towards this sort of spiritual journey, I can highly recommend you to stay for the whole six week program. Hence you’ll have the time to slowly open up and get to know not only the community but also yourself (both totally worth your time and energy!).
Going through a process is inevitable there and it will give you so much insight (on how you want to live your life and who you want to be meanwhile). And if you’re really lucky, it might even end up being a life-changing experience.
I met the most amazing people in this sacred bubble of light! For those who have left and for those still present: you have become my friends, my family and my home.
Lots and lots of love!
Yasmine
Talja – Netherlands 18/5/2018
Garin harel,
This place made me see very clearely that anything is possible when working with a right intention and especially with love.
I felt really seen by everybody in the community.
In the beginning i thought is this real? How is it possible that everybody is smiling to me and giving me warm hugs without even knowing me.
After a while I started to figure out that this is sincere love for other beings.
In the beginning it took me a while to put my ego of `I know already how to live a happy live` aside to learn from others how to be aware and put a intention in to practice.
After a while I learned to learn from others and be open and just experience without judging a practice.
I found the spiritual content very diverse, there was a lot of space to share and go deeper in to topics especially related to awareness, than there where all these fun exercises like walking around and zooming in and out in the environment.
We made a movie in just 15 minutes and reflected on our creative process, and what i liked the most i think was the amazing loving environment of the kindergarten, where all the babys and toddlers get such a great place to be themselves and i got the change to get to know the kids and gannanot(kindergarten teachers) and was very inspired by the loving and attentive way they are with the kids. And all these experience could be put into action even or especially while doing dishes.
What i loved as well was the group process that we did as a volunteer group. To get to now each other in quite a deep level because we were getting an inside in each other’s path in live and were working together a lot.
And last but not least was the kiddush: The gathering at Friday evening with food, singing and sharing. Whole the community was in white and all the open hearted people where sharing there lights what creating a big warm bath of happiness and love which i could very clearly feel in my heart.
Yeah that is why im very thankful for space that allowed me to open my heart and feel pure love!!!!
THANK YOU all beautiful beings of garin-harel
With love,
Talja
Yasmine – Belgium 26/06/2017
Words will not be enough to describe all of the incredible feelings I have towards this place. The volunteer program here changed my life in the most positive ways. When you are here with the community you really feel like a part of it, and the work you do for them is nothing in exchange for all of the precious gifts you receive in return. You are connecting everyday to the people here and to yourself. The schedule of the volunteers is very full and diverse. You’re always doings something different in the work, in the spiritual content, in the lessons, in your movements.
The house is amazing, and you will feel like a family with your house mates, everyone works together and grows together. Life long friendships are made here! Most everyone ends up staying longer than they anticipated (I certainly did) but even if you can only stay for one week it will be one of the best weeks of your life.
Joshua Maya – USA 30/4/2017
Thank you Garin Harel!
You are amazing 🙂
Your spirituality and daily wisdom can only be described in one word;
Authentic!
Something in the spiritual path you walk and teach works, and is reflect in the serene and faithfull smile that can be seen all around the community…
It felt much more like being in a retreat than being a volunteer!
Every day we had two or more hours of spiritual conversation, teachings, meditation and other classes, and i want to thank everybody that participated and teached. I would choose many of you as a spiritual guide and teacher for myself.
You are amazing! Thank you for practicing so whole heartedly, and giving of yourself so fully. You enrich the lives of so many…
blissings
Joshua
NELA – Czech Republic 14/3/17
I cannot even describe with words the deep loving feeling for this place. Garin Harel is something truly special. If you’re looking for something, if you wanna meet similarly tuned people, if you wanna start deeper with yoga and paying attention to yourself, please, come here. It might be intense and the schedule might be tight, but it all creates the perfect set for transformations inside.
The weeks have topics and you get a lot of conversations about all aspects surrounding our living. Mind- and heart-opening experience, really.
Beside that, great fun on working outside in the “streets” of village, making it prettier, working on mud houses and domes, and mainly making friends for life.
The housing in the temporary village is modern and cosy, including 2 bathrooms, Wi-Fi, speakers for music, board games, library and club house with ping pong and table football to relax.
Bonus: Herd of dogs running free, loving you and your house, always sticking around.
I highly recommend the whole 6 weeks of program, it’s worth it and you’ll go through all the topics. So if you can, do yourself a favor.
Holly Davidson – United Kingdom 03/08/17
The community at Garin Harel has something unbelievably magical here that everyone can take something special from if they open their hearts.
True, honest spirits, working with love and attention , consideration, with a really beautiful and organized volunteer program.
So much work goes on behind the scenes to make it run smoothly, so a huge thanks to all of the team for making such a wonderful effort to make it work for so many different kinds of people!
Summer work starts at 6.30am, with lots of breaks and a really well organized schedule. Honest communication is encouraged to get the best from the experience. 😀 There’s an abundance of fantastic food, comfortable bunk beds, places to have quiet time and space, but most importantly the love, long hugs and big smiles are what gives this place a huge part in my heart.
Work was fun and relaxed and consisted of renovating caravans, painting, gardening, and working with the fantastic children in the kindergarden, and much more. Classes are spread out through the afternoon and evening, such as meditation, creativity, and awareness in action sessions which hugely compliment the work and give extra meaning to it, while also giving us the opportunity to talk and express how we feel throughout the day with people who hold no judgments whatsoever. Really really special.
The things I’ve learned here I have no doubt will stay with me through the rest of my life and I cannot wait to return, but also to share as much as possible what I’ve learned. Thanks for an amazing 6 weeks everyone – As you all know, it just wasn’t long enough and I’m excited to return sometime soon! ❤
Recommend anyone to come here and share the beauty.. don’t hesitate just go and you’ll see for yourself!! Xx
Solomon Sade – England 20/12/2016
This is such a special place, full of beautiful people.
I could only be on the community for a week, and I wish I could have pushed back my flight to let me stay longer. During my week I helped dig a new compost bin and put together the staging and set up the lighting for the wedding we had on the community while I was there. The work was enjoyable, but what made it so special was working with the other wonderful volunteers and putting into practice the mindfulness lessons we had in the mornings. After work, we had an art class and meditation amongst other things.
The volunteer house, though a little crowded sometimes when full, was always buzzing with good positive energy.
I have never been somewhere so full of love and happy vibes.
Love and thanks to everyone.
