Rick Bentley
In mid-December, Rick Bentley, a retired Ivy Tech Community College Administrator, boarded a flight for Israel to begin a month-long stay to volunteer throughout the country.
Upon arrival, Bentley quickly caught a ride to a farm in Southern Israel. There, alongside the farmers, he picked tomatoes to be brought to the local market. The next night, he went to Ein HaShlosha, a kibbutz in the western Negev desert that was attacked on Oct. 7. It was here that he trimmed fragrant lemon trees and met a group of Yom Kippur War veterans, who met during their service and were still friends 50 years later. The kibbutz was resuming its normal routines with people tending to the fields. Bentley said he could hardly tell that the kibbutz had been a site of such atrocities, as the fence was repaired and much of the destruction was restored.
During his time in Israel, Bentley reunited with the Moalim family, who were former Morim Shlichim (Israeli educators) at the Hasten Hebrew Academy. The family shared that following Oct. 7, they had slept in the hallways of their home as rockets hit nearby in the city of Rehovot. Their home is one of many houses that did not have safe rooms to shelter in during bombings and attacks.
Through the generous support from members of Congregation B’nai Torah, the family was able to receive a new safe room for their home. Bentley was able to join the construction team to help create the space for the family.
“They're really happy about that,” Bentley said. “That was really meaningful.”
During his time volunteering, Bentley was able to learn a new skill of how to make tzitzit. Tzitzit are the tassels that adorn the bottom of a tallit, a traditional prayer shawl. Bentley then delivered the tzitzit to soldiers, many of whom were recently inspired to become more traditional in their religious practices. At the army base, he would accompany soldiers to their stations early in the morning where they would quietly watch the sun rise over the beautiful Israeli landscape.
Bentley’s travel took him to various cities in Israel. In Savyon, he met up with a friend from Indianapolis who is working on the city’s security team. The security team invited Bentley to participate in a simulated terrorist attack. The experience was realistic and intense. Bently recalls vividly the whirling sounds of a drone’s motor spinning overhead.
After the simulated mission, Bentley asked the soldiers if he could share a few words. He told them that the Indianapolis community is praying for them every day and that they care deeply for the soldiers and all of Israel.
“They are so appreciative of anybody who comes over,” Bentley said. “Oct. 7 was just a horrible event. As members of the Jewish community, it's really important to support Israel.”
While volunteering, Bentley saw a need for medical supplies and encourages people to give to Israel to help those suffering from the atrocities of Oct. 7.
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