For over three decades, Elul has stood as one of Israel’s most pioneering and inclusive Beit Midrash – a home for pluralistic Jewish learning, courageous conversation, and spiritual curiosity. Founded in 1988, Elul has brought together people of different backgrounds and perspectives to study Jewish texts with openness, honesty, and respect.
But in the wake of October 7, 2023, when terror and trauma shook Israel’s southern communities, Elul reached a turning point.
What was once a house of learning stepped into the realm of action – launching a bold new initiative that brings Elul’s core values into the most wounded corners of Israeli life. That initiative is Shnat Sherut 50 Plus, The Service Year for Adults.
Why Elul? Why Now?
The impulse behind Shnat Sherut 50 Plus didn’t emerge from strategy documents or fundraising plans – it came from a phone call during reserve duty. Elul’s Director, Guy Gardi, recalls:
“The idea for the Adult Service Year began to take shape in a phone call I received while on reserve duty,” he says.
“Tamar Oged invited me to join a new social initiative she and Rina Cohen were developing – a program that would offer adults aged 50 and above a meaningful service year, like the one our teenagers experience before the army.”
It was an idea that resonated deeply with Elul’s identity of combining thoughtful reflection with brave, real-world action.
Guy, along with Tamar, Rina, Boaz Shalit, and Eran Baruch, began to sketch out the foundations of a new kind of service year – one that recognized the power and potential of adults eager to contribute their time, skills, and heart to the healing of Israel’s most affected communities.
When Study leads to Action
Throughout its history, Elul has encouraged learners to ask: How does Torah connect to today’s challenges? How can ancient wisdom inspire meaningful change in modern society?
In the aftermath of October 7, these questions became more urgent than ever. As Israeli society grappled with devastation and disorientation, Elul’s leadership understood that it was time to act.
As Guy explains:
“What we learned in this short time – when three groups of volunteers were created from scratch – is that there is enormous need in the councils affected by October 7th, and that there are many older adults eager to contribute. Willing to embark on a year of giving, involvement, assistance, and also renewal and excitement.”
For Elul, this wasn’t a break from tradition, it was a fulfillment of it. The organization found new ways to bring its foundational texts to life. As Guy beautifully puts it:
“The goal of Elul has expanded. It now adds to learning a layer of social action. Entering the world of volunteering doesn’t harm the heart of our work – it strengthens and enriches it. It connects heaven and earth.”
Board Reflections: A Moment for Moral Courage
This new direction found enthusiastic support from Elul’s board, which recognized the opportunity, and the responsibility, of turning values into practice.
Shaia Ben Yehuda, Chair of the Board, wrote in the Passover newsletter:
“The war that was forced upon us obligates all of Israeli society to examine its path – as individuals and as communities. Elul, which for years focused on spiritual learning, must now lead through action. This program, skilled professionals relocating their lives for a year of service, is a pioneering response to the needs of Israeli society. When the time comes, this bold act will reflect back on our world of study.”
His words reflect a profound shift in orientation – not away from study, but toward a more holistic expression of Elul’s founding vision.
From the Field: A Southern Perspective
From the communities themselves, the impact of Elul’s pivot was felt deeply. Niva Raam, a board member who lives in Israel’s south and works with the Gaza Envelope Municipal Cluster, witnessed the effects firsthand:
“When the terrible disaster struck the western Negev, it was clear to every organization and citizen in Israel that we had to rise and act.
Civil society revealed its full beauty.
Many of our staff were evacuees. Parents were kidnapped. We were in complete shock.”
In that moment of paralysis, the arrival of older, highly skilled volunteers through Shnat Sherut 50 Plus made all the difference.
“There was no time or capacity to guide or mentor the young volunteers – we simply didn’t have the resources.
But the arrival of the adult volunteers – all professionals – lifted a huge burden. They are outstanding.”
She describes it as an expression of true Jewish social justice – one that combines continued learning with active, grounded contribution. As she says:
“I am proud to be part of this initiative, even though it moves Elul outside its original comfort zone. There’s no doubt the name of the program is now known far and wide – among councils, and among the growing number of volunteers stepping forward.”
A New Chapter for Elul
Today, Elul is not only sending volunteers into the field – it’s creating new learning spaces where they live, such as a study group forming now in Kibbutz Mefalsim. These hybrid models – part Beit Midrash, part community resilience hub – are exactly the kind of innovation that Elul has always stood for.
Shnat Sherut 50 Plus is not a detour from Elul’s mission. It is the next chapter. A chapter where Torah is lived, not just learned. Where values become visible. And where the ancient debate, ‘Which is greater, study or action? ‘, finds its most powerful answer:
Both. Together. Always.
