A volunteer at Ha’sharon Prison shares:
“Meeting the inmates is very significant for me, and I think it is for them, too. The fact that I come from the outside and don’t belong to the Israel Prison Service already means a lot to them. Their feeling is that they are important to someone, that they are worthy, that I care for them. This human meeting, with no expectations, prejudice and judgment, heals – me and them. A few moments of peace in a meditation practice are a rare gift for them, in their situation of external noise in prison and insistent worrisome thoughts. They crave this peace and wait for it all week. It is a privilege for me to enable them this contact with peace.”
Volunteering activity consists of a weekly meeting with a group of inmates or released prisoners for the purpose of leading meditation and having a secular Dharma talk, as well as attending volunteer meetings once every four weeks on Zoom, and a face-to-face meeting every six months, for support and shared learning.
If meditation practice has been part of your life for at least the past three years; if you have the ability to lead a Dharma talk; if you’d like to pass your knowledge and understanding on to prisoners; if you have the ability to develop sensitive, open and warm communication with people – we’d love to talk to you.
Experience in leading meditation is preferable, but even without previous experience in leading meditation – we invite you to contact us.
What does volunteering to The Quiet Within entail?
- A weekly meeting at the same time and day, for an hour to an hour and a half.
- Volunteering for at least one year.
- Volunteering continuously (i.e., going overseas or on retreat often is incompatible with this volunteering activity).
- Practice is based on the Buddhist path. However, since in prison there are inmates of every religion: Muslim, Jewish and Christian – we share the Dharma in a secular way, without any religious attribute.
- Participation in volunteer meetings: A face-to-face meeting every six months, and Zoom meetings every four weeks. Meetings will sometimes include study and training to support the activity.
If you wish to join us, please share your motivation to volunteer with prisoners. We would also appreciate you sending us your CV. Our email address: michalwa@gmail.com