The backbone of Yad Sarah is its “army” of volunteers. From town and country, from all walks of life, men and women of all ages, in every corner of Israel, give of their time and abilities to make Yad Sarah work. There would be no Yad Sarah without them. With over 6,000 volunteers, of whom about 2,000 work on a regular basis from two to six times a week, and only a minimum number in salaried positions, this is virtually a volunteer-run organization.

It is no small matter to deploy and make efficient use of such a large and diverse population. Much effort and skill go into their training, placement, welfare and esprit de corps. Motivation and morale are nurtured and enhanced by activities that include lectures, excursions and entertainment.

A central office in the Jerusalem headquarters coordinates all volunteer matters. The professional staff here is highly sensitive to the overriding importance of correct placement, in order to insure that the volunteers maintain the initial enthusiasm that brought them to Yad Sarah.

For many volunteers, working at Yad Sarah is a rehabilitative experience in itself: the “corps” of volunteers includes retired people, people who are themselves somewhat disabled, people who could easily be on the “receiving” end of the services they supply.

The new volunteer undergoes special training for the job. In the more demanding jobs, there is professional supervision and trouble-shooting. With time, the volunteer is given more specialized training and upgrading.

Yad Sarah is known throughout Israel for its success in recruiting, training, placing, upgrading, administering and rewarding the largest corps of volunteers in the country.