Who’s on the Road to Recovery?

Yael and I have known each other for many years, and I know that "Road to Recovery" remains one of the few organizations where Israelis and Palestinians still meet. Activism in every sense of the word. So we sat down to talk about it a bit.

Yael Noy, CEO of "Road to Recovery", the organization that drives (mainly) Palestinian patients from the checkpoints to hospitals and back – yes, even after October 7th, and yes, even during these days that ended as suddenly as they began, the days of rockets falling on all of us. Always.

"Yael, a few words about yourself? Where are you from and where are you headed?"

"Sure... So I grew up in Alumim, a religious kibbutz on the border, between Nahal Oz and Be’eri, 4 km from Gaza. Those were different times, of course. There were no checkpoints and people moved back and forth all the time.

At 18, I went to the army and never returned to the kibbutz. I also left religion, and today I live in the Western Galilee.

My family is still religious.

We’re close, friends, we love each other, and I know that if I ever need help, they’ll be there for me – even though our opinions are so different.

That’s my family, and still, with all that, my father used to drive patients from Gaza and Hebron.

In 2016, I joined "Road to Recovery" as a volunteer.

On October 7th, terrorists entered my kibbutz, where my parents still live, and murdered 22 foreign workers – Thais and Nepalis. Some kibbutz members were badly wounded in the emergency squad, some were killed as soldiers, there were terrible battles, and the kibbutz was evacuated to a hotel in Netanya."

Yael’s story with Gaza began long before October 7th.

She joined the organization in mid-2016, and by the end of that year, she was already the Gaza transportation coordinator – a role she held for three years. "We worked with a Gazan organization, and every day I’d get lists of patients who needed to leave, and I’d coordinate rides for them, including myself. I also drove," she says. "There was a group of volunteers who drove from the Erez Checkpoint, and the coordination there was amazing, thanks to the Checkpoint manager, Shlomo Tsaban. The general attitude was a real desire to help, because everyone understood that the patients from Gaza truly needed assistance."

"And every time there was an operation or a round of fighting, you simply stopped until things calmed down?"

"Not at all. Even during every operation, every round, no matter what, the patients would go out. Even when the Checkpoint was closed, still, the humanitarian cases – the patients – were allowed out, and we were there to drive them to the hospitals in the morning for treatments and bring them back in the afternoon."

It’s important to say very clearly: Palestinian patients in Israel do not receive treatment for free. Patients can’t cross the checkpoint without a commitment form from the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority pays the hospitals, and for them, it’s considered "medical tourism."

"And when October 7th happened, what changed?"

"Erez Checkpoint was simply destroyed. There was no Erez Checkpoint. Before October 7th, we thought what was happening in Gaza was the worst thing in the world, and then it got even worse. And me? I was angry. In the first week or two, I couldn’t talk to them, couldn’t pick up the phone. I couldn’t think of what to say. And I think it was actually the people from Gaza who pulled themselves together first and reached out, called us to ask how we were, if we were okay, how our volunteers were doing..."

"Some of your volunteers from the Gaza envelope kibbutzim were actually murdered or kidnapped, right?"

"Yes. Seven. Adi Dagan, Eli Orgad, Vivian Silver, Chaim Peri, Chaim Katzman, Tami Suchman, and Oded Lifshitz. They were all our volunteers. It’s heartbreaking."

"It really is... And what’s happening today with patients from Gaza?"

"Today, there’s no passage from Gaza at all. Everything is closed. There were children who died in Israel and were sent to be buried in the West Bank. Some recovered and finished their treatment, but they’re stuck in the hospital. Some we managed to return, but not to Gaza – to the West Bank. From Gaza, no one goes in or out."

"And what happened with patients from the West Bank after October 7th?"

"Look, on one hand, at first – maybe for the first two weeks – there were fewer rides. On the other hand, on the morning of October 8th, we took a sick child from Jenin for treatment at a hospital. We continued. We didn’t stop for even one day."

We all do this because it’s what we want to do

"Were there volunteers who left?"

"Maybe a few volunteers said they didn’t want to volunteer at all anymore. And of course, some people said that for now, they preferred to give their volunteer time to kibbutzim or evacuees in Israel. There were so many needs that needed to be answered. They wanted to stay in the group, they never stopped understanding the importance of the rides, but for a while, they preferred to volunteer elsewhere. We called everyone to check in, see how they were, talk to them – some lost family members – and almost all of them stayed as our volunteers."

"In these almost two years since then, have there been new volunteers joining?"

"I think since October 7th until today, about 150 new drivers have joined."

"Amazing. And beautiful. What’s your guiding principle?"

"I think I can talk about two important guiding principles. One is that we say yes to every request, to anyone who needs help getting to hospital treatment and has no way to get there; and the second is how we work with volunteers – the basic assumption is that we’re not obligated, each of us does this because we want to. Some volunteers drive once a month, some once a week, some always drive a specific patient they’ve bonded with, and some we know will make an extra effort if we’re stuck without a driver and will agree even if they hadn’t planned to drive that day. In short, we’re attentive to our volunteers, and I think everyone understands and carries this responsibility: we drive because we want to."

"And now, during the 12 days of war with Iran, what happened?"

"We kept going. We created a group of those willing to drive during those days, so as not to bother those who weren’t, because some people found it hard. I felt there was great willingness; people wanted to do something, preferred to drive to counter that huge feeling of helplessness, and it worked great."

"How would you describe the average driver’s profile, if there is such a thing?"

"I don’t think there is one. People come from all sorts of backgrounds and motivations. There are lots of retirees, and it’s meaningful work. We do something very focused, seemingly small, but very basic, very human – person to person. I think for many, it helps get out of that helpless feeling so many have here. We’re not talking about peace – it’s not about that at all. It’s a small, human act – you meet someone, drive them, help them, bring them, they say thank you – or not – and that’s it. You did your good deed, even if it was just once. It’s a clear kind of giving and instant satisfaction."

"Only leftists?"

"No. We also have settlers who drive. For example, I went to speak at a settlement with people from 'Hashomer Hachadash.' They invited me and I came, because I think it’s really important to share our voice there. One of our volunteer settlers joined me, and he told them – 'I agree with Yael, but not about everything. Yael talks about compassion, but I don’t think it’s just compassion. I take it a step further. I live here, on the same land, and it’s my responsibility that they have good lives. I can’t live here in peace, can’t have a good life here, until my neighbors have good lives. So it’s our responsibility to make sure they get medical care.' And the truth is, that’s how the organization started – when Yuval Roth, the founder, got a request from a Palestinian neighbor who needed to get to the hospital, and he drove him. And because we do the most basic, human thing, it allows anyone who wants to join and take part. And we’re always happy for every new volunteer who joins."

Always happy for more volunteers

"Do you also help Israelis?"

"We help anyone who can’t get to necessary medical care. Israelis usually can – there’s a car, family, public transportation. But when they can’t and reach out, of course we help. During COVID, we opened everything up to asylum seekers because there was no public transportation and they had no solution. I also remember a case of a single mother from central Israel we drove."

"And your budget? Only from donations?"

"We’re very lean. No offices, maybe five or six salaries, some part-time, and fuel reimbursements for drivers. Even there, over half the drivers don’t ask for reimbursement – it’s just part of what they give. But we always offer, because we don’t want money to stop anyone from volunteering. Many donations stopped after October 7th, as funds were redirected to urgent needs in Israel. We get it, no complaints, but we’re always happy for any donation."

"And still, isn’t what you do a political statement?"

"Look, I have a very clear political opinion. I think the occupation is the root of evil. Until we see our neighbors as people, understand they’re just like us, and give them equal rights, there won’t be peace here. People will always want freedom and to live like humans, like us. In the encounters that are created, Israelis and Palestinians ride together, sometimes talk, sometimes smile, sometimes just share a look. Human moments happen in a human situation. We meet people and their reality, not just talk about them, and it’s powerful. Different connections and commitments form. In the past two years, some of our volunteers really supported Gaza families, helped, sent money. Some volunteers say, 'I can’t drive now, but if T needs a ride, call me' – because T is no longer just 'a Palestinian' to them. She’s a friend. And that happens a lot."

"I wish it could be expanded – more meetings, action, connection. Do you have such a vision?"

"Exactly. Meeting, action, connection – that’s a great recipe for re-humanization. We see now more than ever how Israeli society has dehumanized Palestinians, especially Gazans. So yes, I have that vision – that every driver in Israel will volunteers and give a ride at least once."

Anyone interested in volunteering or donating can do both through the "Road to Recovery" website.

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