'My instant reaction was to act': KU student volunteers in Israel

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Camille Faraldi is a grad student at the University of Kansas. With a strong connection to her faith, she was going to take an unforgettable trip to Israel. But when the war between Israel and Hamas broke out, things changed.

"It was going to be my first time in Israel," Faraldi said. "I was doing my birthright actually during this week. It did get canceled because of the war since October 7th."

Then, she was given an opportunity that she couldn't pass up.

"They offered us to volunteer in Israel to work on agriculture farms since a lot of the soldiers are in the war," Faraldi said.

From six in the morning, Faraldi wakes up to get on the bus and travel about an hour north of Tel Aviv. Farming everything from oranges, cucumbers, avocados and tomatoes. Something she says carries a long way not just for people in Israel, but for her too.

"My instant reaction was to act," Faraldi said. "I felt so hopeless, so useless, so that's why I wanted to do something with it. To do something with the emotions I was feeling and do something productive and help the Jewish people and help the Israelis here."

While Feraldi is feeling the love for her actions, she knows it's not about her, and that it means even more to the people she is helping.

"We got 30 tons of oranges picked for their orange juice and they go to the citizens," Feraldi said. "They were just so so happy to have the help and so grateful. It was really heartwarming for them to see us with the Israeli flag and to do what we can to help and I think it's really important that we have support. To us, it's just a few hours of our day, but to them, it's just the whole world."

Feraldi's volunteering in the Middle East will come to an end at the end of the year. Although she tells 27 News she might extend her stay to continue supporting Israel.