The 88-Year-Old Who Continues to Volunteer Even When Missiles Are Flying Overhead

There is one person who almost everyone in the delivery rooms at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center has come to know. Ever since she was a little girl, Rina Arieli, 88, from Hadera, dreamed of becoming a nurse, but life had other plans. When she retired, she decided to make that dream come true in the closest way she could and began volunteering in the delivery rooms. Since then, come rain or come shine, and even with missiles flying overhead, she has shown up faithfully. 

Rina was born in Romania in 1938. At the age of 13, she immigrated to Israel with her family. Those early years here were not easy. Her family lived in a tent, and Rina pitched in to help support them. She worked in the orchards and did whatever she could to help her family. As a girl and young woman, she longed to study nursing and devote her life to caring for others, but her family's circumstances were difficult, and she was unable to join the IDF or pursue higher education. Rina had to let go of her lifelong dream, though it never left her heart. 

Rina Arieli volunteering in the delivery room at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center

Volunteering as a way of life

For many years, she worked in retail, had a family and raised two sons and a daughter. Today she also has seven grandchildren. Throughout the years, her desire to be a nurse never waned. When she retired, Rina decided to fulfill that dream in her own way. She began volunteering in the delivery rooms at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center. Twenty-two years have passed since then, and she still comes in every week without fail, even in wartime, always with a big smile, deep dedication and the joy of giving. 

"The hospital has become a second home to me. I love helping with all my heart. It puts me in a good mood and it's good for me physically and socially. It's wonderful to be around people and help others," Rina says.

Being there for the new mothers and staff

Rina is there for some of the most important moments in people's lives, supporting both the mothers and the staff with whatever they need. For the new mothers and the staff, Rina has a very meaningful room. Over the years she has built up a wealth of knowledge and experience and has received several commendations for her devoted volunteer service. 

But for her, the real rewards are the small, quiet moments. "One of the most moving experiences of my life was the first time I witnessed a birth up close. I was overwhelmed and cried," she recalls. "It is so special to watch life come into the world. To be with a family at the most meaningful moment of their lives - that is truly fulfilling." 

And while we are now in wartime, as Good Deeds Day is marked this week, Rina's story reminds us that sometimes a dream doesn't come true in exact way we imagined it would, and yet, it can still come true, in its own way and bring goodness to the lives of many others.