Bedford residents Doris and Emanuel Wachsler usually spend the cold months in Florida, surrounded by other retiree friends and a host of leisure activities. This year, the couple decided it was time for a change.

The Wachslers have joined eight other Boston-area retirees for six weeks of volunteering in Boston’s sister city, Haifa. In addition to exploring Israel and learning basic Hebrew, the group spends four days a week volunteering at community centers, schools and other organizations throughout Haifa.

“I’ve been an engineer all my life, so working with children has been something totally different for me,” said Emanuel “Manny” Wachsler, a volunteer at the Yavneh School. “It’s been so gratifying helping these kids with English and building relationships with them.”

The concept for a retiree service trip to Haifa was brought to Combined Jewish Philanthropies by Steve Doppelt of Framingham. Doppelt – who has made regular trips to Israel since 1969 - was convinced other retirees would want to join him on this so-called “vacation with a soul.” Based on the group’s outstanding first weeks in Haifa, Doppelt hopes to bring many more participants next winter.

“If you have the time and the spirit, you can do amazing things for the same cost as a trip to Florida,” Doppelt said. “When our six weeks in Haifa come to a close, we will have gotten much more than we gave.”

With support from CJP’s Boston-Haifa Connection, participants are building relationships throughout Haifa and helping both individuals and organizations in a host of areas. Activities range from tutoring English to helping Haifa’s small businesses gain footholds in the US market. Participants hold weekly evaluation sessions and engage each other in specific projects when appropriate.

The group’s professional diversity ranges from former aviation engineers to ESL teachers, with a psychiatrist and yoga instructor thrown into the mix. Though diverse professionally, politically and in terms of Jewish practice, the group is united by a shared love for Israel and desire to contribute to the Jewish state.

“It was very frustrating watching rockets fall all over northern Israel this summer and not being able to do anything,” said participant Carol Denbo of Swampscott. “I wanted to do something hands-on that would have a real impact.” Denbo has been working with young mothers from the Former Soviet Union at the Hadar Community Center, as well as high school students interested in corresponding with counterparts in Boston.

Participants say they have been overwhelmed by the hospitality displayed by Haifa project partners and families, most of whom have been part of the Boston-Haifa Connection for many years. The Haifa welcome included a reception with the mayor and repeated offers of around-the-clock support from many families.

“We have each been ‘adopted’ twice,” said participant Carol Doppelt, “Congregation Or Hadash welcomed us with open arms for the duration of our stay, and we’ve also received host families to go to for dinner and help us with arrangements. There has been an incredible welcome and appreciation that we are here for six weeks.”

The group has been particularly affected by Haifa children’s reaction to last summer’s war. Several participants said children drew them pictures of rockets falling onto Haifa and asked if they had ever seen such attacks firsthand. Haifa adults tell participants about spending several weeks in bomb shelters and their fears for the future.

To support traumatized residents, participants offer hugs, warm conversation and – in the case of participant Clare Figler of Winthrop - calming yoga sessions for women and children at the Hadar Community Center. In addition to yoga, participants have made use of foreign language, business and science skills in building people-to-people connections. Burt Figler is using his computer skills to help at the Halacha Institute, as well as teaching English to children. Linda Klein of Newton, a Russian and French speaker, makes use of those skills for the benefit of children and adults.

“I just want to connect with as many people as I can,” said participant Eveline Weyl of Brookline, whose husband Guy volunteers at the Technion. “It’s wonderful how we can put to use whatever skills we have with people of all social backgrounds. This has been a tremendously moving experience.”