Some things I've learned working with the Israeli kids:

1. Kids drool and drip snot and spit and are generally perpetually covered in a combination of mucus, saliva, and/or slime.  They either don't notice or don't care.
2. They also exhibit signs of mental illness.  Examples: crying and screaming bloody murder one moment, then laughing the next and talking to oneself for hours on end.
3. When given a simple command (such as: 'sit here') they will either obey immediately or absolutely defy anything and everything you say.
4. It really doesn't matter whether you speak their language or not, because almost all boo-boo's can be fixed with a hug.
5. Although language is not necessary, it helps to know whether that three year old is babbling nonsense at you or trying to tell you something very important.
6. With kids of a certain age, you can teach each other.  You point to an object ask, 'what is it?' (ma zeh, in Hebrew) and they'll answer.  Then, you can help them learn how to count the objects.  This procedure works with many scenarios.
7. Kids are hungry until they push their plates away, but if you try to clean it up, they're suddenly ravenous again.
8. 'No more,' (lo od, in Hebrew) as it applies to food is misunderstood regardless of the language or tone of voice.
9. Taking a coffee break is always, always recommended.
10. A tummy rub is the instant cure for too-much-energy-at-bed-time.
11. To calm down, some kids need to be held, stroked, and hugged.  Others need to be distracted by a toy.  Still others simply forget right away (my favorites, stam!).
12. Just because those two kids are working together and playing so adorably by themselves right now does not mean that a blood curdling scream will not erupt from them soon.
13. Kids really enjoy pulling hair and swinging fists wildly at each other when angry.  Pushing is also a local favorite.
14. A small child covered with sand, the aforementioned mucus/snot/saliva, food, and mysterious other substances will not even notice that he/she looks absolutely disgusting.  And yet they'll still manage to look adorable at the same time.

Having learned and experienced all of this, I still choose to spend 100% of my volunteer with these little yeladim.