Service with a Smile

Hurricane Sandy was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane season (from Wikipedia). It was the second costliest hurricane in US history, causing an estimated $68 billion dollars in damage. Sandy made landfall in New Jersey on October 30th, 2012 and 8 months out, we are still rebuilding in its wake.

My fellow OSU co-counselor, Sophie, and I before we leave for New York

This past week, I had the tremendous opportunity to serve as a counselor for the Wexner Corps (WSC) service trip to New York. The WSC went to do Hurricane Sandy relief for those that were deeply affected by the storm. As you may be wondering, the WSC is a service-learning initiative comprised of 40 Jewish High School students from around the Columbus area. On Sunday June 9th, the group journeyed to New York with the hope to get some first hand experience with Tikkun Olam (the Jewish belief of humanity's responsibility of repairing the world). They spent the week rebuilding homes on Long Island that were badly damaged by the storm, creating a community garden on Staten Island, preparing food in soup kitchens, and canvassing communities to inform those in need about services that were available to help them. The WSC worked closely with NECHAMA (a Jewish Disaster Relief organization), Masbia (a network of kosher soup kitchens in New York City) and local community grassroots organizations to contribute to the relief effort.

From students to drywalling masters at a work-site on Long Island.

When we finally started working at different sites, it was shocking to realize how much work still needed to be done. Homes that had been damaged 8 months ago still were in early stages of repair, many because the owners had been waiting for disaster relief funds from FEMA. I primarily worked and supervised a site on Long Island that had been badly damaged by Sandy. The house was being repaired by NECHAMA, and the staff member at the location, Ross, told us that it was the house of a 94-year-old woman who lived with her daughter. The woman had dementia and was going into surgery to have a feeding tube put in when we went to see her, but her daughter Leslie (who was also her caretaker) still made a stop down to see us working on her house when we came down. She was so thankful that we were working on her house and wanted to tell us in person.

The house rebuilding team poses
with their fearless NECHAMA site-leader, Ross

We learned together every evening on the trip, and one particular lesson stands out when I reflect on our work on that woman's house. In Pirkei Avot, it says "Lo alecha hamlacha ligmor, v'lo atah ben chorin lehibatel mimena." Translation: "It is not up to you to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.” This teaching stresses the importance of the process, rather than the result in our work. When we were working on that house (or any project that week) we were never able to finish the work. What was it even worth if we couldn't finish the job? To the people living in this house, it was very significant. The owner was 94 years old with dementia and wouldn't be in this world for long. Our work brought the day that her and her daughter can move into their home a couple days closer to today. Maybe because of the progress the WSC made, they will be able to spend a little more time together in their home. 

We live in a turbulent world, one prone to natural disasters and human suffering. Recognizing this reality is disheartening, but necessary if we want to make it a better place. I am confident that the WSC learned a lot about themselves and the world in this short week. I'm sure that Tikkun Olam means a little more now than it meant before this week began. It was a pleasure to work with the WSC students and staff from the Wexner Foundation and I look forward to what the rest of the year holds for the Wexner Service Corps!










Credits:

Wikipedia

The (newly formed) Wexner Service Corps

The Staff of the Wexner Foundation

NECHAMA, Masbia and all the wonderful service organizations we worked with in NY

Gray for the title "Service with a Smile"

Jeptha Davenport for the "Newly Reignited" Blog Pact of 2013.