Bruriah teamed with NCSY for a second unforgettable mission of volunteering and making a difference in the lives of those affected by disaster. After a successful mission to Houston after Hurricane Harvey, Bruriah deployed a group of students to help New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) put the finishing touches on homes still being restored from damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. NOAHH has been working in partnership with hard working, low-income families in New Orleans to build and finance new, safe, affordable homes and has become a beacon of hope by deploying tens of thousands of volunteers to construct new homes in damaged, blighted neighborhoods.
Accompanied by Sara Kesler, scholar in-residence Rabbi Andrew Markowitz and NCSY Regional Director Rabbi Ethan Katz, the 15 Bruriah students prepared for two days of community service followed by Shabbat at Chabad Center of Metairie. Early Thursday morning, the group began the task of digging up dirt for a driveway and front walkway to clear the way for cement to be poured. They thought it would only take a couple of hours, but soon realized just how tough digging up dirt is! The group worked hard and finished the front walkway and 75% of the driveway, leaving the site with blistered hands!
They then toured the lower Ninth Ward, the area hit the hardest by Katrina,and saw empty plots where homes once stood and the nearby levees. The day culminated at the site of the old Beth Israel Shul and cemetery where sifrei kodesh and sifrei Torah were buried after being destroyed during Katrina.
On their second day, the group arrived at Green Light New Orleans ready to change the world by changing light bulbs. Green Light New Orleans installs free energy efficient CFL light bulbs and helps severely underprivileged homes have light. The Bruriah group split in two to get to as many homes as possible. The homes they served couldn’t pay their electricity bills and the recipients’ were so thankful they hugged the group and cried. The volunteers also heard from Captain Edwards at the New Orleans Fire Department about the department’s role in the rescue missions of Katrina.
The group then got ready for Shabbat, hosted by Rabbi Nemes and Chabad, and heard first hand from community members and Rabbi Nemes about the miracles that took place during Katrina. The group headed back to New Jersey on Sunday, but not before enjoying a tour of the French Quarter and a chance to reflect on a job well done.
