Hadas Rosenberg, Operations Manager, shares how she was impacted by our Class of 2022's chessed trip to New Orleans.
Few experiences in my life have been as impactful as our recent senior class service mission to New Orleans. While the itinerary and operational details are important, what makes any experience exceptional is the people who participate. In this case, the seniors transformed a great program into a transformative experience for themselves, for me, and for everyone involved.
Recently, I had the privilege to work alongside our NYHS seniors in the Lower 9th Ward, one of the most impoverished and underserved communities in the country. We dug holes to support power poles; weeded saplings that will eventually slow down the soil erosion that contributes to hurricane flooding; broke down walls for renovations, and began construction on a new home for a local first responder. As we worked, we talked. Sometimes we joked about school, sometimes we discussed life after graduation, sometimes they shared meaningful stories and life experiences with me. With each conversation, every joke, and each new activity, I learned more about each of them as individuals and as a class.
My most memorable moment was on our last day working with Nechama: Jewish Response to Disaster. We entered a fully furnished home that had been damaged in a flood. We were tasked with the responsibility of clearing out the furniture, breaking down the ceiling and walls, removing the insulation, and pulling out every nail to prepare the property for the contractors who were starting construction the following day!
After five days of very early wake-ups, long days of physical work, and conversations that lasted late in the night, our students were undeniably tired. However, without missing a beat they put their full effort into every task. The staff from Nechama, seasoned veterans of disaster relief work, were astonished: our NYHS students worked almost twice as fast as was expected. What was meant to be six hours of strenuous work was completed in three and a half hours. Our seniors fully appreciated the importance of their task and they were able to come together and work as a team to make it happen.
It is said that teachers learn from their students just as much as students learn from their teachers. As their chaperone, that saying describes my experience perfectly. I am so proud of our seniors and so grateful to have shared this powerful experience with them. As time goes by, I may not remember every detail from the trip, but I will never forget the way these 15 teenagers inspired me.
