Picture this: a terrible storm known as Hurricane Katrina hits your home. You are engulfed in at least knee deep water. You literally see your belongings float by you. Stressors such as paying the phone bill or if you bought groceries suddenly seem insignificant. You are fighting for your life…Literally. Now picture this: four years later little has been done to restore the damage that has been made. Media on the current situation is minimal to none. These people are humble and do not ask for help, despite their dire need for it. That’s where the three of us come in the picture. Sponsored by Springfield College Hillel, three students Noah Pascal, Bryan Bierman, & Daniella Raovfogel were flown to New Orleans, Louisiana for an Alternative Spring Break.

We are writing this article to talk about our experiences and thoughts after being in New Orleans. You would think 4 years after this terrible event everything would be fine and things would be just like they were but it’s not. There are still houses that no one moved back in, stores that are left vacant , and more. After spending a week all of us saw firsthand that New Orleans still needs help. Once arriving in New Orleans we saw the community that was down there. The sense of rebuilding New Orleans was very apparent. On the way to where we were staying in St Bernard Parish at Camp Hope we got a full tilt of New Orleans. We saw the houses that were still in terrible condition, saw the levees that broke, and emotions from the people.

Once at camp hope we had an orientation and got a tour of the camp site. We then planned for our first day of work. We really didn't know what to expect from the site. They told us that we would be working with an organization called rebuilding together but never told us what we would be doing. The next morning we woke up just like every morning at around 7:30 and were on our site by 8:30. We then got introduced to our work site.

Our work site was very unique. It was a large factory building that had a funeral home located on the 1st floor and a disco tech on the 2nd floor. We were very surprised and we joked around that you would dance till you dropped. We then went into the building and saw what we needed to do for the next week. We did things ranging from taking down dry wall, to taking down a sprinkler system, removing wiring from the walls, removing an old oven, and much more. At our work site we had other schools that were helping us that were Cornell, Indiana, and Franklin and Marshall. None of us really knew how to do this work like plumbing and wiring but we were taught but our leaders how to do our jobs. We were very proud of ourselves because we never gave up on the jobs we were giving. Also we had around 30 other people at our site that we helping us and cheering us on for certain jobs.

We all had a shocking experience after doing this work. We challenge ourselves not just physically but emotionally. We realized that we weren’t helping an actual family but helping the community as a whole. What this building was going to be was the Rebuilding Together head quarters for volunteers with sleeping areas, offices, and storage.

“I had never done such extensive physical labor. Through rebuilding, I realized that aside from my drive to do good for others in any way I can, I have the physical ability to do so. I also came to understand the meaning of a home, as opposed to a house, for New Orleans is the home for their community and lives.” This reflection of Noah Pascal proves that one does not have to have extent knowledge or experience in construction, but rather the desire to do good deeds. In Hebrew a good deed, Mitzvah, is instilled in the homes, culture, and even mandated in Jewish religion. We believe because of this value that many Jewish individuals hold, such as the ones that went on this trip, we were able to grow tremendously.

“Knowing little about the damage that Hurricane Katrina has left, I was astonished to see communities vacant. Chills ran up my skin and left goose bumps every time we drove through the communities to our worksite. Holding back the tears took a lot of strength out of me. But I know now, that our work, even for a week, has greatly impacted and helped change the lives of the people in New Orleans. Like Noah, I have never done that type of physical labor. However, I soon realized that it wasn’t the desire to finish this project that kept us working. Rather, it was the sense of community we felt and the stories we heard every single day by passersby’s and guest speakers of the community that gave us the new found drive to build this establishment. The people in New Orleans just wanted their old lives back. We were there helping them accomplish that. It was a gift for us to be able to contribute in any way that we can. I went into New Orleans knowing two people, and left having met the most incredible and awe-inspiring people ever.” Daniella Raovfogel “This was my second trip to New Orleans. I went to the same trip last year and had a totally different experience. Last year I painted for the whole week and it wasn’t a lot of physical labor. I was pleased to see that so many people still cared and wanted to spend their spring break to come and help. While in New Orleans we ran into a lot of the local people and got to talk them. They gave us thoughts and views of what happened during the hurricane and relief efforts that you don’t get out of a newspaper. After finishing at the work site every day we would clean and reflect on the day. The last day I went back in the house when everyone was done and saw how much stuff we did in only a week. (We filled up 2 dumpsters) I couldn’t stop smiling throughout the time while I was walking.” Bryan Bierman A quote that stuck out to all of us explaining the kind of stuff we were doing was “You can give without loving, but cannot love without giving” Amy Carmichael.. We truly believe in giving back to communities that are in need. We are already planning a trip next year during spring break. This trip isn’t just for Jewish students it is open for the whole campus. We would like to take at least 10 people next year or more. If you have any questions or are interested in finding out more information please email one of us or stop by the Spiritual Life office in Judd.