For a second straight year, Bruriah partnered with NCSY to send 14 Bruriah students to Houston on the Fred and Rose Distenfeld Chesed Mission. The students are seniors Zahava Davidowitz, Shayna Feldman, Sheva Feldman, Mirit Fournier, Miri Gelernter, Henna Perlowitz and Batsheva Rosenfeld; juniors Avigayil Kahn, Rivka Marcus, Aliza Rothberg, Yael Sabo, Rachel Shmuel, Aliza Warburg and Avigayil Zupnik.

Accompanied by Bruriah’s Coordinator of College Guidance Sarah Kesler, and Regional Director of New Jersey NCSY Rabbi Ethan Katz, the student volunteers worked with ACT NOW Houston/Repair the World/SBP to help repair homes that were flooded. “We are about creating future leaders: the learning of helping other people because givers give back,” said Rabbi Katz. SBP and Repair the World worked side-by-side with the Bruriah volunteers to install flooring and help paint the interior of the homes. “When I got there I was told to put down flooring and didn’t have any idea how, now I feel I can go build a sukkah. I learned so many lessons here,” Shmuel said. Of the work she did with SBP/Repair the World, Fournier said, “They said we cut the short repair time even shorter; I felt pride in that.”

Sacha from Repair the World said, “Have the kavana while you are putting the wooden planks down, while you’re painting the ceiling and walls that you are helping complete a home, not just a house. Act as if this was a home you are building for your parents or grandparents and take pride and care in that.” The powerful remark helped fuel the volunteers to the finish line.

The volunteers also put time in at the Houston Food Bank, where despite the more monotonous work, they understood they were part of a process of maintaining the dignity and integrity of the recipients. Shayna Feldman summed it up, “We all have gone through hard things. Sacha had an amazing amount of hope. We were able to provide that for others.”

Rochel and Rabbi Lazer Lazaroff, founders and directors of Aishel House—Chabad of Houston Medical Center, hosted the volunteers for Shabbos. “It was so inspiring that we saw that those who were sick also had a home to come to at the Aishel Chabad House whether just for shabbos, a week, or a month,” said Yael Sabo.

Of the mission itself, Marcus said, “We are supposed to do tikkun olam and repair the world, and there are so many people who need our help.”