Yeshiva break often triggers an exodus from our surrounding communities to all sorts of attractive locations including Disney World, Caribbean islands and ski resorts. The Levie family had a different agenda this intersession that was somewhat outside the box. They decided to travel to Houston and offer their services to victims of Hurricane Harvey who are still displaced from their homes.
Yair Levie, a ninth grader at TABC, originally wanted to help back in August when the hurricane first devastated the city, but it was not an opportune time for him to go. Months later, his parents were discussing a possible getaway for yeshiva break and he suggested they revisit the chance to help people in Houston. Dena and Mark were on board and secured flights and a place to stay.
Dena reached out to Nechama, a volunteer organization that provides cleanup and recovery assistance to homes and businesses affected by natural disaster. Guided by Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world), Nechama offers a helping hand in the spirit of kindness and generosity to those who need it. When Dena asked if they could come down for a week to help out, the leaders at Nechama were appreciative, explaining that there is at least five more years of work ahead to repair the damage done. Currently they are working on rebuilding homes in Port Arthur, a city two hours outside of Houston.
The Levies arrived at a house that was completely emptied of its contents and volunteers were busy repairing floorboards and walls. The Levies jumped right in and assisted in various projects around the house. They didn’t know what to expect upon arrival, Dena said, but everyone was so welcoming and grateful for their presence that they immediately felt good about the mission. Volunteers explained what needed to be done and, when necessary, taught the Levies how to use various tools and machinery.
The second house they were sent to offered a much more interactive experience. The homeowner, Patricia Parker, was there to greet them and the house was filled with typical stuff one would expect to find. The family had left home back in August but had yet to return to start the cleanup process. The first many hours were spent sorting, discarding and preserving their belongings. Ultimately, the Levies, along with a team of volunteers, emptied the entire house so the necessary repair work could begin.
Patricia felt an instant connection to the Levies, she said. The tremendous kindness displayed was overwhelming to her. She took a particular liking to Yair, whose selflessness made a real impression on Patricia. “Yair was the youngest person on the team by far, yet approached the task with a gentle and caring attitude. It was wonderful to see someone his age offer time over a break from school when most teens would want to do something very different,” conveyed Patricia. When asked why he wanted to spend his winter vacation in Houston, Yair explained that he was so saddened back in August watching what was happening to people’s homes and lives that he truly wanted to help. “It was eye-opening to see what it was like,” expressed Yair. “Many of my friends went on relaxing trips, but I feel like I made a real difference over my winter break.”
The work performed was both physically and emotionally exhausting, explained Dena. Certain things were more difficult for her than they were for her husband and son. Nonetheless, all volunteers are appreciated and utilized to their fullest potential. The Levies spent Shabbos in the Jewish section of Houston that was also completely destroyed by the hurricane. Most of the community is still displaced after many long months. “It really makes you appreciate everything you have, even the small stuff,” commented Dena. The trip was an incredible experience for the Levie family. “We are definitely going to plan more vacations like this,” Dena said. “It felt so good to do something meaningful.”
By Andrea Nissel
