New Orleans, Louisiana was the destination for 15 determined MTA juniors and seniors, who rushed to make their flight on Motzei Shabbos, November 6. Their mission: to help out in any way they could with relief efforts in areas hit hard by recent hurricanes and natural disasters—and help out they did. Thanks to great organizations like NECHAMA, AmeriCorps and, of course, NCSY Relief Missions, MTA talmidim cleaned out a cemetery full of fallen trees, gutted multiple flooded homes and helped out in any and all ways needed over the course of two chesed-filled days. The talmidim also had a lot of fun, enjoying a horse and buggy tour of the French Quarter, an exciting bowling trip, visits to Brothers and food from local kosher restaurants. They were accompanied on the trip by Head of School Rabbi Joshua Kahn and bowler navigator extraordinaire Assistant Director of Student Activities Rabbi Sam Dratch from MTA, as well as Rabbi Eitan Katz and Ari Greene from NCSY. The MTA-NCSY New Orleans Chesed Mission gave these talmidim the opportunity to open their eyes to the suffering of others and begin to do what they can to help—to witness the very real needs of the greater world we live in and do something to make a difference.

By Yitzchak Hagler (‘22)