The Hands On Tzedakah/Hillel Community Service Program

Hillel connects students to their community, their peers and their heritage through an array of social, cultural and community service programs. The challenge at UF Hillel and on every other campus is: to provide engaging and meaningful Jewish experiences for these students during their identity-forming years.

Results

Contact Information:

Hillel at the University of Florida, Keith Dvorchik, Executive Director, Norman H. Lipoff Hall, 2020 W. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32603; Telephone: (352) 372-2900 ext. 705; email: keith@ufhillel.org, website: www.ufhillel.org


Project Rebuild New Orleans March 2007

UF Hillel will be leading 18 students to New Orleans to aid in the effort to rebuild the devastated city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. These students are eager to use their spring break, a week free of university obligations, to give back to a community in need. They will meet up with students from 20 other Hillels around the country. Students and staff stay in large communal bunk style housing and work through the first responder (those that provide immediate support services during prevention, response, and recovery operations) not for profit organization Operation Blessing and also the National Relief Network. The majority of the work the students will be doing is gutting homes. Some will work on new construction, but most of them will pull appliances and belongings out of homes, take down sheet rock and dry wall and clean the remaining debris from the houses. The work is hard. Work gloves, masks and hard hats are nor mere uniforms, but essential. Photos do not do this scene justice. 18 months after this national disaster, neighborhoods are still dark, homes are empty of life, mold is everywhere and a tour of the area is a reminder of what was lost, and the speculation as to when, and if normalcy will return.

This is a transformative trip for the students. Hillel International will cover the modest cost of accommodations and food. This project has a registration fee which each student is responsible to pay. Our experience with this trip with students from the Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach as well as HOT’s own work within Mississippi and our visit to New Orleans, makes this project one that fits perfectly within the mission and goal of HOT’s Community Service Project Program. Hands on Tzedakah will cover the cost of the transportation for the students to New Orleans and back to Gainesville.


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Community Living Renewal

Gainesville, Florida is a beautiful college town well-known for its tree cover and natural beauty. Gainesville offers a calm and peaceful environment with big city offerings with a small town feel. As a result of the small town environment, it is very common to have bordering neighborhoods vary from beautiful and well-maintained to ones of disrepair.

The focus of this project will be to take a block within a neighborhood in which the homes require painting and the property requires landscaping. The painting will be an on-going process throughout the spring 2007 semester until completion. The landscaping started in February. In addition, the student volunteers will follow up with the residents, offering opportunities for neighborhood children, such as child-focused gardening, park renewal and other activities. Groups of students are working with local businesses who are supplying the plantings at a reduced cost and providing assistance to the students in the proper planning, design and installation of plants.


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Leading Up North

The original intent of this trip was for students who had previously been to Israel to go to the northern part of the country and do a short-term service project during the winter break by helping to rebuild areas that were destroyed during the war against Hezbollah in the summer of 2006.

The idea was a spin-off of what the Schusterman Family Foundation was offering in gathering 500 young Jewish leaders from around the world to do the same thing. UF Hillel had 40 students that wanted to participate. With an allocation of 5 slots for the program, the executive director gave back those seats and went on a fundraising mission to bring UF’s own bus. Hands On Tzedakah paid for 4 students to go on this alternative break.

As in our own December visit up north, these students found that due to the help of locals, the Israeli government and others, the bricks and mortar were pretty much outwardly rebuilt. One student put it best in his own words. The experience I had on this trip was amazing. At first we thought we were going to go help rebuild the north, however due to the help of the government and locals the north was already pretty much rebuilt. Instead, we were able to talk and help people that were victims from the war last summer. My favorite place was working with the at-risk kids. They were telling us about the crazy experience it was for them hearing the sirens for the incoming bombs all the time... They also told us that they were only able to use two out of the three bomb shelters. Therefore, part of what we did there was transforming the third bomb shelter in a usable and productive space. Even though that was rewarding, we were able to spend lunch with a family for 4 days in a row. There I was able to develop a relationship with the kids who I am still in contact with through email.


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Bears for Relay for Life 2006

Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs for the American Cancer Society. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.

The students of Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach entered 2 teams. The group's fundraising goal of $7,000 included the 'selling' of plush bears that included a ribbon with the Relay for Life and Hillel logos. The bears cost 34 cents each and for a minimum $5 donation donors received this little bear as a 'gift'.


Katrina/Rita Rebuild and Recovery Alternative Break Initiative

National Hillel partnered with the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Gulfport, Mississippi to bring college students and professionals to clean up areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina during the winter break from school. Students continued the work the church has been doing since August 2005 in smaller towns just outside of Gulfport, including debris removal, carting trees, basic rebuilding, speaking with residents and cleaning the build-up of mold in people’s homes.

This project had a registration fee which each student was responsible to pay. Transportation to and from Gulfport was not included. Hands On Tzedakah awarded transportation grants to the four Florida Atlantic University students that applied. We are enthusiastic about the potential this program has to imbue a lifetime pursuit of social justice activities. Having met with the students subsequent to their return, we know they will continue to "make a difference" as adults in their communities.


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Flip Flops for Relay for Life 2005

Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for research and programs for the American Cancer Society. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.

The students of the Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach entered 2 teams. Their method of raising money was to sell specially made flip flops designed to support cancer research. The students bought them for $2.50 a pair and re-sold them for $10.00 a pair. Not bad leverage at 4 to 1 – this was a grant proposal that was easily approved.


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AIDS and AIDS Awareness

Scott Fried is a health educator, motivational speaker and writer. He is also HIV positive. His mantra is: One must understand the value of one’s own life and hold it sacred in order to refrain from dangerous behaviors that could lead to infection or other crisis. The students brought Scott to the Florida Atlantic University Campus where he delivered a lecture that allowed students to come together in an educational environment to socialize and interact with one another while learning a valuable lesson. The next evening Scott gave another talk and then assisted the students in creating an AIDS quilt. Hands On Tzedakah’s grant paid the cost of bringing Scott Fried to FAU and also paid for the quilting supplies.


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Seniors Prom

The Seniors Prom was not a high school end-of-the-year extravaganza. Rather it was a small group of college students who wanted to spend two afternoons a month at a convalescent home befriending the residents and in 5 months culminate with a Senior Prom complete with corsages, boutonnieres, decorations, food and music. It did not happen exactly like this. As time went on, the small group of students became a large group and they ended up going every week. And after the prom, the students continue to visit their new friends.

Hands On Tzedakah was happy to award this grant to pay for the Seniors Prom.


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