When I arrived to the PATH Homeless Shelter, I expected each resident to have a similar background. I assumed the residents wouldn’t have completed school, and from there on would have fallen on a dangerous road. However, after many conversations, I felt very guilty for my presumptions. I first met a man named Steve who spent most of his life traveling around the United States and Europe studying art and history. He was very knowledgable about current events, and has dreams to someday return to Europe as filmmaker. Later in the day, I met an older woman who grew up in Los Angeles with her two kids. Both of her kids attended private school, and are currently very successful. The fashionable woman has two doctor’s degrees as well, education is extremely important to her. She spoke in a wise manner-reflecting her enthusiasm for psychology and literature. After a near death attack, she arrived to the shelter due to her extreme PTSD.

Talking to those two residents allowed me to realize that life is a roller coaster-it has very high highs and very low lows. One day you can carelessly be traveling around the world, but the next you can be without money and  no one to rely on. Luckily, shelters exist to provide a temporary sanctuary until you get back on your feet. Next, I realized that I shouldn’t generalize anything before I’ve actually become aware of the situation. I will start observing and learning about a situation before creating a bias standard. Lastly, I felt very inspired by Steve and the other woman-despite how rough life has been for them for the last years, they continue to be very optimistic. In conclusion, PATH provides a temporary home for all sorts of people with all sorts of backgrounds. I am very glad that I volunteered at PATH and had so many interesting conversations with the residents.

~ Kimia Azad – 9th Grade, Beverly Hills, CA

Today I realized that I can make a bigger impact than I thought. I’m not talking about writing a billion dollar check but I’m talking about making a meal and playing games and putting a smile on someone’s face. That’s how I can contribute. It doesn’t have to be material objects, it can be just as easy as spreading a little happiness. Seeing how happy everyone was today and seeing how everyone was enjoying and basking in the holiday spirit and being jolly and happy regardless of their situation. It made me realize that I should be thankful for every little thing in my life and every gift I am given and blessed with.

Today I talked to this man for about an hour. He was around the age of forty, and regardless of the age difference between us, we were able to carry a long, wonderful conversation about nothing in particular. We weren’t discussing anything heavy, the two of us were merely talking and joking. I was able to talk to him as if I was talking to someone that I’ve known for years. I got to know quite a lot about him and other residents at PATH, and I’ve really come to appreciate their stories and the perseverance that they have shown through their hardships.

I really admire everyone that I was blessed to have met, I feel like the experience has helped shaped my understanding of what our society has become today and what my position in helping is. I didn’t realize time was passing by while talking to him, and I’m so appreciative of the little time that I did get. This trip has made me come to the conclusion that not only have I been blinded and turning my head the other way when it comes to the tragedies in our society, but it has also made me realize just how much I’ve been missing out on various opportunities to interact with people just like me.

~ Olya Zwerner – 11th Grade, Atlanta, Georgia

When I decided to go on AWB I knew right away that I wanted to go to Los Angeles. The work that was described appealed to me; the idea of helping people get on their feet and into the world was wonderful. But I was also afraid.

When people volunteer like this, they tend to assume all those in need of help will be grateful for it. I was afraid of this trip turning into that and becoming White Man’s Burdenesque.

Tons of questions ran through my mind: what if the people we help are ungrateful? What if they don’t want our help? And worst of all; what if we weren’t actually helping them, but simply convinced ourselves we were?

I felt like this especially when a member of PATH (People Assisting The Homeless) came to talk to us about how amazing our contribution was. She said nothing about how what we were doing would help the people who lived there, only told us we were doing good.

Since then I have been pleasantly surprised, and my outlook has brightened in the four meals since we were told that. Sure, we essentially just cooked some meals and spent some time talking, but those hours we spent there did so much.

Our counselors asked us today whether we thought our work at PATH did more for us than for them, and our entire team struggled with that question. One of our group even said that we were all jerks for thinking that our food and visits to PATH really did so much for the residents. “Most of them are already set up for permanent housing,” one girl said, “and all the rest aren’t trying to get out of the streets.” She went on to explain that our work didn’t change any of that. The people who were grateful for us already had permanent residence in their near future, and those who weren’t grateful didn’t have and didn’t want permanent housing.

My own experience leads me to disagree with her. I spent most of my time in the kitchen- peeling and chopping vegetables, stirring food, washing dishes, and sweeping the floor. The work in itself was satisfying; I could literally see our hard work come together and take shape before my eyes. But when the meals were brought out, I ventured into the lounge where the residents and AWB volunteers would eat and speak together.

My fears came true in that some of the residents didn’t talk to us, some complained about the food, one woman even told us she would spend the whole day away from PATH when she heard we would be there until the evening. But for each of those people who did not like us, there were others who praised us for our work. Deep in their heart every person wants someone to listen to them speak. This is true for everyone, young and old, conservative and liberal, homeless or sheltered. Having someone listen to you makes you feel worth something. Many residents told us they were grateful we spent our time with them. A man named Harold told me we made his Christmas night better, Michael took some of us to the garage to play with his dog, Manman. Others simply said that the food was good and that they enjoyed it, that ninety percent of the people who were in the room wouldn’t have been there if we hadn’t been there.

What feedback! Not only were we productive, but the residents of PATH enjoyed the food and our company!

These last few days will be forever etched in my memory, and I know that the people of PATH Hollywood have done more for me than I for them, if only by allowing us to hear their stories. By listening to them I have heard some of the best advice I could ever hope to receive.

“Don’t feel immortal,” one woman told us. “But don’t be afraid.” And another man’s last words to us were to “Always be strong.”

These people have been through the worst misfortunes and still they manage to find the strength in themselves to continue on and impart their knowledge to us. In my eyes that is the greatest gift one can receive.

~ Marni Libby – 11th Grade, Delmar, NY

Over the past few days in Los Angeles the LA AWB group has been volunteering at an organization called PATH (People Assisting the Homeless).  For me personally, as well as the teens and my fellow staff, we have had such a meaningful experience, whether it was actually cooking food with fresh ingredients for the residents, or sitting down and talking to them about all sorts of things.  We were able to personalize the issue of homelessness as well as get to know these people because we returned to the same place three days in a row. Even upon seeing us there day after day, the residents had smiles on their faces.  It was also even more meaningful for me to be able to see these high schoolers really converse with and care about these individuals.

After having such meaningful experiences we were able to unwind with Shabbat.  We took this time to really reflect on our experiences and relax before we started more volunteering on Sunday.  Part of Shabbat was also the ability to incorporate certain YJ traditions into the trip.  We did Kabbalat Shabbat, Oneg, Parsha Players, Havdalah, Rikud, etc.  Doing these activities strengthened the community that we already had formed volunteering during the week.  In addition, we were able to really learn and think about all that we had done on the trip
already.  We really took Shabbat to be the way it should be, a chance to stop what we are doing and just relax as well as reflect.  We did an activity where we asked the participants on a scale of 1-10 how much they agree with different statements.  It ranged from reasons why they were on this trip, the issue of homelessness as a whole, and the importance or impact of the stuff that we have done so far.  It was really interesting and important for everyone to see what the kids have been thinking about the trip and how important the issue of homelessness was becoming to them.

I also felt the impact of the trip for myself.  I haven’t thought about homelessness like this before now.  I know that I will be more involved with this issue after our trip is over because it has opened
my eyes to how big this issue truly is.  When I was a participant on AWB NOLA in 2011, I remember my experiences very well and still remember it to this day.  I hope that these participants will feel the same way.

~ Hannah Greenwald attends Rochester University and is from Westchester, NY

Today was the best day I’ve had so far during this trip. I volunteered to go to Lantern Light, which is a place where facilities are provided to the less fortunate people of this community. As we toured the whole place, I realized how thoughtful this place actually is. It has bathrooms, food, doctors, lawyers, and other important things available to the homeless and less fortunate people. It made me feel so satisfied that this amazing place exists in our world of less privileged people and unfair opportunities. We met this homeless man who I do not know his name, but I wish I did because from one simple act of his, I learned such a big lesson. He was given his lunch, and then asked us if we wanted some of his food. This act of kindness and generosity struck me because this man was willing to give all that he had, even though he had so little for himself. Going to Lantern Light taught me so much about how important it is to live life grateful for what you have and to always be willing to help others in need.

~ Samara Kleinman – 10th Grade, Guaynabo, PR

Our day began bright and early at 7:30 and although many of us were late, we still managed to break off into our groups and head to our volunteer sites on time. I chose to join the group which was going to help out at Lantern Light Mission, an organization which was founded by collaborative parties in order to meet the need of the poor and/or homeless. When we arrived we were first brought on a tour of the building. As we walked around, I was astonished by how well thought out and efficient the site was built. For example, they provided everything from good to medical attention. As lunch started and the guests arrived, we were quickly put to work by singing Christmas carols for the guests’ enjoyment. It was such a great experience watching how to us, our task was just symbolic and insignificant, but it meant so much to them.

My favorite part of the visit was interacting with a man named Wayne. Wayne was one of the most joyful and enthusiastic people I have ever met. He has recently gotten back on his feet and now lives in his own home. As the guests received their hot meals, Wayne came up to our group and offered us his lunch, we obviously declined, but Wayne then turned to a woman sitting next to him, who were obviously less fortunate than he, and handed his meal to her. She graciously accepted his gift and went on with her business. Watching this scene truly warmed my heart. It did so because although Wayne might be in better circumstances than this woman, he is still in need of support, yet so willing to give up his only meal of the day. This really urged me to do and give more because I know that Wayne has so much less than me, but still was eager to help others. The day was a huge success and an amazing Christmas.

Jonathan Israel – 10th Grade, Chevy Chase, MD

Today volunteering at the Animal Rescue New Orleans animal shelter I had a great time. This animal shelter was created to rescue and aid abandoned animals no matter how old or young, sick or healthy, mistreated or loved.  They also find family’s for the animals or return animals to their care takers if they were separated. The organization was founded in October 2005 by Jane Garrison and two of her friends.  Since then they have found homes for 8,000 animals and continue to save, help, and find homes for animals. There I had a chance of interacting with dogs and cats ranging from puppies and up. The animals were all very friendly.

On our visit I cleaned cages so when the dogs came back they would have a clean cage ready for them, I got to walk the cutest puppy ever named Kato, and cleaned the litter boxes for the cats so they were clean. When we walked in and I saw all the animals I was amazed.  I did not get how people could just give up animals or beat them. I personally would never be able to do that.  All I wanted to do was be with the animals and give them attention and just hold them.  I was glad that people gave up there time to come volunteer and walk the dogs and be there for them even though today was Christmas.  It was the sweetest thing ever.By doing this we helped the shelter get a lot done in a short amount of time. All the people working at the shelter were volunteers and just did it because they loved animals and cared for them. We made a difference and got a lot of work done and helped the animals so they had a clean place and were happy.

Rebecca Grossman – 12th Grade, Brooklyn, NY

Although we did not wake up with presents under the tree, we got much  more than any wrapped gift can offer. Today we went to a homeless shelter, were we sang Christmas songs and helped serve and distribute food and presents. But it was more than just singing Christmas songs. I spoke with a homeless man named Wayne, talking to Wayne really made me understand how privileged I am to be here in NOLA, and for everything I have. As I was speaking to Wayne, I asked him what his favorite part of Christmas was and he simply answered, “waking up”. Little things such as waking up are things we take for granted everyday. Wayne as well as many others I met today helped remind me how privileged I am, and how privileged we all are just to be on this trip.

Toby Barrocas – 10th Grade, Condado, Puerto Rico

Today, we got to choose what service project we wanted to do, so I chose to go to the Woldenberg Village elderly home. While there, we played bingo with the residents and talked to them during lunch. One of the residents that I met was named Les.

We talked for a while; I learned really cool things about him. He worked at an Air Force base in Georgia (where I live). He was the first person to see a polar ice cap on Mars through a camera – he has original pictures of it. When Les was younger, he attended a Young Judea camp. He told me that it was only his second time playing bingo, and the only reason he went was because our Young Judea group would be there. I really enjoyed talking and listening to Les; he made my day!!

As we were walking out of the home, a man saw our Young Judea songbooks and started talking to us about how he was part of Young Judea. It was amazing to be able to connect with people of different generations who have done the same things as us.

Sydney Rein – 9th Grade, Roswell, GA

The Arc of Lower New Orleans is a multi-pronged organization committed to helping the mentally disabled community. We walked into a stark building not really knowing what to expect from this organization, but we walked into a room piled wall to wall, floor to ceiling with bags of Mardi Gras beads and a woman with 5 strings of beads around her neck and a smile on her face and I knew we would be okay. Debra gave us a tour of the building and explained the way the organization works. They take donations of Mardi Gras beads from New Orleanians and employ mentally disabled adults to sort through the beads so Arc can sell them. Additionally, they run a soup kitchen. This kills three birds with one stone: they recycle Mardi Gras beads, which as she explained, Mardi Gras generally produces 2 millions pounds of, they employ mentally-disabled adults who might not otherwise be able to get employment, and they run a soup kitchen for those who can’t afford meals.

A half an hour later, we were elbow-deep in Mardi Gras beads, learning how to sort them into five categories. Debra taught as all about the different krewes who run Mardi Gras and how to differentiate their beads. We learned about the history of Mardi Gras through the beads, we were elbow deep – actually gloved-hand deep – in Mardi Gras beads which had spend brief periods of time up on puke covered historical streets, and then lived forgotten in someone’s attic until the folks at Arc encouraged them to donate the beads. Debra told us that they say New Orleans is sinking because of all of the Mardi Gras beads in people’s attics. We sorted enough beads to make $1,500 for the organization, which would go to wages for the mentally disabled and the keep the organization running.

The chanichim reflected on the uniqueness of this organization. The other organizations we are volunteering for are wonderful models that can be transplanted on any other community in need: St. Bernard’s Project has offices in North Carolina to help rebuild houses after natural disasters there, Green Light is a wonderful model for any suburban setting, as Recirculating Farms is for an urban setting. The Arc organization is truly a New Orleans organization. They don’t have any great plans for expansion in the future. They are recycling beads and employing the mentally disabled as long as Mardi Gras exists and mentally disabled adults need jobs. A few of the chanichim expressed gratitude for the ability to interact with some of the employees, some of them explained that they had personal connections to the cause and really appreciated how much employment means. We later had a peulat about Maimonides  eight rungs of tzdakah and we mentioned that this organization rose to the top of the ladder: past giving happily, past a wonderful charitable interaction, past a double-blind tzdakah exchange. This organization gives employment. They give the opportunity to be self-sufficient. This wonderful organization would not run smoothly without Debra’s patient leadership and easy smile. She was a wonderful woman to have the pleasure of interacting with.

Later that day, all of AWB visited Mardi Gras world to see where all the floats and props for Mardi Gras are produced. During the informative video before the tour, they mentioned the krewes and how they worked and I heard dispersed whispers of the chanichim who were with me. They were proud to have touched hundreds of beads with the names of different krewesfd on them. We already knew how that work. Arc gave the chanichim a certain ownership of this city, a certain admittance to the secret club of those involved with making the magic of Mardi Gras happen.

Ariel Glueck is from Highland Park, NJ, is a student at Hunter College  and is a staff member at Sprout Lake. Ariel’s young brother is also on AWB for the first time.