ELPO
Summer Vocation
Teens build character as they construct homes for needy.
BAILA LAZARUS
Special to the Jewish News
W
hen Rebecca Nadis returned to school Aug.
22, she brought with her a better work
ethic than ever before.
The Farmington Hills teen was among 13 youths,
aged 16-18, who spent the summer volunteering with
the American Jewish Society for Service (AJSS), build-
ing houses for low-income families with Habitat for
Humanity in the Vancouver, Canada, area.
"My work ethic has changed," said Rebecca, 17. "I'll
definitely be working harder from now on. I'll be able
to do things that are a little more uncomfortable with
greater ease."
Rebecca's twin sister Emily also volunteered this
summer with AJSS, serving in the Eugene, Oregon,
area.
A senior along with her sister at the Jewish Academy
of Metropolitan Detroit in West Bloomfield, Rebecca
said the AJSS project stood out for her from a list of
summer volunteer opportunities she received from a
college counselor.
"It's different and fun," said Rebecca. "You get to go
somewhere exciting but also do something really cool.
It's the best of both worlds."
AJSS is an independent, nonprofit group that has
been organizing.summer work programs since 1950.
Its goal is to "give young people an opportunity for
serving their fellow men in need." Projects usually
involve the construction or repair of buildings. This
year, in addition to construction projects in Oregon
Sweat
Eton
Sisters agree, volunteer
work can be 'very cool.'
CHELSEA DUNCAN
Special to the Jewish News
mily Nadis matched her twin
sister Rebecca's
efforts --- spend-
ing the summer with 13
other Jewish teens, build-
ing homes with another
JFSS team in the Eugene,
Ore., area.
"I think that this is
probably one of the most
and Michigan, AJSS set up a work project with
Habitat in Burnaby, a suburb of Vancouver. It was the
first time the organization ventured out of the United
States or Israel.
Over the course of six weeks, Rebecca and her team-
mates helped build an entire level of a four-unit hous-
ing project. It made Rebecca appreciate how even
small tasks are important.
"I know now that every little job is important,
regardless of whether it's something [obvious] or in the
background," she said. "We had to do tarring, which
is something everybody hated. But it's actually water-
proofing someone's basement. It's not like putting up
a wall, but it's important to building a house."
Not meant to be a slacker vacation, the teens' days
consisted of an early rise at 7 a.m. to be on the site in
Burnaby by 8 a.m. They helped out with any type of
construction needed, from installing prefab walls to
putting up scaffolding to finishing drywall.
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, non-govern-
mental organization seeking to eliminate poverty
housing around the world. With volunteer labor and
donations of money and materials, Habitat works
with families in need to build or renovate simple
houses, which are sold to partner families at no profit
and are financed with affordable, no-interest mort-
gages. Homeowner families must help build their own
houses and the houses of other families, working side
by side with volunteers.
"It's a good reminder that this isn't just a summer
project," said Rebecca. "It's building someone's home."
Besides their daily construction duties, 'the project
participants got to enjoy the amenities that Greater
worthwhile of things I've ever done,"
said Emily, 17, of Farmington Hills.
The teens slept on hard cots, took
cold showers and lived out of middle
school classrooms. Plus, they had to pay
the expenses of their volunteer activi-
ties.
"Our campers get a very meaningful
summer that basically changes their
lives," said Ron Brent, one of the pro-
gram directors who accompanied the
group with his family to Douglas
County, Ore. The modest living condi-
tions and long workdays teach them to
appreciate what they have back home,
he said, adding, "They get a good feel-
ing from helping others.' ,
Saundra Romero, of the Oregon-
based self-help housing program the
teens assisted, said the youths are
setting a good example for others
their age.
"It was a real positive experience
— an amazing social experience,"
Emily said. "I was at first nervous
Volunteer Rebecca Nadis works on the roof of housing
construction in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada.
Vancouver has to offer, including hiking in the local
mountains, visiting the Whistler resort area (north of
the city) and doing some kayaking.
Rebecca said she will definitely recommend the
AJSS program.
"This was the best summer I've ever had," she said.
"I was just sitting there noticing we built walls, we
built a floor, stairs. At home, I built a box. It's kind of
amazing to know I've built a house." ❑
Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, photographer and
illustrator living in Vancouver.
Teens interested in participating in AJSS pro-
grams must be between their sophomore and
senior year in high school. For more informa-
tion, contact the American Jewish Society for
Service, 15 East 26th St., Suite 1029, New York,
N.Y., 10010. Call 212-683-6178 or visit
www.ajss.org. For information on Habitat for
Humanity, visit www.habitat.org.
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to go by myself, but we were immedi-
ately comfortable with each other. I
would definitely recommend this pro-
gram. You get to help people and you
feel productive."
Emily said she's learned about the dif-
ficulties of becoming a homeowner and
living in a low-income bracket. She
learned to appreciate her own home life
more. "I don't take anything for granted
anymore," she said.
And sister Rebecca picked up some
practical skills, too. "I learned how to
use a hammer and a nail," she said. "I
learned how to use every kind of saw
that exists. I learned how to make a
flight of stairs, and, if it's squeaky, know
which part is loose and hasn't been
nailed in right.
"When you're working with the
future homeowners and they're building
their own house and you're right along-
side helping them, it's quite an incredi-
ble experience," she said. "It's very
cool."
Emily Nadis helping to build
houses in Winston, Ore.
The girls' father, Ronn Nadis, was
totally supportive of their efforts.
"The AJSS experience is a perfect
combination of tikkun olarn [repair of
the world] and summer fiin," he said. Li
IN Senior Copy Editor David Sachs con-
tributed to this report. Chelsea Duncan is
a reporter for the News-Review in
Roseburg, Ore.