feature: summer plans
hard work
builds
bridges and
confidence
by Teddie Olender
oming to the small town of Piney Flatts, Tenn., in
the heart of Appalachia last summer, I didn't know
what to expect. Along with other Jewish teenagers
from across the nation, I would live in the neighborhood
Methodist Church for six weeks working with locals and
a Christian missionary group. Our crew was part of the
American Jewish Society for Service and we would spend
the summer rebuilding homes for the underprivileged.
For a few days, our Jewish service group was aware of the
differences between the neighbors and ourselves. Many locals
had never been out of Tennessee nor met people of other
faiths. Higher education was not a given, and many homes
had not been repaired for years.
Yet, every morning we put our differences aside to do Teddle Olender at work making a house into a home.
something great. We held each other's ladders, shingled roofs
changed the way this family would live. They would no longer
and sawed boards for foundation. We began looking for-
ward to seeing them. Our differences strengthened breathe in the dirt, dust and soot that had turned the walls black.
They would no longer eat amongst cockroaches. They would no
our relationships; together we made a difference.
After a few weeks, the missionary group shifted us longer worry about where they stepped. They would have a home
to Johnson City. We thought our work would be easy. The to be proud of.
A few days before our departure, the church held a farewell
homes seemed nice; little did we know what was in store.
potluck. Over the weeks, we had become very
As we entered one house, the stench over-
For an American Jewish Society
fond of the community and neither group was
took our senses. Once my eyes adjusted to
for Service appli cation for this
looking forward to parting. As dinner ended, the
the darkness, I noticed a tattered couch and
summer, go to aj ss.org .
pastor and a church member presented us with
dresser. The bedroom held a worn bed in
a certificate declaring us honorary members of
the center. We thought it couldn't get worse,
yet it did. Floorboards were rotted and roof shingles were Piney Flatts.
Looking at my certificate, I reflected on the summer. Along
used as flooring. Mouse droppings were scattered. Mold was
with the small Methodist church, the missionary group and a
everywhere and cockroach colonies flourished.
We had never seen a home in such distress. I put on my gloves handful of locals, we were able to accomplish so much.
and lifted up the first floor board with a pry bar. Cockroaches
swarmed. Disgusted, I jumped back. Taking a step forward and
reaching down, I pulled out a second board. Quickly I moved it
and continued with the next.
As the weeks went by, we scrubbed and painted black walls
and ceilings as well as the outside of the house. We laid carpet-
ing, installed a new kitchen floor and foundation, fixed the deck,
and created facia boards to protect the rafters and roof. We had
This experience taught me that people of all lifestyles, cultures
and religions could work together to do something great. It taught
me confidence. I can build a porch and a roof and
dig a 3-foot trench. Moreover, it taught me to be
more grateful for everything in my life — my home,
my education, my lifestyle and my loved ones. t
Teddle Olender, 18, is a senior at the Frankel Jewish
Academy in West Bloomfield.
the spiritual path
by Rachel Brown
find the miracles hidden in the layers of the Purim story.
Purim begins at sundown today, March 20.
The story of Purim is not your average, sea-splitting
how well disguised His influence was in this miraculous
story.
Soon after, they reached a fork in the road, and the rabbis
were able to regain their speed and reach their destination
miraculous story. Most people just look at it as a normal
I once heard a story of two great rabbis traveling back
storyline from 2,500 years ago in Persia. So what makes
it so special?
home one Friday afternoon who were slowed by an ex-
The word for coincidence in Hebrew is mikreh. Turn the
travagant chariot, obviously owned by someone extremely
letters around and it becomes Me'rak Hashem, "only from
The commandment is not only to hear the Megillat Es-
ther, but to listen to every single word. That's because the
with time to spare for Shabbos.
wealthy and important. Because of snow, it was impossible
HaShem." So, too, the word megillah means a revelation,
to pass the chariot, and they began to worry as Shabbos
and Esther means concealed or hidden. From this, we can
entire story of Purim is a conglomeration of many miracles
began to creep closer. Their only choice was to slowly follow
see that nothing occurs by accident or randomly. The reality
— miracles that lie behind the scenes and need to be re-
vealed in the layers of the entire story.
the coach from behind. Reb Nachman calmed Rabbi Yosef
is that each event in our everyday lives has a connection
as his anxiety began to rise and reminded him that what-
ever HaShem chooses to do is for a reason.
.1 to things we mostly don't understand; yet
King Ahasuerus didn't just wake up one night and "co-
incidentally" discover that Mordechai had saved his life by
About an hour later, they were stopped by an ominous
foiling a plot to kill him. It was the will of HaShem, definitely
group of marching Russian soldiers. Upon noticing the regal
not coincidence. In fact, the reason HaShem's name is not
coach, they immediately made passage for this most impor-
mentioned once throughout the entire megillah illustrates
tant person, along with the "entourage" following behind.
B2 teen2teen March • 2008
„IN
we should always remember that HaShem
4,
has a plan behind everything. '(
Rachel Brown, 16, Is a junior at the
Frankel Jewish Academy In West
‘s
Bloomfield.