feature

by Lexie Sittsamer

helping others

Spring J-Serve draws 300 teens to make a difference.

magine your ordinary commu-
nity service project: a few friends,
a bunch of boxes and two hours
carrying those boxes around. You and
your friends are definitely capable of
doing this job, but it's just so boring. If
only you could volunteer and make a
difference by having fun!
On April 17, 300 teenagers came
together to serve the community for
J-Serve 2011. J-Serve is the interna-
tional day of Jewish teen service. Our

Volunteers Sarah Dalian and Jacob Edelson

on the job at JARC's Pitt Home.

community was part of 75 participat-
ing communities worldwide. This
year marked the third year Michigan
has participated in J-Serve. Earlier
this year, the Michigan J-Serve com-
mittee hosted a smaller winter day of
service.
Spring J-Serve presented 15 proj-
ects, ranging from cleaning up the
Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue to
cleaning up a park with Greening of
Detroit.
Jacob Edelson, a sixth-grader at
Hillel Day School in Farmington
Hills, went to a JARC residence called
the Pitt Home in Bloomfield Town-
ship. JARC has 20 such homes in the
area for adults with developmental
disabilities.
"The women who live there are
very nice," he said. "I enjoyed play-
ing Bingo and eating matzah s'mores
with them. What J-Serve is doing is
very important. It is helping the corn-
munity, even the world, one step at a
time."

Volunteer Lexie Sittsamer interacts with Jackie and Lori at JARC's Pitt home.

One step at a time is exactly what
was happening as every teen volun-
teer boarded the buses to head out
and change the world. Although a
huge change cannot happen in two
hours, the volunteers got the ball roll-
ing. They started important projects,
or even finished projects others had
left behind.
Lori Larsen, who lives at the Pitt
Home, said, "I have been in the Pitt
Home for about eight years. I enjoy

learning about all the Jewish tradi-
tions since I'm not Jewish. I really like
when teenagers and the younger chil-
dren come in and are interested in our
lives and come to visit us!"
To become involved with J-Serve
Michigan, visit www.
j servedetroit. org.

Lexie Sittsamer, 17, is a

junior at North Farming-

ton High School.

my turn

by Danielle Rittman

\T 2 11

.

IDF soldier inspired this teen to stand up for Israel.

sat in my seat patiently awaiting
the guest speaker at my Monday
Night School program at Aish in
the Woods. I hadn't known Sgt. Benja-
min Anthony prior to that evening, but
I had heard rumors.
"Dude, his arms are like tree
trunks!" "He's 20 feet tall! The man is
a tank." "He knows everything about
everything!" "He's an amazing public
speaker." "He's gorgeous!"
While I sat there, concocting in
my head what such a person might be
like, he walked into the room. Sgt. An-
thony was tall, dark, bald, muscular
and young — the epitome of an Israeli
soldier. But, like all of the soldiers, he
had that unique look in his eye: a look
of wisdom, fearlessness and bravery,
traits that only a man fighting for his
country could acquire.
He walked to the podium and
the room went silent. He opened his

TT2 teen2teen May 19 .2011

mouth to speak while every eye in the
room was glued to him. Then, some-
thing strange occurred. I expected
a thick Israeli accent, but instead I
heard a British gentleman speaking.
As he went on, he spoke of his experi-
ences in war. Not of the victories and
the glory, but of the heartbreaking
truth of battle.
Sgt. Anthony captivated every-
one's attention as he told stories of fa-
thers and sons parting to go to battle,
tough men breaking down to sobs,
and the everlasting haunt of survivor's
guilt. Like all of the other brave men
he fought with, Sgt. Anthony had sac-
rificed so much for Israel. Every day
that he battled for peace, he risked his
life. He said the one thing that kept
him going was hope, tikvah. Hope that
Jews, generations from now, could
live freely. Hope that Israel could one
day exist in peace. Hope that the Jew-

ish people will
stand tall and
never give in.
Then he went
on to beautifully ar-
ticulate his opinions
on the future of Israel. Sgt.
Anthony said that it was within all
of the teenagers in the crowd that
evening to keep Israel strong and safe
for years to come. He said we need-
ed to be brave and educated, but he
has been to many American schools
— both secular and Jewish — and was
disappointed with the lack of morale
and knowledge of the Jewish youth.
He and his fellow soldiers have given
up so much for Israel that it is a shame
that we have not done the same.
He believes in a strong education
in the Israeli conflict, not only for
general knowledge, but to protect
our homeland. Because many gentile

students may be
against or ignorant
of Zionism, he said
it is our job as the
future leaders of this
world to band together
and persuade them other-
wise, not to hide our faces in shame
and fear.
His words got me thinking. How is
it possible for me to truly impact the
future of Israel and the Jewish people?
Then I realized that I had a voice. Not
a large one, but a voice indeed.
Just like Sgt. Anthony said, I could
educate myself and preach for the
safety of Israel to anyone who wants
to put it or me down. As terrifying
as that sounds, I realized I must find
the strength to do so. And with that
strength, I will find hope. Hope that
my words will make a difference for
the State of Israel, and to never give

.

visit JNt2t.com