How can working to change the world change your life? By Alex Condoluci
Urban Mitzvah Corps (UMC) is an intense six-week program that offers exciting social justice opportunities in and around New Brunswick, New Jersey. Through that program, I learned the answer to this question (as have many other teens for nearly 40 years).
Participation in Urban Mitzvah Corps was a life changing experience. As I was on my way down to New Jersey with my family, I had no idea what to expect. I don’t know how or why, but when I arrived, I immediately had a feeling of relief and I felt like I was home. Upon turning the corner to see the entrance to our dorm building where we lived for the summer, I saw a circle of my peers sitting around getting to know each other. I knew that the people in front of me were interested in exactly what I was, making a difference in the world and becoming part of a family.
At UMC, there are four job sites to choose from and each participant gets to work at two of them throughout the summer: Elijah’s Promise soup kitchen, Daisy Recreation Program for the physically and mentally disabled, Regency Heritage Jewish Home for the Aged, Play SAFE camp for underprivileged children and Meals on Wheels (delivering meals to people in need). Each day, participants spend the day working in these locations. Evenings are spent with guest speakers, educational programs and social activities. Weekends include trips in the area which the participants and staff team up to choose each summer.
Living in a dorm on my own was quite an adventure. Everybody had to learn to accept each other for their strengths and quirkiness. For me, an added challenge was being color blind and trying to do laundry, which left me with quite a few pairs of pink underwear. In addition to everyone’s job sites, each of us was assigned to help around the dorm whether it be cooking, cleaning or just helping out. Working with each other around the dorm really helped all of us grow as a community. We knew each other that much better after cleaning up a messy room. Besides working in the dorm as part of a community, I personally grew as an individual by living in this environment. Every morning, waking up on time was not easy. But when I put it into perspective, people needed me around the community and I knew I had a responsibility. I had to also learn to budget my time for laundry, work, hygiene and then fun of course!
One final thing that I can personally say about Urban Mitzvah Corps is that the friendships made will last forever. Living with anybody for six weeks straight in a tight-knit community is a gateway for lifelong friendships. Your fellow UMC members become your family, and families are always there. Also, providing aid for your community and giving back to people who need it dearly result in the most rewarding feeling one could ever experience. What Urban Mitzvah Corps is, in a nutshell, is becoming part of a family, giving back to a community and having an awesome time. Who could ask for more?
RELATED QUESTIONS
What did you learn from working at a home for the aged? The first job site I had the privilege of working at was Regency Heritage. When I first learned I would be working at a home for the aged, I have to admit, I wasn’t pleased. But after the first day, I had a complete change of heart. The smile on the residents’ faces and looking into their eyes made me take a step back, and look at life a new way. One’s existence is short, so make the best of it. I loved getting up at 7:30 in the morning and sprinting to the van to sit shotgun. Walking through the front doors of Regency made me feel powerful but vulnerable at the same time. Listening to a new story each day, while hearing the old ones over and over again, satisfied my quest for wisdom that the residents had to offer. I especially felt connected to one woman named Pauline, but everybody called her “Ms. Pauline”. Ms. Pauline was blind and her family rarely came to visit her. Everyday, Ms. Pauline would make bead necklaces—she gave me at least 29, but who’s counting. Whenever I went to see her, I would take her outside and we would talk for hours. The way Ms. Pauline and I talked made me feel like she could see me. We were connected. I miss Regency more than I ever thought I would.
What can underprivileged kids teach North American Jewish teens? My second job site was PLAY Safe, a camp program for inner-city kids. My first day there I was assigned to the oldest age group of boys. They ranged from 10 to 12 years of age. First, they were wild, crazy, and fanatical. Trying to get their attention was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. But after being with them for a week, they respected me and I respected them. Some of the activities that we played were dodge ball, soccer, basketball and board games; we even went on field trips. I feel that being there for the boys gave them a place to go everyday and feel safe. I became a role model for them in just three weeks. One boy to whom I felt connected the most was named Giovanni. Giovanni was a small, stubby kid. The other boys picked on him a lot so I took him under my wing. He followed me everywhere I went and I did not mind at all. We would talk about wrestling all the time. I miss all of my boys at Play SAFE and I hope they are well.
TAKING ACTION
Spend your summer at Mitzvah Corps Though UMC’s history is rooted in NFTY-GER, we are very excited to now be a part of the URJ’s North American Mitzvah Corps programs, which offers six summer programs for Reform Jewish teens. Reform Jewish teens now have the opportunity to choose from these amazing opportunities to spend the summer doing tikkun olam, repairing the world. Please visit www.mitzvahcorps.org to get involved!
Make a difference throughout the year Mitzvah Corps is based on social action and taking part not only in other communities, but also in your own. You do not need to be participating in Mitzvah Corps to make a difference in another person’s life. Watching the face and feeling the spirit of a person, you help can give anybody a rush that influences them to do right in any situation and commit selfless acts for those around you—friend, family or stranger.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Should tikkun olam, repairing the world, be limited only to community service requirements, or should it be preached and a heavy influence on every day life?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Alex Condoluci is a junior at Clarkstown South High School in New York. He participated in Urban Mitzvah Crops last year and was elected to be student coordinator which means he will join another family of Jewish teens who share the same love for social action and tikkun olam. He is the social action vice president at his temple youth group, TBTYG, at Temple Beth Torah of Upper Nyack, NY. He was born and raised in Rockland County, where he still resides. Currently, he is spending a lot of time on his schoolwork. Some of his hobbies include creative writing, playing guitar, volunteering and hanging out with NFTY kids!
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