SAN DIEGO (Press Release)– San Diego Jewish Academy students and staff have deployed to the tornado-devastated community of Moore, Oklahoma to do volunteer work.
“Several students came to me asking what they could do to make a real and meaningful difference,” said Alan Rusonik, SDJA’s Director of Judaic Studies. “The practice of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) is very much an integral part of the school’s identity. Students learn that each individual working to do something good can lead to a community collectively making a difference in the world in which we live.”
Nine students (one 9th grader, five 10th graders and three seniors), a staff member, and Rusonik volunteered to travel to Moore, Oklahoma for close to a week of relief work.
“We’re staying at a motel as close to the community as we can get, renting two vans, and offering assistance to anyone who needs help,” Rusonik said.
SDJA has been in touch with several relief agencies and will be assigned where needed, but likely areas include, cleaning debris, assisting with food pantries, and lending a hand at the animal shelter.
The students are in for some hard work in unpleasant temperatures and in weather that is still ripe for additional tornadoes. But the students and their parents feel strongly that what they are doing, despite the potential dangers and unpleasantness, is the right thing to do.
“My daughters were very excited to join in the relief effort,” said Abraham Edid, whose two daughters both attend SDJA and are joining the volunteers. “My wife was one of the first to respond to the announcement about the trip and made sure they held two spots for our girls.”
Edid noted that his daughters have always been there to help the community by doing more than just donating money or raising funds.
“I believe that sometimes people need more than money,” noted Edid. “Often, they need helping hands.”
“This trip will be a great experience for all of the children,” added Edid. “I think they will appreciate all they have here at home and what they are doing will fill their hearts with satisfaction that will stay with them for years.”
One of the two adults organizing and going on the trip is Emily Bumps, a staff member at San Diego Jewish Academy. Bumps grew up in Oklahoma.
“Growing up in Oklahoma City, hearing the sirens and finding shelter during tornado season was common practice,” said Bumps, “but witnessing an F5 tornado stretching over 2 miles wide from the comforts of my San Diego living room was all too surreal.”
“I am not Jewish, but working at a Jewish day school has taught me the importance of Tikkun Olam,” added Bumps. “I am very excited to be traveling back to my home state with our amazing student volunteers, and Mr. Rusonik, as we represent SDJA in making the world a better place – one act at a time.
San Diego Jewish Academy has a long history of Tikkun Olam. When the Northeast was hit by Hurricane Sandy, SDJA organized “The Mother of All Garage Sales” which raised over $22,000 to benefit the victims of Sandy. SDJA also responded to the earthquake in Haiti as well as Hurricane Katrina and the flooding in New Orleans. Entire planeloads of donations were collected and sent out.
“We really could not do what we do without the assistance of the community,” said Rusonik. “Even beyond SDJA parents, families, and friends, the entire community has come together many times for the greater good.”
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Preceding provided by San Diego Jewish Academy