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Students Leave North America on Alternative Spring Breaks
March 28, 2007Comments (0) | Add | E-mail this to a friend
 University of Maryland students on an Alternative Spring Break in Argentina.
While 700 oftheir peers were helping to rebuild the Gulf Coast during Hillel Alternative Spring Break trips, nearly 600 students traveled abroad to lend a helping hand and help repair the world.
Representing Hillels on over 50 different campuses, students gave up typical spring break trips to beaches to travel thousands of miles to learn about and help communities overseas. Students traveled to 12 different countries participating in various alternative spring break programs this year alone. Among the countries were: Argentina, Ukraine, Thailand, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay and Cuba. To make the trips possible, Hillel partnered with organizations such as the American Jewish World Service and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
Hillels in Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil hosted nearly 20 universities and provided much of the planning for the North American campuses. Vanderbilt University sent 33 students to Argentina and the Hillels of Greater Toronto sent 15 students to Uruguay.
Ur Barzel, program director at Vanderbilt University, organized the alternative break trip to Argentina. “These trips allow students to express Judaism in many non-traditional ways. Students are able to see the value of Judaism through action and tikkun olam, (repairing the world) as one of the fundamental aspects of a Jewish life,” said Barzel.
The Vanderbilt Hillel trip to Argentina was open to the entire campus and a number of non-Jewish students joined the group during their eight days of volunteer work. A highlight of the trip was the complete renovation of a playground in a distressed Buenos Aires’ neighborhood. The students, who individually raised funds to help subsidize the trip costs (typical of most alternative spring breaks), also learned a great deal about the history of the Jewish community in Argentina.
“The trip was a tremendous success for students. They came back with a sense of ‘wow,’ added Barzel. “Many students knew nothing about the Argentine Jewish community and it was also a great opportunity for them to practice their Spanish, be in an exotic place and do something different.”
After trips to other parts of the world, this year the Hillel of Greater Toronto traveled to Montevideo, Uruguay. Upon their arrival in Montevideo, the students were greeted by local Hillel students and taken on a tour of the city to learn about the Jewish community. This helped give context to the subsequent service work the students would later do such as building emergency shelters for the poor and spending time at a Jewish elderly home. Students were also given the opportunity to explore the city, talk to local students and enjoy a Shabbat with the Jewish community.
Devora Schwartz Waxman, director of Tzedek/Social Justice Programs for Hillel of Greater Toronto said, “For students the trip was an opportunity to see people living in extreme poverty and to really participate in tikkun olam beyond their own community.”
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