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April 2006
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In Katrina's Forgotten Wake

Recent Happenings
March 3
Hamentaschen Baking Party,
Phillips Andover Academy

March 3, 31
Jewish Student Club Meetings, Dana Hall School

March 6
Presentation on Jews of Medieval Spain,
Packer Collegiate Institute

March 7
"School Ties" Viewing and Discussion,
Cheshire Academy

March 7, 31
Jewish Student Union Meetings,
Phillips Academy Andover

March 9
Jewish Club Meeting,
Crystal Springs Uplands School

March 12
"Jericho's Echo: Punk Rock in the Holy Land"
Film Screening, San Francisco

March 13
"Diversity Day” workshops on
Moroccan Jewish music,
Packer Collegiate Institute

March 20-23
Metro New York Alternative Spring Break
Relief Trip, New Orleans

March 23
Jewish Student Club Meeting,
Woodside Priory School

March 30
Teaching about the Holocaust Workshop,
Bay School

Making New Orleans Whole Again

“At some point during our community service, it became clear that the tragedy happened not only to New Orleans,” remarked Angela Vassos, a faculty member at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School. “It happened to us.”

Vassos’ reflections poignantly framed the impact of the emotional experience 44 students and six teachers had in New Orleans, where from March 20th -23rd, they were part of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

The students and teachers – representing Ethical Culture Fieldston School in the Bronx, Trinity School in Manhattan and Kew Forest School in Queens – along with TCI, teamed up with Tulane University’s community service program to help repair and clean the city. Over the four days, as Vassos reflected, the group absorbed and internalized the tragedy’s effect on humanity.

TCI’s Metro New York Regional Director, Adam Gaynor, and Michelle Kay, Communications and Special Projects Assistant, organized the trip, the brainchild of a Kew Forest student group that explores Jewish perspectives on community service. The trip is one in a series of New Orleans-based serving learning projects TCI plans to run over the next few years.

Rebuilding a City

A motivational speech by Tulane University President Scott Cowen jumpstarted the group’s four compelling days of rebuilding and learning. “There are no two ways about it – the city will recover,” emphasized Cowen, as he described the university’s partnership with the city to reconstruct New Orleans.

The team learned more about the flood’s impact through a university-sponsored panel of local residents, who shared how the flood had shattered not only the city, but peoples’ lives. With this in mind, the group set out each day with new tasks and challenges, forming deeper bonds with each other and the city in crisis.

Though Tulane’s Paint Rally, a program that uses volunteers to improve New Orleans public schools, the group spent Tuesday scraping and painting Pierre A. Capdau - UNO Charter School in Gentilly, a New Orleans neighborhood in the Seventh Ward.

CLICK HERE TO READ ON! (PDF)








Find out more about our trip and see pictures at

www.tcionline.org and http://site.ecfs.org/katrinaProject/


What Students Are Saying:

  • This trip developed me into a better person.
  • I’ve realized that there is so much that one can do to help others. Things that go much further than money.
  • This trip has taught me to look at things from a broader vantage point. It has also helped me learn how much needs to be done, and the importance of giving voice to the voiceless.
  • It was very meaningful for me to witness the domestic similarities (or injustices) that we have in common with other countries. In that respect it strongly reinforced the way I feel about our government. It was also emotionally very effective in exploring feelings of empathy within myself.
  • I am continuing to realize how important being educated is in terms of the service projects I am a part of… when you fully understand, the projects are much more meaningful.
TCI Directors:

Eileen Gress, Executive Director

Adrien Uretsky, New England Regional Director

Adam Gaynor, New York Regional Director

Adrian Schrek, Bay Area Regional Director

For additional information or to unsubscribe, please contact mkay@tcionline.org