Our 8th grade students recently returned from an unforgettable service-learning trip to New Orleans, where they experienced a powerful blend of community service, Jewish learning, and cultural exploration.
The trip began with a warm welcome to the city, including a group dinner, a lively escape room challenge, and an introduction to New Orleans history and culture. From the very start, students bonded as a group and embraced everything the experience had to offer.
Service in Action
Throughout the weekend, teens immersed themselves in hands-on service projects that made a real impact. They packed food for 440 food-insecure older adults through Second Harvest Food Bank, spent meaningful time with families at the Women and Children’s Shelter, and worked on environmental sustainability efforts through paint upcycling at The Green Project.
Each experience connected directly to the value of tikkun olam, repairing the world, and gave students the opportunity to see how their actions can make a difference.
Exploring New Orleans
In addition to their service work, students explored the unique culture and history of New Orleans. Highlights included a swamp tour, where they encountered local wildlife and even held a baby alligator named Al; a learning session and spiritual cleansing with Voodoo practitioners; a visit to Mardi Gras World to see floats and props from the parades; time in the French Quarter; and classic New Orleans treats like beignets.
Learning, Reflection, and Community
Students also celebrated Shabbat with the local Jewish community at Temple Sinai (where Cantor Garfein is the Cantor), creating a meaningful connection between their learning and lived experience. They engaged in thoughtful discussions about Civil Rights in New Orleans and the Jewish role in the Civil Rights Movement, reflecting on how these lessons continue to resonate today.
The group closed out Shabbat with a meaningful and wild group project creating their own Mardi Gras Memory Floats highlighting the most memorable parts of the trip. This activity showed the beautiful community created by this trip and highlighted the friendships that blossomed and strengthen throughout our time together.
From start to finish, the trip was filled with connection, growth, and joy. We are so proud of our teens for the enthusiasm, compassion, and curiosity they brought to every part of this journey.
