From March 14-22, 2010, 25 students from Hillels at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston, and the University of North Texas volunteered with the Jewish communities of Buenos Aires and Basavilbaso, Argentina.

Morgan from the University of Texas (in yellow shirt) works on a mural in Basavilbaso, Argentina alongside her Argentinean Jewish peers: Sabrina, Martin, and Natash

At the beginning of our journey, we were joined by a few Argentinean Jewish college students, all of whom are beneficiaries of JDC’s Net Scholarship Program.  Established at the height of the economic crisis, the program continues to give Jewish students attending tuition-free state universities much-needed assistance with their transportation, meal, and book expenses.  These Jewish university students also have access to summertime English courses, job training and counseling, and it encourages them to get involved in volunteer efforts on behalf of the community.

We had such a great time getting to know our Argentinean peers and volunteering alongside them.  Here is what Natasha, one Net Scholarship recipient from Rosario (a city 180 miles northwest of Buenos Aires), had to say about our time together:

… The ‘Yankees’ were fantastic!  Always open to everything and open to learning of our way of life.  It is these types of experiences that are truly fulfilling and even allow your own mind to open up even more. I think they’ll go back home valuing what they have a little more after seeing that there are people, even Jews, who still lack access to basic needs such as food or water.  Essential things in life we seem to take for granted.  I also understand that there is something further out there than Rosario, that my abilities to grow as a human being are endless…

From,

Natasha

Previous posts from Texas Hillels in Argentina: First Day in Argentina | Comunidad pequena, corazon grande! | L’dor Vador– “From Generation to Generation” | Pictures from our Service in Basavilbaso! | Remembering a Tragedy

From March 14-22, 2010, 25 students from Hillels at the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Houston, and the University of North Texas volunteered with the Jewish communities of Buenos Aires and Basavilbaso, Argentina.