Group of Students Head to Houston for Hurricane Relief Mission After Over 100 Volunteer

In the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, over 100 Yeshiva University students volunteered to forgo their first day off from school and attend a relief and rescue mission to Houston, Texas. The mission, which had room for 12 volunteers, focused on providing relief to the Jewish Community in Houston after it was devastated by the Category 4 storm last week.

The mission took place from Sunday, September 3 to Tuesday, September 5. The student volunteers, who were put up at non-flooded homes, helped families salvage their belongings and clear out their houses so repairs could eventually be made. Students packaged meals for families in need, tore down sheetrock, and helped with mold remediation while wearing masks andand supplies for the trip. 35 donors participated, raising $2,126 of the $5,000 goal over four days.

According to Rabbi Brander, the relief effort was organized by the Office of University and Community Life, the Office of Student Life, and various student leaders, including the Yeshiva University student councils. Together, each office ensured the trip would be safe for the students and beneficial to the community in Houston.

Hurricane Harvey wreaked significant damage on Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast. In Houston, severe flooding from approximately 50 inches of rainfall left 30,000-40,000 homes destroyed. At least 39 people died as a result of storm.

Rabbi Barry Gelman, the Rabbi of United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston, described some of the struggles he has been facing as a leader in the Houston community.

“The