The Impact of 2 hours

The past few weeks have been a flurry of statements beginning with "Did you hear?" It seems as if everyone has a story to share regarding the behemoth of a storm the north-east endured. For many of us who live on campus, it was comparatively easy to cope. But for many other areas, the damage was extensive, and repercussions of this storm will be felt for quite some time. 

Aside from helping my own family in Seaford, NY, I hadn't reached out to help others until the morning of November 7th. After hearing about the nor'easter that was set to hit on that Wednesday, I couldn't help but think how tough it would be for those who had still not regained power or heat. Not to mention the further delay that another storm would cause. As if by divine providence, Rabbi Lieberman, the spiritual mentor of Hofstra Chabad, posted on Facebook about such a volunteer opportunity. 

The next morning, the Rabbi, another student named Sarah Jalal, and I all went to the Chabad of Five Towns. We were dispatched to the home of an elderly couple. The look on their faces upon our arrival was all the validation the three of us needed. We proceeded to get to work on a basement and garage that had been flooded nearly 2 feet and covered most of their valuables and clothing. 

As Sarah Jalal said, "We spent maybe two or more hours laboring, but the most important work we did was provide comfort for this elderly couple. We talked with them and listened to them vent about their troubles, providing emotional support. It felt really fulfilling to help out this couple. They were so appreciative."  

I couldn't agree more. It felt great to give back, something I admittedly hadn't done in quite some time. There is still a lot of work to be done, even weeks after the storm. So I implore everyone to ask around, and really try and seek out someone to aid. A mere 2 hours of your time can go a very long way.

Hofstra Students, Greg Sokol and Sarah Jalal of Hofstra Chabad, aid local residents.

Guest Blogger: Greg Sokol, Hofstra Class of 2013, Business Administration major