Dylan Spiegel may have gone on the relief mission to help build community in New Orleans, but he ended up building another community entirely.

A Jewish community.

“The highlight of my trip to New Orleans was all the friends I made from different places,” say Dylan, a sophomore at White Station High School.

Dylan says he enjoyed the volunteering on the trip – and he found it to be meaningful in ways he hadn’t expected.

“While I was doing work in New Orleans, I realized how nice and therapeutic it can be to work outside,” he says.

And Dylan, like many of the trip participants, came away with an appreciation for the “little things” most people take for granted.

“Now that I have been to New Orleans, I am much more grateful for clean tap water,” he says.

For Dylan, having the opportunity to not only volunteer but also to learn more about Jewish values, and chesed and tikkun olam in particular, made the trip even more meaningful.

“During this trip I had many talks about Judaism, and it reaffirmed by beliefs,” he says.