Cohort 2: Wrapping up the JCM

Volunteering at Pushing the Envelope Farm

Our last day in the JCM was an exciting and tiring day. We hit the road from JUF and headed to Geneva, IL, where we volunteered on Pushing the Envelope Farm. We planted trees, made flower beds, and weeded old beds. It was hard work, but the weather was great! After we finished, we got a brief tour of the rest of the farm, from the honeybees to the blackberry and blueberry bushes and then to the little pagoda/sukkah in the woods. We learned about the farm’s Jewish roots and how it observes the Shmita year, or letting the land lie fallow. The Margulies family was also nice enough to give us a tour of the envelope factory next door. And then it was our final bus ride to lovely Oak Park for the last 6 hours of the JCM. We were all tired from the car ride, so we laid around and played on the playground until it was time to set up for dinner. We had a delicious dinner with all of the Israelis, Americans, and their families. Near the end of dinner, Matan, Hili, Barb, and Hadar gave terrific and heartwarming accounts of their time spent hosting and being hosted. Then we watched a great slideshow from Lia of all the pictures of the fun activities we did while we were together. We were still holding on to our tears. We, the fellows, listened while Jessica and Maya gave their thanks to the various people who made everything happen in the JCM, especially our JC’s. Then the fellows stood up and whooshed the coordinators and JC’s, still not crying. We did one round of Achim and it was time for final goodbyes. This is where the tears come in. I made sure to hug everyone goodbye and wish them a safe trip home. It was an emotional goodbye and no one wanted to leave.

Final dinner

It wasn’t until the next day, when I didn’t have to wake up at 6, take the train at 7, and be on a stinky bus with 37 sleep-deprived teenagers, that I fully realized the impact the JCM had on me. I felt like a stronger leader, a more knowledgeable, more sensitive person. I felt saddened that the Israelis had left, but I knew that in a short period of time we would be reunited again, and that made me feel good.

By Jared Vergotine