Volunteers Provided Emotional and Physical Assistance to Communities Still Struggling Nine Years After Devastating Storm
Retirees from various backgrounds and communities recently traveled to Puerto Rico to assist residents still recovering from Hurricane Maria in 2017 and subsequent earthquakes. Participants from Monsey and Brooklyn, New York; Baltimore, Maryland; and Phoenix, Arizona on a joint SPIRIT-Fred and Rose Distenfeld OU Relief Mission, providing hands-on support to citizens navigating the long road to recovery.
Launched in 2015, SPIRIT (Stimulating Program Initiative for Retirees that Inspires Thought) offers spiritual, educational, physical, and intellectual enrichment to retirees and Baby Boomers. The Fred and Rose Distenfeld OU Relief Missions is regarded as one of the largest programs dedicated to chesed and learning through service, attracting more than 5,000 volunteers since 2005. Among the regions it regularly supports is Puerto Rico, which continues to struggle nine years after Hurricane Maria. The catastrophic storm caused the worst power failure in U.S. history, leaving 80 percent of Puerto Rico without electricity, with some areas waiting more than a year for restoration. Widespread flooding destroyed homes and essential systems, while earthquakes in 2019 and 2020 further damaged the island’s fragile infrastructure. Hundreds of schools were closed, forcing students to relocate.
“Many homes are only partially rebuilt, with tin roofs that leak,” says Dr. Sandra Schimel, a retired neuroradiologist from Phoenix. She was drawn to the mission because it was designed specifically for retirees, balancing volunteer work with tourism at a manageable pace.
“Many Puerto Rican seniors live alone and struggle to provide for themselves,” she notes. “When we visited their homes, they were so happy and grateful.
A visit that stood out was to a homebound woman with severe asthma living in a second-floor walk-up apartment. It was organized by One Hand, a local humanitarian organization, which partnered with the Fred and Rose Distenfeld OU Relief Missions.
“I felt for her,” Dr. Schimel recalls. “Her asthma limited her mobility, and the lack of access to Social Security disability benefits was surprising. Yet she had such a positive attitude, and that was inspiring.”
Rebbetzin Judi Steinig, senior director of the Savitsky Communal Growth and SPIRIT Retiree Initiatives, says hearing the woman’s story firsthand made citizens’ vulnerability tangible.
Lenny Bessler, former OU chief human resources officer from Monsey, New York, viewed the mission as an opportunity to give back while learning how relief operations function.
“The partner group realized an elevator could vastly improve her quality of life, and they provided solutions,” Bessler says. “It showed me how relief missions can work together with partners to understand people’s needs. When you understand other’s needs, you’re in a better position to help, and as retirees, we were able to contribute in a meaningful way.”
The team also collaborated with One Hand to assist a community impacted by hurricane damage and high crime. Volunteers cleaned debris and organized supplies at a local high school, ran a pop-up café, and prepared and distributed over 75 bags of sandwiches, drinks, and fruit throughout the neighborhood.
“Residents said the cleanup gave their community a renewed sense of pride,” says Rebbetzin Steinig. “Whatever we helped with was one less challenge for them. Feeding the hungry is a mitzvah that is well established in our communities through Tomchei Shabbos and similar programs. Volunteering in Puerto Rico was a wake-up call that some communities lack the infrastructure we often take for granted.”
Bessler adds, “Many residents are very poor and have to plan around their next meals. The sandwiches helped them stretch their resources.”
Rabbi Ethan Katz, founding director of the Fred and Rose Distenfeld OU Relief Missions, emphasizes that the retirees’ presence mattered as much as their actions.
“By showing up, this group of highly motivated individuals demonstrated that people care about those who are suffering,” he says. “They chose to spend their time making a meaningful difference.”
Beyond volunteering, participants also explored Puerto Rico.
“The touring was so enjoyable,” says Dr. Schimel. “We were surprised by the San Juan Holocaust Memorial, and Shabbat at Chabad was beautiful, with about 100 people for dinner. Everyone got along well, and we built lasting friendships.”
Bessler appreciates that the mission was designed specifically for retirees.
“All of us share similar life experiences and interests,” he says. “The pace allowed us to contribute in ways we might not have been able to alongside other age groups. It’s the perfect trip for retirees who want travel combined with the opportunity to live their values in action.”
The next SPIRIT Mission, in partnership with Fred and Rose Distenfeld OU Relief Missions, will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, in May 2026. For more information and to register, please contact Rebbetzin Judi Steinig at 212-613-8188 or steinigj@ou.org.
About SPIRIT
SPIRIT attracts retirees, not-yet-retirees, Baby Boomers, empty nesters, sandwich-generation parents, and seniors. The OU recognizes that as the generation of Baby Boomers leave their professional responsibilities, they seek spiritual, educational, physical, and intellectual stimulation. Launched in 2015 as an on-site program, SPIRIT has been an online program for almost six years now, drawing over 10,000 people throughout the United States and 26 other countries.
About the Fred and Rose Distenfeld OU Relief Missions
The Fred and Rose Distenfeld OU Relief Missions is regarded as the largest relief missions program dedicated to chesed, instilling Jewish values and identity, personal empowerment, and learning through service. Over 5000 teens, college students, young professionals, adults, and retirees have participated in more than 300 missions and have made an impact through service in over 25 destinations worldwide.
About the Orthodox Union
Founded in 1898, the Orthodox Union (OU), or Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, serves as the voice of American Orthodox Jewry, with over 400 congregations in its synagogue network. As the umbrella organization for American Orthodox Jewry, the OU is at the forefront of advocacy work on both state and federal levels, outreach to Jewish teens and young professionals through NCSY, Israel Free Spirit Birthright, Yachad and OU Press, among many other divisions and programs.