Last year I became actively involved with Hillel at SDSU and was presented with an opportunity to go on an alternative spring break to Rio de Janeiro.  This year the same opportunity presented itself and I could not pass up the chance to return to the place where I had made connections with the Jewish community as well as to perform community service.  While in Brazil, Hillel Rio hosted us for the second year in row. This year Hillel Rio adopted a local favella known as Chacara Do Céu.  Most of our community service projects were done here.  

Our first project consisted of painting their local (and only) classroom/community center as well as chalking the sidelines of their dirt soccer field.  The next day we worked on Project Smile. This consisted of us going back to the same favella and teaching the children about dental hygiene.  After a quick lesson we then proceeded to brush their teeth for them.  Our third project consisted of us taking the children from the favella on a tour of the historic Copacabana Fort.  

After this we visited a local Jewish retirement center and made Purim masks with some of the elderly.  On the final day of the trip we participated in the first annual Hillel Rio mini marathon in which we raised money for food to donate to Characa Do Céu.  After running in the marathon we actually got to walk through the slum. Then we had a massive birthday celebration for all the children in the community at the local community center that we had painted just days before.

Out of all of the community service projects the group did, the biggest eye opener occurred on the last day when we got to walk through Chacara Do Céu.  Walking through the slum was like walking through a disaster.  Here I saw poverty and despair at its worst.  Throughout my life I have seen poverty through having volunteered at St. Vincent DePaul’s and going to other third- world countries, but never in my life had I'd seen poverty as bad as this.  The houses were no more than little brick boxes and trash lined the paths we were walking on; yet for the residents that lived in these “houses” they were proud to have us come inside.  

These people even wanted to take pictures with Americans that they had never seen before.  Although poverty seemed to be surrounding us it was interesting to note that while walking through the outskirts of the slum we were presented with some of the most beautiful views of Rio.  It just so happened that a luxury hotel was on the beach right next to the slum.  We were told that members of the slum often shot at the hotel.  Imagine staying at this 5-star hotel in Rio and not even knowing that it neighbored a poverty-stricken, crime-ridden community.  

After taking a tour of the slum we then had a massive celebration with the children of the slum.  Here we danced and hung out with the children, ate cake, and hung up balloons around the classroom to add to the festivities.  The children were also treated to a performance from the Hillel Rio dance team.  One of the eeriest moments occurred when a police helicopter circled above the favella.  As soon as the kids saw the helicopter they scattered into the surrounding bushes.  In Rio, the children are taught that when the police show up it is time to scatter.  Just recently Brazilian police and drug lords from the favella were heavily clashing.  It was such an awkward feeling to be walking through a living disaster and then a few minutes later celebrating life and having fun with children that were just happy to be around Americans.  Having another person smile at them is the biggest joy that these children receive because in their crime-, drug-, and prostitution-filled community a smile is not something that they are often exposed to.

Unfortunately this short article does not do justice to all that I experienced on my alternative spring break in Rio de Janeiro. By participating in this trip I feel as though I have taken a small step in an attempt to do my part in repairing the world.  My two trips to Rio de Janeiro have touched my life in many indescribable ways.  I would love to respond to emails if anyone has any questions about my trip. 

Hoffman, president of the Jewish Student Union at San Diego State University, gave permission for the reprinting of this article, which first appeared in the May 2006 edition of  Pathfinder, the monthly newsletter of Temple Solel in Cardiff by the Sea, California.