Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Joseph Kaufthal

We would like to share this deeply moving volunteer spotlight. Joseph Kaufthal, now a high school senior, joined us for our Western North Carolina deployment along with classmates from his high school, Ramaz Upper School, a Modern Orthodox school in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The service trip was organized by OU Relief Missions, one of NECHAMA’s long-standing partners.

Q: What did your volunteer work in Western North Carolina involve?

A: We arrived in Western North Carolina to find homes that had been gutted by floodwater, and we spent our first day helping one family remove everything they owned. Mold had spread through the house, so every damaged belonging and every rotten floorboard had to be hauled out to the dumpster. It was the first time I understood how completely a life can be overturned by a single storm.

On our second day, the work site was in Swannanoa, where we saw houses shifted from their foundations,  showcasing how powerful and devastating the hurricane was. At the work site, we tore out insulation while wearing full protective gear because of contamination risks. The scale of destruction was overwhelming.

On the third day we returned to Ms. Linda’s home. We removed toilets, broke out sinks and cabinets, and cleared the last of the damaged materials. She met us both days we worked on her property and shared her story. Her family had lived in that house for generations.

She told us she had never met Jewish people before, and that seeing Jewish high school students show up to help felt to her like God sending support. Hearing her gratitude changed the way I understood the importance of this work. It made all of us more aware of how quickly security can disappear and how much responsibility we have to show up for one another.

Q: What made the experience especially meaningful?

A: We met people who had never met Jews before. We came from very different worlds, yet we worked side by side and found common ground through service. That connection across differences and faith traditions was powerful. It showed me how meaningful it is when we bring our values into the wider world and let our actions speak for themselves. There was also something grounding about stepping away from school and doing real physical work. It felt good to use my hands to make a difference for someone who needed it.

Q: What motivated you to become an ambassador for this work?

A: The trip to Western North Carolina opened my eyes to a world I had never seen. It was life changing. We were able to create a Kiddush Hashem (sanctification of God’s name) simply by showing up, working hard, and being present with people who had never interacted with Jews before. We are part of this country, and we care about people whether or not they share our background. Direct, personal interaction across differences meant more than anything else.

Q: A year later, what continues to stay with you?

A: I am far more aware of how fortunate I am. Having a clean bathroom, a working shower, a kitchen that isn’t flooded, a home that’s safe to live in: These things feel different now. The experience pushed me to keep engaging with people outside my own community and to make that a priority. It became part of who I am when meeting new people, to represent my values, and to offer a positive encounter with Jewish identity to those who may not know anything about it.

The work in North Carolina also inspired me to take action back home. I started a club at Ramaz called “Rebuilding New York,” partnering with The Fuller Center for Housing of Greater New York City. We spent Veteran’s Day building commemorative benches and clearing out homes in need of repair so low income families could eventually move in with a no interest mortgage. Continuing hands on service, especially in partnership with a Christian organization, has been a natural extension of the interfaith connection that inspired us in Asheville.

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Joseph’s story reflects the heart of what we strive to build. When young people return from a deployment with a deeper sense of responsibility, a stronger connection to their values, and a renewed commitment to serving others, it affirms the purpose of our work. Your support strengthens that impact and ensures that more volunteers can step into communities in crisis, offer real help, and carry those lessons forward into their own lives.