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June 13, 2008
A summertime in Uganda
With little local help, teen turns to B.C. community for funds
CYNTHIA RAMSAY
She was born in Arlington, Va. She's gone to school in Ottawa, Buffalo and, most recently, Prince Rupert. She's made the honor roll. She's trained as a painter, rides horses, sings and has an affinity for nature. She's volunteered or worked with children, at zoos and on arts projects. She leaves on June 25 to spend the summer in Uganda with the American Jewish World Service. Her name is Maya Herzog. She's only 18 years old.
Herzog, who currently lives in Prince Rupert, is graduating from high school this month. Her interests include the visual arts, social sciences and pursuing pre-veterinary sciences. She will begin her undergraduate studies this fall at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass.
"Right now, I am looking out my window watching a bald eagle sitting on 'the eagle tree,' looking out at an amazing panoramic view of the northwest coast of British Columbia. I am still in awe," Herzog told the Independent in an e-mail interview. "I moved to Prince Rupert just last summer, as my mom was appointed the new Crown counsel for Prince Rupert. I tagged along for the adventure and to finish my last year of high school.
"My dad is a teacher and is now teaching in Prince Rupert. He teaches high school science and math, as well as business at the community college."
Herzog said she comes "from an adventurous, almost nomadic family. We have sort of hopped around all my life; I am a dual citizen and can interchange between Canadian and American. I am originally from Ontario, although I was born in Arlington, Va.; my father is from Ontario and my mother, from New York."
She has three siblings: "My little brother is a precious four-year-old and I also have an older brother, who is 23, and an older sister, who is 20."
Herzog is one of the only Jewish high school students in Prince Rupert.
"For me, the lack of a Jewish community has been strange, almost isolating," she said. "Most people in Prince Rupert have never known or even met a Jewish person; they do not know what Judaism is. This has sometimes been a challenge, as some people have no knowledge and do not understand a large part of who I am – being Jewish. However, I have been able to connect with some really interesting people, who are very open-minded and interested in Judaism. Sharing and teaching interested people about the Jewish traditions has been very satisfying.
"Prince Rupert has an eclectic population and thus, I add myself comfortably enough into its fold. Living on the northwest coast has enriched my life as it has allowed me to explore this new and different world."
Despite the relative isolation, Herzog has been raised in a strong Jewish environment.
"My upbringing has been very centred on Judaism," she explained. "I have been brought up keeping kosher, celebrating Shabbat and going to Hebrew school and synagogue. Judaism is a core part of my life, as it is a part of who I am. Being Jewish is very important to me, as it allows me to connect with a community that has similar values and traditions."
One of those traditions – tikkun olam (repair of the world) – figures prominently in Herzog's life and she has her two older siblings as role models.
"In the summer of 2005, my sister and brother joined two separate groups of youth, eager to begin a volunteer summer with American Jewish World Service (AJWS)," said Herzog. "Through this service, my sister, Daniela, travelled to a village in a remote area of Honduras to participate in the AJWS volunteer summer program. During the same summer, my brother Aaron travelled to Peru, where he was part of the AJWS university program and worked with a group of Jewish college students on the construction of a women's resource centre in the Amazon.
"This year, Daniela is spending a semester in Nepal, working on her anthropology degree at Cornell University," continued Herzog. "She is researching the effect of culture and economic deprivation on parenting in a village in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains.
"Daniela's and Aaron's experiences have been the touchstone that has inspired me to become involved in international human rights and humanitarian projects. Through the influence of my siblings' commitment to social justice and the developing world, I have become increasingly interested in pursuing grassroots change. My group's project will contribute to the desperate need in these communities of eastern Uganda. I am honored to have the opportunity to be a part of this project, working and living with the local people of Bubirabi."
Herzog said she hopes to continue to pursue social justice in the world, whether simply as part of her life, or as a profession. But first, there is her trip to Uganda with AJWS.
"I am very excited to be travelling and working with a group of interesting and diverse Jewish young adults, who all empower the same dedication to social justice," she said. "I am especially looking forward to learning about the Ugandan people, their culture, their way of life and forming some powerful relationships working and living alongside these people. We will be spending some time with the native Jewish population in Uganda, called the Abayudaya, who sound like an amazing people."
Not surprisingly, Herzog's AJWS trip will be costly. As one of the few Jews in Prince Rupert, she is turning to the B.C. Jewish community as a whole to help her make her journey. While Herzog leaves on June 25, with a planned return of Aug. 13, donations only have to be made by Sept. 30; however, sooner than later would be appreciated.
To donate, go online to www.ajws.org, click on the Donate button, then on Support a volunteer. Fill out the form, including the name of volunteer (Maya Herzog), volunteer country (Uganda) and AJWS program name (volunteer summer program), which appear near the bottom of the page. You can also send a cheque payable to Herzog at 2030 Atlin Ave., Prince Rupert, B.C., V8J 1G1; she will collect all the cheques received and write one to AJWS. A tax receipt will be provided by AJWS for either method of donating.
As well, "AJWS will be sending weekly e-mail updates about our work and experience this summer in Uganda," said Herzog.
"If anyone wishes to receive these updates, they can e-mail me their e-mail address at [email protected]."
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