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Jewish teens give back to Central Florida first responders on Christmas

Jewish teens give back to Central Florida first responders on Christmas
WEBVTT AMANDA: THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO WORK CHRISTMAS DAY, INCLUDING FIRST RESPONDERS. THE MAITLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT GOT A SPECIAL SURPRISE FROM A LARGE GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS WH DON’T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, BUT THEY SURE HAVE THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT. RIGHT AROUND LUNCHTIME, A BUS ARRIVED AT THE MAITLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT FULL OF TEENA VOLUNTEERS. IT WAS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL BUSES DRIVING AROUND CENTRAL FLORIDA DELIVERING SANDWICHES TO POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. >> WE JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR WORKING ON CHRISTMAS AND WE BROUGHT YOU SOMETHING TO HELP. AMANDA: THE VOLUNTEERS ARE WITH UNITED SYNAGOGUE YOUTH, WHICH IS A YOUTH MOVMENT OF JEWISH TEENAGERS FROM ALL OVER NORTH AMERICA. THEIR ANNUAL CONVENTION IS BEING HELD IN ORLANDO THIS WEEK AND THE PARTICIPANTS CHOSE TO SPEND CHRISTMAS, A HOLIDAY NOT CELEBRATED IN THE JEWISH FAITH, SERVING THE ORLANDO COMMUNITY. >> EVEN AS JEWS, WE DON’T REALLY CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, BUT WE’RE ABLE TO GIVE OF OUR TIME TO GIVE BACK TO THEM FOR GIVING TIME SO IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT THEY SHOULD BE WITH THEIR FAMILIES BUT OBVIOUSLY CAN’T. AND JUST THE SMALL ACT OF GIVING A SANDWICH OR A TOY, IT’S REALLY MEANINGFUL FOR US TO BE ABLE T USE OUR TIME TO GIVE TO THEM. AMANDA: THE TEENS STARTED THE DAY AT A TEMPLE IN MAITLAND WHERE THEY NOT ONLY PACKED THE SANDWICHES THEY’D DELIVER, BUT ALSO MADE CARDS FOR KIDS WHO ARE IN THE HOSPITAL. ORGANIZERS SAY THE SERVICE DAY IS A IMPORTANT PART OF SHAPING THESE FUTURE LEADERS. >> I THINK WHAT’S REALLY SPECIAL TO US IS KIND OF WHAT WE’RE FOUNDED ON WHICH IS SOCIAL ACTION, REPAIRING THE WORLD AND GIVING BACK. YOU KNOW WE’RE GIVEN SO MUCH, AND YOU KNOW WE ARE SO PRIVILEGED. AMANDA: A TOTAL OF 600 TEENS ARE IN ORLANDO FOR THE CONVENTION, WHICH RUNS THROUGH THRUSDAY. STEWART: THE TEEN VOLUNTEERS ALSO SERVED BREAKFAST AT SEVERAL LOCAL RONALD MCDONALD HOUSES AND
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Jewish teens give back to Central Florida first responders on Christmas
Hundreds of teenagers who don't celebrate Christmas took to the streets of Orlando to help others enjoy their holiday.Jewish teens in Orange County for a convention spent the day serving their host city.Around lunchtime, a bus arrived at the Maitland police department full of teenage volunteers. It was just one of several buses driving around Central Florida on Tuesday to deliver sandwiches to police stations and fire departments.The boxes were a way to say thank you to those working on Christmas.The volunteers are with United Synagogue Youth, which is a youth movement of Jewish teenagers from all over North America.Their annual convention is being held in Orlando this week, and the participants chose to spend Christmas, a holiday not celebrated in the Jewish faith, by serving the Orlando community.The teens started the day at a Temple in Maitland, where they not only packed the sandwiches they'd later deliver but also made cards for kids who are in the hospital this Christmas. Organizers said the service day is a important part of shaping these future leaders of the Jewish faith.A total of 600 teens are in Orlando for the convention, which runs through Thursday.

Hundreds of teenagers who don't celebrate Christmas took to the streets of Orlando to help others enjoy their holiday.

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Jewish teens in Orange County for a convention spent the day serving their host city.

Around lunchtime, a bus arrived at the Maitland police department full of teenage volunteers. It was just one of several buses driving around Central Florida on Tuesday to deliver sandwiches to police stations and fire departments.

The boxes were a way to say thank you to those working on Christmas.

The volunteers are with United Synagogue Youth, which is a youth movement of Jewish teenagers from all over North America.

Their annual convention is being held in Orlando this week, and the participants chose to spend Christmas, a holiday not celebrated in the Jewish faith, by serving the Orlando community.

The teens started the day at a Temple in Maitland, where they not only packed the sandwiches they'd later deliver but also made cards for kids who are in the hospital this Christmas.

Organizers said the service day is a important part of shaping these future leaders of the Jewish faith.

A total of 600 teens are in Orlando for the convention, which runs through Thursday.