This article aims to contribute to the emerging body of research on community engagement of college students from minority and underserved groups. It examines community engagement programs involving students from the Jewish ultra-Orthodox society in Israel, a minority group that is clearly underrepresented in the higher education system in Israel. Using qualitative methods, this article analyzes how ultra-Orthodox students experience their community engagement and perceive its effects on themselves and on their communities. The findings illuminate how the students' social interactions during their volunteer work enhance meaningful learning despite considerable challenges and dilemmas. Ultra-orthodox students constantly cross social and cultural boundaries, and their choice to enroll in higher education is often delegitimized in their communities. Their ability to contribute to their communities through collegiate community engagement programs helps justify their decision to pursue an academic education. This ability also empowers them in the challenging liminal state between the ultra-Orthodox society and academia. Hence, community engagement helps reinforce the academization of the ultra-Orthodox society. This case study proposes that student volunteers from underrepresented minority groups can bridge the gap between academic institutions and their minority communities, serving as agents of societal change.

本文旨在为少数民族和服务不足群体大学生社区参与的新兴研究做出贡献。它研究了涉及以色列犹太极端正统社会学生的社区参与计划，这是一个在以色列高等教育系统中明显代表性不足的少数群体。本文使用定性方法，分析了极端正统学生如何体验他们的社区参与，并了解其对他们自己和社区的影响。研究结果阐明了学生在志愿工作期间的社交互动如何在面临巨大挑战和困境的情况下增强有意义的学习。极端正统的学生不断跨越社会和文化界限，他们接受高等教育的选择往往在社区中被非法化。他们通过大学社区参与计划为社区做出贡献的能力有助于证明他们追求学术教育的决定是合理的。这种能力也使他们能够应对极端正统社会和学术界之间充满挑战的阈限状态。因此，社区参与有助于加强极端正统社会的学术化。本案例研究提出，来自代表性不足的少数群体的学生志愿者可以弥合学术机构与其少数群体社区之间的差距，成为社会变革的推动者。