Third Graders Complete Tzedakah Projects with Fair

One of the focuses of third grade Judaic studies has been tzedakah, which comes from the Hebrew root tzedek, meaning "justice." As part of this focus, students worked with their families to choose a tzedakah project for the whole family to participate in. “Learning about tzedakah is great, but practicing it and being part of the giving side is teaching students to walk the walk and not just talk the talk,” says teacher Sharona Israeli-Roth. On Wednesday, students shared their family projects with other Brandeis students. “This project empowers students and families to take time out of their busy schedules to engage as a family in an act of giving in our community.” Projects ranged from support for institutions such as the Bike Kitchen, the JFCS Food Pantry, and Project Night Night, to building environmental awareness through agencies such as the San Francisco Zoo and the California Raptor Center, or performing beach cleanups. Some students set up neighborhood bake sales to raise money for their selected organizations.

 

Says Ms. Israeli-Roth, “By sharing their projects with the school community, the third graders learned how to present and speak publicly and to inspire others and maybe start a chain of tzedakah, tikkun olam, and kindness.” MORE PHOTOS