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Second Graders Demonstrate "Menschy-ness" at Tefillah and Community Celebration
This morning the second graders led a community celebration and tefillah for their families and the first graders. The program elaborated a social and emotional learning theme that integrated many aspects of the curriculum in the exploration of what it means to be a mensch—a Yiddish word whose connotation means “a person of integrity and honor.” For the past several months, in both general and Judaic studies, the second graders have identified the qualities requisite to becoming heroes, sheroes, and mensches. “People like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks in general studies and Miriam from our Torah studies are examples of people who are both heroes, sheroes, and mensches, and we all do our best to be kind...as they were,” said resident teacher Jeremy Fox.
From the bimah (platform), students took turns recounting how various study areas contributed to the concept. “We have been inspired to notice and appreciate the mensches in our own lives,” explained two students. To the Brandeis security guards, KC and Taurus, one student said, “Thank you for throwing the balls back over the fence! Thank you for being there for me! Thank you for talking to me!”
Orit Solomon, Judaic studies and Hebrew teacher, commented after the celebration, “It’s so fascinating to be able to integrate the Jewish world and the meaning of prayers into the students’ day-to-day life and see them not only lead a beautiful tefillah, but also practice daily acts of kindness and ‘menschy-ness.’” The class also launched the Kindness Campaign, in which they give out “Kindness Matters” stickers to people in our community whom they catch doing an act of kindness. MORE PHOTOS
