By Arkady Hasidovich, Kesher Coordinator
Partnership 2000 Yokneam-Meggido ---

All Of Israel Are Responsible For One Another - Kol Israel Arevim Ze Laze

According to this fundamental Jewish value, “All of Israel” applies also to 3rd graders. And here is a nice and cordial story about Jewish children who are indeed responsible for each other.

The Atlanta Davis Academy is a Jewish school that stresses the importance of tzedakah and mutual support. Hence, it was only natural that two girls from the 3rd grade would approach their teacher, Helaine Buchwald, with a generous inspiration that is rather mature for their age. The names of the girls are Samantha Schiff and Carly Shoulberg. Carly is the granddaughter of Steve Selig’s, who was Chair of Israel Emergency Campaign effort. So Carly decided to follow grandfather’s example and together with her friend they organized a fund raising campaign in their class. The kids felt that the children from Northern Israel, who had been affected by the recent war, would love to receive toys and books from their peers in Atlanta.

Helaine loved the idea and presented it to the other third grade teachers, who also were very excited about it and engaged their students in this effort. Once the money for the toys and books was collected, all of the students met in the school’s library with Mr. and Mrs. Selig, who presented a lovely movie about Israel, as well as lemonade, cookies and bracelets (“We stand with Israel”).  When the students displayed the check for $400.00 that they were able to raise, Mr. and Mrs. Selig said that they were going to match the students’ contribution, so the total was going to be $800.00!

This generous donation will be presented to the Elementary HaTikva School in Moshav Elyakim – a village in the Megiddo Region. HaTikva (Hope in Hebrew) is a religious school and a lot of students from Ethiopian immigrant families study there. Naturally, the HaTikva kids were excited by the news about the gift from their friends and decided to “retaliate” by preparing a booklet that will express their gratitude. Each and every child drew a large personal postcard with words of blessing in English. All these were integrated to one thick volume of gratitude and friendship that was shipped to the HaTikva newly acquired friends in Atlanta.

We in Partnership 2000 Yokneam-Megiddo will definitely make sure that this spontaneous act of solidarity will spark the beginning of a wonderful friendship and ongoing kesher (connection) between the two schools.