Social Action

“Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh - All of Israel are responsible for one another."

Social action is deeply ingrained in Jewish life because of the core Jewish value of Tikkun Olam—repairing the world. For early childhood directors and assistant directors leading preschool programs in Reform Jewish congregations, incorporating Tikkun Olam into the curriculum creates meaningful opportunities to build kehillah (community) while teaching our youngest learners essential Jewish values.

Tikkun Olam encompasses far more than charitable giving. It includes caring for the environment, promoting peace, and taking collective action to do good in our world. When we bring social action into early childhood programs, we emphasize to children that contributing to the well-being of others and our world is fundamental to being part of the Jewish community. These experiences instill values such as kindness, empathy, and social responsibility from the earliest ages.

Practical Programming Ideas

The most successful Tikkun Olam projects are hands-on and address issues children can concretely understand. Consider organizing drives for canned food, holiday toys, or diapers for local food pantries. One creative approach involves asking families to bring pasta boxes for Purim groggers, which are then donated to those in need.

Temple-wide Mitzvah Days offer concentrated opportunities for social action—writing letters to soldiers, preparing meals for shelters, or visiting nursing homes to brighten residents' days. Partner with organizations like schools in underserved areas to provide holiday gifts and supplies, or work with local food pantries where children can help package food items.

Early childhood programs may not need to organize a project from start to finish. Connecting to what is already in place is one way to build community within the Temple and at the same time bring Tikun Olam to life.  Many Temples have an active Social Action committee. There may already be partnerships in place with local food pantries, schools, community gardens, etc. For example, perhaps the Temple makes sandwiches once a month for a shelter - the early childhood center or a group of families could take charge of that for one of the months. When the Temple is holding a food drive, young children can bring in items and/or sort or pack the items that have been donated.

Environmental projects also resonate strongly. Organize park cleanups or community garden maintenance days -  or organize a family gathering to participate in a local park clean-up or community garden that is looking for volunteers. Host annual fundraisers like lemonade stands where children actively participate in raising money for meaningful causes.

Engaging Families

Projects that parents and children complete together prove most successful. Create hygiene kits as families, volunteer together serving food at shelters, or organize monthly themed drives for pajamas, school supplies, or books. Connect classroom learning with home and community by having children bring items from home, discuss Tikkun Olam concepts through age-appropriate books, and then gather families to pack donations together.

Seek out local nonprofits already doing important work and support their efforts. Encourage families to attend community events celebrating diversity and social justice.

Through Tikkun Olam programming, we repair the world while strengthening our kehillah—creating engaged, compassionate Jewish community members from the very start.

Fern Katz

Director of Early Childhood Education 

Chicago Sinai Congregation 

Chicago, IL

Ways Schools Can Be the Pillar of Support During Times of Need

For some families in our communities, the pillars of “built in” support of the extended family no longer exist.  There are times when the world as they know it unravels or changes—the power is suddenly shutoff, the family suffers a loss, or a new baby joyfully enters this world. During these times, it is critical to have a support system.

We know, as Jewish professionals, that the power of synagogue life can offer this much-needed pillar of support.  Our Jewish early childhood centers excel at supporting families and showing them that we appreciate and love their presence and that we are “in this together.”

Here are some examples of how my school supports(ed) families in need, demonstrating how we care for and about each other:  

• Meal trains are sent out when a family has a baby. They are filled up instantly, even by folks who may not know each other.
• When a staffer or family goes through a sad or difficult situation, the schools sends a “Sunshine” gift.
• Recently, a number of our families lost power for a few days. Other families instantly mobilized. Within 24 hours, families contributed pizza lunches, planned communal meals, and offered to help with laundry.
• Another family lost their home to a fire. Almost immediately, the school began to receive donations by the carload.     

Ellen Lefkowitz
Early Childhood Director
Temple Sinai
Oakland, CA 94609

December 2019

Making Social Action Meaningful for Young Children

Originally published in the Temple Sinia (Denver) Newsletter

This is the time of year many of us meditate on our many blessings and look for ways we can help those who are less fortunate. In Jewish school settings, that often translates to social action projects. As adults, there are a plethora of meaningful ways to share our bounty and give back to the larger community. For very young children, it takes a little more thought to put meaning into such a project.

Very young children construct knowledge of the world around them using their experiences as building blocks. They make sense of things by incorporating the “new” into what they already know.   In order for social action projects to be meaningful for young children, they must be relevant to how they see the world, how they make sense of the world, and what is developmentally appropriate for their emotional maturity. By creating experiences for preschool-aged children based on what they already know (routines around meals, bedtime, playtime and basic emotions), we provide opportunities for them to learn empathy, true, beautiful empathy in the purest form.

Collection drives alone tend to be more meaningful for adults than for small children.  Materials are typically purchased by adults and disappear in the same fashion. Little ones don’t have the opportunity to learn by doing, and the abstract concept of the recipients is lost on them.  A drive can become incredibly meaningful if the children have a role in the collection, preparation, and distribution.

Imagine a little one walking through the supermarket selecting favorite healthy foods to share. Children feel important when they get to choose, and selecting food makes sense to them. Imagine that same little one preparing a yummy soup or filling bags with shampoo, bubble bath, and toothpaste. Young children love cooking, see the adults doing it all the time - doing the things adults do is very special and impactful. They also understand hair washing, baths, and teeth brushing, as part of their everyday experience. Finally, imagine adding a drawing or handwritten note to donation deliveries.  Children’s emerging empathy skills blossom when they give of themselves (including their time and their effort) to will make another person feel good.

As we get ready for our first Temple Sinai Preschool mitzvah project, the teachers, families, and I are collaborating on ways to ensure our children are learning not only what a mitzvah is, but how meaningful it can be to their lives. We will choose carefully, so that this first lesson on the joys of giving can inspire a lifetime of giving back to their communities and the world.

Sheila Purdin
Director of Early Childhood Education
Temple Sinai (Denver)
 

December 2018