The 7 C’s of Tikkun Olam

I want to acknowledge Shira Hammerman, Areyvut’s Educational Consultant for her help in developing the 7 C’s of Tikkun Olam. This can be used to help you plan, structure and implement programs that are meaningful and that impact your target audience and the broader community. Please acknowledge and credit Areyvut when you use this.

7 Cs of Tikkun Olam

Community
Consider the needs of the community that you are trying to help and choose a goal that meets those needs

Carefully
Set goals and create a step by step plan to accomplish those goals

Compassionately
Put your concern for others first, but do not neglect your own passions in choosing your project

Creatively
Think out of the box in terms of how you might accomplish your goals

Collaboratively
Work with others so your results are widespread and withstanding

Cheerfully
Be aware of your attitude, both when you approach potential partners and when you work with those in need

Critically
Be reflective about your work: Is your project fulfilling a real need in the community? Is this the best use of your time and money? Is your plan an effective means of achieving your goal?

Please Stay on the Line...You Will Be Helped by the Next Available Agent

Let me first say, that sometimes it's sort of rough working in such a small office. There's nowhere to hide when the phone rings. When Daniel and I are in the office, there is no concept of having a secretary take a message...we always take the calls as they come in, even if they are at inconvenient times. I suppose this could be viewed as a good thing since very few messages get botched.

Over the past few weeks I feel as though I have been in a constant state of anger and frustration with my phone, if for no other reason than it is the portal to the Disney Give a Day Get a Disney Day Promotion. Well, more accurately, it's the way in which I am supposed to be able to speak with a human who can resolve my problems quickly and efficiently. It seems as though this would be the greatest possible thing ever, until you realize that you have been sitting on hold for literally 17 minutes and 19 seconds and no one has picked up yet. The good news is, much as I have never considered myself a multitasker, I find that I am pretty good at typing for this blog and listening to Disney instrumental music at the same time. (Note: Apparently I have spoken too soon, as my phone is now playing the "It's a Small World" song with words, resulting in my typing that much slower and having to delete words occasionally, especially when I realize that I am typing out the words to the song.)

Nonetheless, I sit here, now well into minute 20 hoping with the hope that maybe I really am the next caller. What's even more frustrating is the fact that I'm calling for completely altruistic reasons (you'd think they'd bump me up in the line). I merely want to find out if kids participating in the Give a Day Get a Disney Day Program with Areyvut (at the "Make a Difference" Day program in Jacksonville, Fl - Thanks E.H.!) can attend the program and get credit without a parent. I just want to make sure these kids get credit and can go to Disney after their day of service.

Seeing as how I am now into my 23rd minute, I will take this opportunity to remind all those in the Bergen County area that Areyvut will be hosting a food drive on Feb. 16th. All donations are appreciated. We will be accepting donations on Feb. 10 from 9am - 5pm, Feb. 12 from 9am - 1pm and Feb. 16 from 10am - 2pm. Please contribute...and if anyone has a direct line to a Disney "Cast Member" who can help me with my question, please pass it along...25 minutes 16 seconds and counting...my question was answered before minute 29 struck, and Adam (my Disney helper) wished me a "Magical Day"...waiting on the phone may have been worth it.

Nutrition Service-Learning Plan

Health, fitness and childhood obesity are important current topics. Many schools and agencies are focusing on addressing nutrition, how students can eat healthier and related issues. I am pleased to present this Service-Learning Plan on Nutrition and hope that it enables you to incorporate this timely issue into your curriculum and classroom. Please feel free to adapt and modify to best meet the needs of your students. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

Possible Themes
Respecting your body
Healthy living
Appreciating nature
Balance
Making good choices
Appreciating healthy food
Acting as if you are created in G-d’s image

Related Curricular Goals
Scientific method
Chemistry
Biology
Home economics
Problem solving
Kashrut
Brachot

Community Needs
People may not have sufficient food
Nutritious food is more expensive than junk food
People may not know which foods are nutritious
People who are sick and elderly may need help obtaining food

Texts
Food labels, FDA food pyramid, Chumash

Partnering Agencies: (Name/Contact/Phone/E-mail)
Shelters, food pantry/soup kitchen, restaurants, super markets, synagogues, schools

Resources for Further Research
Books, internet, videos, organizations

Projects Ideas
Food drives, organize a soup kitchen, teach younger students about healthy eating, take people who are elderly to the supermarket, deliver food to those who are sick, create and distribute a nutritious cookbook

Timeframe
Begin the first week of school by choosing a theme and allow 2 weeks to research potential ideas and 2 weeks to contact potential partnering agencies before beginning project.

Budget
$100 for classroom supplies, transportation costs, food, publishing, etc.

Additional Considerations
Are volunteers needed to help?
Do parents have related skills that will be helpful?
Does school have permission to take students on trips?
Can other classes be involved?

You're Blogging?

I am well aware that several weeks ago I had committed to blogging once a week, more specifically, every Monday. Clearly, that has not happened. In fact, just now as I was sitting in front of my computer, Daniel was in a state of disbelief when he innocently passed by and asked, "You're blogging?". Indeed, I am blogging, but having not blogged for such an extended period of time, it's hard for me to figure out what I want to say...so I figured, I'd report on my day.

I returned to work today after being out with the flu for a week. (Note to self: Next year get the flu shot.) I started the day with over 103 emails in my inbox. Most of them I had already read through by the time I came into the office, but everything either still had to be dealt with, or at the very least deleted (I don't like a crowded inbox).

A lot of my day was spent on Disney's "Give a Day. Get a Disney Day." Promotion. We have a number of projects that we've put together which is exciting and time consuming all at the same time. We're juggling about 60 people with 7 different projects, the first one of course taking place tomorrow. Though we know it will be successful, it's still something that has to be addressed today.

I moved on from Disney to our e-Newsletter. Believe it or not, today is Feb. 1 which means that our e-Newsletter should be coming out at some point this week. Well, at 10:30am I was staring at a blank template, but somewhere around 12:00pm all of the information was in there...it's not spellchecked yet, but at least the information is there.

From the e-Newsletter I moved to learning about iPods. Weird, I know. But, we still owed one gift, to our Grand Prize Winner no less for the Areyvut Bnai Mitzvah Video Essay Contest. I learned about the different models and then let him know which one he is eligible for...I have a feeling he's going to go for the Gift Card option anyway.

I sent a ton of emails today. Most of them included some line about how sorry I was that I had the flu last week and couldn't get back to the individual in a more timely fashion. It felt weird to apologize for acquiring an illness I didn't want in the first place, but still, I thought it was the right thing to do.

Now, as my day is nearly ending, I'll hit the spellcheck button, add some links, post and check my email...I heard the dinger go off so I know I have at least one email waiting for me in my now, more manageable inbox. Until next week...or maybe a little after that.

One Thousand Mitzvahs

A while ago, I committed to providing you with a resource on Tuesday’s. In the past we have addressed how to plan a group project, developing a service learning plan and fundraising tips which you can use to help out the victims in Haiti. This week’s resource One Thousand Mitzvahs is a bit different. Linda Cohen’s blog provides readers with a smile, inspiration and practical resources. The blog helps motivate readers to practically make a difference in their life and community. Linda started the blog in January 2007 in memory of her father. She set out to honor his memory by performing 1000 mitzvahs and chronicling them over a two and a half years. Linda continues to blog, teach, motivate, inspire, speak and give. One Thousand Mitzvahs is a great resource and a wonderful way for a child to honor the legacy of a parent. I am glad that Linda has continued beyond her 1000th mitzvah and look forward to continuing reading her blog and to her book.

Dr. King, Alex & Clowning Around

This past Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day which for many is a day off of school or work but is also dedicated as a national day of service. Areyvut had the pleasure of working with Alex Meisels and her family to plan a service project as part of her Mitzvah Project. Alex invited her friends to learn how to become Mitzvah Clowns. So instead of spending their day off of school watching TV or hanging out at the mall 25 sixth graders joined their friend and learned how to clown around.

As part of the training we discussed the importance of Bikkur Cholim (visiting the sick) and the impact Mitzvah Clowning has on young patients, senior citizens and other vulnerable populations. We also learned how to create balloon animals and apply clown make-up. Ultimately, we were able to put into action all that we learned by visiting with the residents of Willow Towers, a local assisted living community. Each participant received a kit for them to keep with supplies that they can use for future clowning.Thanks to Sharon you can see pictures and watch a video that highlights the program and illustrates the impact it had on the participants, residents and staff. The director of the program at Willow Towers wrote to me saying “No words can express the joy that you & your clowns put into the lives of our residents” and throughout the training and site visit there was a tremendous amount of excitement and enthusiasm.

It is very fitting that this service project took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The attendees came from several schools including SAR Academy, Solomon Schechter School of Westchester and Westchester Day School. They worked together throughout the day and displayed their unity and a sense of purpose. The service project is one where once they are trained they can use the skills throughout their lives. As a result of their day of service and training as Mitzvah Clowns these 25 new clowns will continue to serve, volunteer, help others and will undoubtedly provide thousands of smiles in the future. Not bad for a day off of school.

I want to thank Alex and her family for putting the program together, the Young Israel of New Rochelle for hosting the training, Kiwi Iris for helping with the training and Willow Towers for enabling us to put into practice what we learned and allowing us to spend some quality time with their residents. We look forward to working with and to supporting the new clowns.

Caring for the Trees – Part 2

In preparation for Tu B’Shevat, I am pleased to present you with part two of Caring for the Trees which include concrete activity suggestions and websites that can help you make Tu B’Shevat more meaningful for you, your family, students and community. In part one, we had a values discussion, background information and relevant Jewish texts to help you address Tu B’Shevat.

Have a community-wide tree planting party. Encourage community members to plant new trees in their backyards or at a local synagogue, school or park and arrange tree planting parties so that those who do not have space for an extra tree can help with the process. If possible, find a local nursery that is willing to offset part of the cost of each tree and host a ceremony to honor all participants.
Suggested Age: Elementary School +

Donate a tree in Israel in honor of someone special. Since your local environment benefits from trees planted all around the world, this is the perfect opportunity to help beautify and restore Israel. Encourage your family, friends and colleagues to join in your efforts by setting up a contest to see who can donate the most trees in Israel. Find out how students can raise money towards a trip to Israel by planting trees through the Jewish National Fund’s Plant Your Way to Israel program. Planting Your Way to Israel is a great way to offset the carbon footprint of your flight to Israel.

Invite a local expert to speak on taking care of community trees. Educate your community on what types of trees are indigenous to the area and how to care for them: How to recognize potential health issues, when to prune them and what species will thrive locally. Follow up by inviting community members to adopt local trees that they are willing to take responsibility for.
Suggested Age: Middle School +

Adopt a local tree. Encourage families and students to adopt trees on the school or synagogue premises. They can be responsible for keeping a journal of the tree’s health. This will teach them that trees must be cared for once they are planted, and will give them a sense of personal responsibility toward a specific tree. It will bring the concepts they have been learning about into their immediate world. Create adoption certificates for each participant to excite participants about their new responsibility.
Suggested Age: Elementary School +

Host a community-wide viewing of The Lorax. The Lorax, by Dr. Seuss, is the story of how an industrialist single-handedly destroys an entire forest. Invite the community to watch the cartoon version of this enlightening story and follow-up with a discussion on the importance of protecting our trees or a community-wide tree drive.
Suggested Age: Elementary School +

Volunteer at a local park or forest. Contact a local park ranger to find out how you can help sustain the trees in your area. Inquire whether or not you are able to help care for the trees and ask how your help may be needed to advocate on their behalf in the local community.
Suggested Age: Middle School +

Raise money to protect an endangered rainforest. Have community members hold a fundraiser (i.e. a raffle with prizes such as a bicycle to promote environmentally healthy transportation, gardening tools, trees planted in Israel, etc.; or a bake-a-thon which uses organic ingredients) and use all proceeds to protect the trees in an endangered rainforest.
Suggested age: Elementary School +

Lobby for our forests. Research bills in Congress that protect national forests from loggers and developers. Have students send letters to their Congressman asking them to vote for the bill. Follow up by keeping the community updated about the status of these bills.
Suggested Age: Middle School +

Selected Related Websites:

Arbor Day Foundation - Provides a vast array of information and resources including a preschool curriculum, elementary school-level activities, tree identification tips and tree-care guides.

Center for Ecosystem Survival - Protect biodiversity by adopting an acre in a rainforest or a coral reef. This organization provides downloadable resource material and sells a slide set and video to further support teachers.

Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life - The Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life provides resources to help synagogues and professionals increase their awareness of and participation in environmental activities. It also provides updates on public policy initiatives relating to the global warming.

Earthroots - Earthroots is a grassroot activist organization that works to protect wildlife in Ontario, Canada. They advocate on behalf of wildlife that is in danger and enable individuals to adopt trees in Ontario wilderness preserves.

Jewish National Fund - The JNF GoNeutral Program enables you to calculate your carbon emissions and encourages you to balance these emissions by planting trees in Israel. JNF also sell a set of “Trees in the Land of the Bible” posters that can be used to compare the ecosystem in Israel to your own.

Rainforest Alliance - The Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior. It provides resources on companies that exhibit responsible foresting and agricultural practices and enables individuals to adopt acres in rainforests.

Trees Are Good - This website, put out by the International Society of Arboriculture, strives to promote greater understanding of the benefits of trees. It includes dozens of interesting fun facts about trees and links to other useful resources.

Treelink - Provides links to local organizations that work to plant and sustain trees.

Treepeople - Treepeople educates children about the environment and trains and supports communities to plant and care for their trees. They have many tree-planting programs and provide resources on the benefits of planting trees, how to plant a tree and how to care for trees.

I welcome your feedback and hope that you use these resources to help engage your students, congregants and family.