SubmissionTemplateTeachername RonitSchoolname TheTorontoHeschelSchoolProjectname PayItForwardPurimAge/Gradeofstudents Grade7and8TellusaboutyourschoolanditscommunityTheTorontoHeschelSchoolisapluralisticindependentJewishdayschoolfromjuniorkindergartenthroughgrade8inToronto,Canada.AsacommunitybasedJewishDaySchool,itrespectsawiderangeofJewishobservances.TheschoolisnamedforRabbiAbrahamJoshuaHeschelwhoisthereligiousandphilosophicalinspirationoftheschool.HeschelbelievedthatinordertobeagoodJew,onemustfirstbeagoodhumanbeing,concernedwithjustice.Inthisspirit,studentsatTheTorontoHeschelSchoollearntoapplytheteachingsoftheTorahintotheirdailylifebothintheschoolandwithinthecommunityatlarge.RabbiHeschelbelievedthatJewishethicalvaluesmustbeappliedandlivedtoeveryaspectoflife.Describetheheritage,religion,orculturethatgroundsthecurriculum/project/initiativethatyouaresubmittingTheTorontoHeschelSchoolisgroundedinJudaismasitisseenthroughthelensofRabbiAbrahamJoshuaHeschel’swritings.HeschelframedtheJewishimperativeasawholeheartedsearchforjustice.Heschel’suniquecontributiontoJewishthoughtemphasizedthepersonalrelationshipbetweentheindividualandGodandsothestudentsstudyfromoriginaltextandlearntomakemeaningfromtheirheritagethemselvesandtotakestepstowardsjusticeonadailybasis.HeschelsaidthatwhenhewalkedwithRev.MartinLutherKingJr.atSelma,“hislegswerepraying.”Whichvalue(s)areyouhopingtoinspireinyourstudentsthroughthiscurriculum/project/initiative?Theprojecthopestoinspirethevalueofrighteousness(Tzedaka)whichincludes:

1. respectforallpeople,eachmadeintheimageofGod(B’zelemElokim);and2. charitytothosewhoneedhelp.

Identifythesource(s)ofthevalue(s)youareteaching(text,tradition,ritual,practice,story,etc).ThestudentsstudytheBookofEsther,MegillatEstherwhereQueenEstherriskedherlifetosaveherpeople.

TocelebratetheholidayofPurim,theMegillatellsJewstogive“MatanotL’evyonim”,giftsforthepoorand“MishloachManot,”giftsoffoodforone’sfriends.TheversethatliststhesepracticesisEsther9:22

“ThedayswhereintheJewshadrestfromtheirenemies,andthemonthwhichwasturneduntothemfromsorrowtogladness,andfrommourningintoagoodday;thattheyshouldmakethemdaysoffeastingandgladness,andofsendingportionsonetoanother,andgiftstothepoor.”

Listthelearninggoalsforthisproject

ThestudentswillstudyMegillatEstherinpreparationfortheholidayofPurim; Thestudentswillconsiderthepositiveandnegativepersonalqualitiesofthepeople

inthestoryoftheBookofEsther; Thestudentswilldrawparallelstoleadershipperformancesbyleadersinourtimes; Thestudentswillstepoutsideoftheircommunity,considerhowtohelppeoplein

needaroundthem;theexperiencewillraiseconsciousnesstowardshomelessness,reducethestigmaofhardship,andinspirethestudentstoseekappropriatesolutions;

ThestudentswillthenactandfulfillthelawofMatanotL’evyonimandMishloachManot.

DescribetheprojectTheprojecthasfivephases.

1. OnthedayofPurimitself,whenthegrade7and8studentsreadthemegillahtogetherandworkinsmallgroupstocontemplatethepersonalitiesinthestory,theircharacteristicsandleadershipinsavingtheJewsinPersiafromdestruction.InkeepingwiththeplayfultoneofthecelebrationofPurim,eachgroupcreatesanartinstallationportrayingaselectedPurimcharacterasamoderndayfigure.Forexample,onegroupportrayedKingAchashveroshasRobFord(Toronto’sformermayor).

2. Thechildrencatalyzetheirlearningaboutnoticingandhelpingpeopleinneed,inthePayitForwardPurimProject.ThestudentsareaskedtofindhelpfulsolutionsfromwithintheirowncapabilitiesandskillstocreateandprovidegiftsforhomelesspeopleinToronto.Lastyearthestudentsdecidedtoknitscarvesandbakegranolabars;toactivatetheentireschoolcommunity,theycollectedtangerines,socks,gloves,hatsandbottlesofwaterfromallgrades;theyhadtheyoungerchildrencreatecardswithmessagesoffriendshipandsolidarity.Thegrade7and8studentspackagedthebasketsofMishloachManotinpreparationfordelivery.

3. Oneevening,students,parentsandteachersmeetattheschoolandreceivetrainingfortheirengagementwithstreetdwellers.ThefacilitatorsalsoprovidemapsandroutesindowntownTorontoandafacilitatoraccompanieseachsmallgroupastheygooutintothestreetsofToronto.

4. Walkingthegivenrouteinasmallgroup,thestudentcomesuponastreetdweller,engagesthehomelessperson,introduceshimself/herselfandofferstwogiftbaskets.Thestudentexplainsthatonebasketisfortherecipienttokeepandthesecondistogivetoanotherrecipientwhowillappreciateit.Thisprocesscontinuesuntilwholerouteistravelled.

5. Thenextdayinclasstheteacherleadsthestudentsthroughaguidedreflectionabouttheirexperienceandwhattheylearned.

Describetheevidenceofimplementationthatyouaresubmitting.Thismayincludestudentwork,photographs,documentedclassconversations,oranythingthatshowsthelearningofthechildren.Evidenceincludedis:

Photostakenthroughouttheproject’simplementation; Reflectionsfromthreeperspectives:astudent,aparent,andoneofthefacilitators

oftheeveningprogram.

ReflectionsontheExperience“Itfeltgoodseeinghomelesspeoplesmilingwhenwegavethemthebagsoffoodandblankets.Itisimportanttogivetootherpeople,andatPurimwhenwegivemishloachmanottoourfriendswecanalsogivetopeopleinneed.”“Icametoappreciatehowotherpeopledon’thaveasmuchaswedo.Andbygivingthemsomethingweweredoingsomethinggoodforthem.Wegotintointerestingconversationswithpeopleonthestreetsandlearnedsomuchaboutthem.”“Ilearnedalotaboutthepeopleandhowdifferentitisforthem.Itwasrewardingtoseethesmileontheirfaceswhenwegavethemthebags.Someofthemaskedformorethanonetogivetotheirfriends.ItiscooltoseehowourJewishtraditionscanhelpgivethesepeoplemeaning.” ~Grade7students“Iwishtoextendmygratitudetothosewhoorganizedthisevent,includingHeschelstaff,thestudentsformakingsuchwonderfulgiftbasketsandthefront‐linevolunteerswhohelpeddeliverthegifts.Thisexperiencewasmeaningfulonmanylevels.Manyofus(parentsandstudents)goingintoit,feltnervousaboutwalkingthecoldstreetsofdowntownTorontoandinitiatinginteractionswithhomelesspeople.Itwasawonderfulawakeningtoseehowwarm,friendlyandappreciativepeopleweretoreceivethesegifts.Itwasalsoamazingtoseethateventhoughthepeoplewemetdonothavemuch,theystillretaintheirsenseofcommunitybysharingtheirgiftswithothersandtellinguswhereelseonthestreetwemightfindpeoplewhowouldreallyappreciatethepresents.Onegentlemanpreferredtochatandtellhisstoryandeventhoughhewaslivinginashelter,feltweshouldsavehisgiftforsomeonewhohadevenlessthanhim.ItwasextremelyIronicthattheonlypersonwhowasbundledup,lyingonastreetcornerandinmyopinionlookingthemostdesperateofthehomelesspeoplelastnightwasinfactJewish.Andsoitwasanightwherewewereallremindedhowpowerfulourpreconceivednotionscanbeandnotonlyhowthatcanaffectthelivesofothers,butjustasimportantly,howlimitingthatcanbeforustoo.Bytheendoftheeveningdespitethefrigidtemperatures,manyofusdidnotfeelthecoldasmuchaswedidinthebeginning.Thatmighthavebeenasresultofdispellingthemythsandsheddingourfearaswellasthewarmthgeneratedfromwithinbythegiftofgiving.” ~Parent

“Itwasareallygreatexperiencetoworkwiththestaff,studentsandparentsattheschool.Ourteammanagedtogiveawayall35MishloahManotbasketsanditwasareallypositiveexperienceforourgroup.Someofthehighlights:1. WemetWarren,aJewishhomelessguywho"lives"onthecornerofSpadinaand

Queen.Hewasverytouchedbythemishloahmanotandblessedtheteacherandtherestoftheteam.

2. WegaveoutacoupleofmishloahmanotsoutsideofayouthshelterjustwestofSpadinaonQueen.Wethenwalkedawayand2teenagerswhowerestayingattheshelterfollowedusandshylyaskedusformishloahmanotsaswell.TheyweresogratefulandblesseduswithahappyPurimblessing.

3. Oneofthebighighlightsformewastoseehowthekidsinthegroupactedsomaturely,askedgreatquestionsandreallyseemedtoenjoythemselves.”

~Facilitator