facility and a mini-volun-
teer experience. In the
spring, students decorate
posters and boxes for the
collection of kosher baby
food for the pantry.
Sara Zivian Zwickl,
chairwoman of Hillel's
G'milut Hasadim pro-
gram, believes an early
start is key.
"Even at this young age,
these experiences are a
hands-on way to help and
learn about acts of lov-
ingkindness," Ms. Zwickl
said.
In the third grade, stu-
dents are involved in a
program called "People of
the Book." They learn how
to handle holy books,
about literacy and are
active in the Free Press
Gift of Reading program
— decorating collection
boxes and posters for new
books to be given to stu-
dents of the HeadStart
program. Hillel students
meet with HeadStart stu-
The kids are
active at the
agency.
dents to deliver the books
and read stories.
Third-grade students
also participate in
Matanot La Evyonim, gifts
for the disadvantaged.
They prepare baskets of
food to deliver to various
agencies.
Fourth-graders take the
big leap into a one-year
commitment. Parent vol-
unteers help facilitate
speakers and projects to
enhance the classroom
activities.
During the 1992-93
school year, the program
made its jump from a stu-
dent-volunteer lunchtime
experience into classroom
curriculum. Four compo-
nents were studied during
the year — B'tzelem
Elohim, In God's Image —
a unit about disabilities;
Bikkur Cholim, Visiting
the Sick; Lashon Hora,
Gossip of Evil Speech; and
Nichum Aveilim, Com-
forting Mourners.
Hillel teacher Rabbi
Aaron Bergman intro-
duced each unit within a
textual setting. Videos,
discussions, speakers and
projects accompanied the
learning.
This year, the fourth
grade will focus on three
of the four areas of study.
Comforting mourners — a
visit with David Techner
of the Ira Kaufman
Chapel and a tour — will
be integrated into a high-
er grade level curriculum.
In addition, this year
parents and teachers will
study with Rabbi
Bergman prior to each
unit to gain confidence
and comfort in the areas
of learning. "This program
has grown and evolved
each year," Ms. Zwickl
said.
"We're trying to give the
students ownership and
responsibility — to have
them understand what
g'milut hasidim is, to
know it is demanding and
not always easy."
For example, when toi-
letry packages are created
for the Lighthouse in
Pontiac, students write
letters to merchants ask-
ing for donations, they
wrap each set, drop off the
gifts at the site and tour
it, and follow up with
thank-you notes to mer-
chants. The same is done
with Chanukah packages
for Yad Ezra.
Grades 5 through 8 con-
tinue their hands-on
learning about acts of lov-
ingkindness through
Hillel staff-created pro-
grams, as opposed to par-
ent facilitation of the
G'milut Hasadim curricu-
lum.
In grade 5, "Open
Minds, Open Arms" expos-
es Hillel students to chil-
dren in Detroit public
schools through visits and
a day at camp together.
Dor L'Dor, or "Gen-
eration to Generation,"
links sixth-grade students
with Jewish nursing-home
residents for an entire
year of projects and per-
formances.
The same type of rela-
tionship is carried on in
grade 7 with residents of
JARC (Jewish Association
for Residential Care) —
homes for developmentally
disabled adults.
Bar and bat mitzvah
students in the eighth
grade choose individual
projects.
"We had our children
learning about tzedakah
but had no hands-on
opportunities for social
action. Parents wanted
this. Students wanted
this," Ms. Zwickl said. "We
have children and families
who are now volunteering
regularly at Yad Ezra and
becoming involved in
other ways.
"Part of our goal is to
educate parents, too. It
just takes small sparks to
get them started." ❑
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