Chesed and communal responsibility are core values of the Hillel Torah community, beginning with our youngest students. Founded by Rifka and Daniel Weiss, the Emuna Shir Weiss z”l Chesed Program offers students the ability to participate in tzedaka campaigns, visit the elderly and the blind, help feed the hungry and volunteer at community organizations. Our chesed program gives students the opportunity to interact and develop relationships with children with special needs at our Keshet classroom event, Yachad Shabbaton and through our participation in Yachad’s vocational program.
So far this year:
- 8th graders helped assemble nearly 1000 boxes at the Maot Chitim Warehouse that were packed and delivered across the Chicagoland area in time for the Yamim Nora’im. (8th graders participate in monthly chesed trips, rotating through visits to Buckingham Pavilion, The Ark, Friedman Place for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Keshet).
- For Rosh Hashana, 7th graders created and distributed beautiful holiday packages for Jewish elderly residents in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.
- Grades 1-4 wrote beautiful letters of chizuk in English and Hebrew for Israeli troops based in Chevron for “Shabbat Chevron.” (Shabbat Chevron falls during the week of Parshat Chayei Sara – when many people from all over Israel and the world come together to spend Shabbat with our Avot and Imahot in Chevron.) Update: The IDF soldiers received the students’ letters and could not stop talking about them!
- The whole school participated in a Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit The Ark, bringing in nearly 350 items!
- Many of our parents and students spent their Thanksgiving morning paying it forward by helping the Chicago Chesed Fund restock shelves and organize clothing and Chanukah toys.
