The sixth grade class of Congregation B'nai Israel (CBI) hosted a group of 32 Ridge Oak residents during the afternoon of Sunday, May 2nd at CBI as the culmination of their year-long mitzvah project and to celebrate Senior Appreciation Month.
Past president and current 6th grade Sunday school teacher, Shari Lapa, of Warren, explained the project. "The children learned this year about how Jews immigrated to the United States. We studied how they arrived in 1492 and then follow Jewish Americans through the early 1900s. The project enabled each child to focus on one famous Jewish-American. The result is this wonderful luncheon where they not only present their famous Jewish-American to the Ridge Oak seniors, but they also spend some time with the seniors and make their day a little brighter. "
The project acted as not only a history project, but as a mitzvah (worthy deed) as well. Each class at CBI has a mitzvah component to it. As early as in the Sunday School Kindergarten class, the children are taught the importance of what it is to do a mitzvah and the classes work together on some type of mitzvah project. They are taught that "all Jews are responsible for one another regardless of where they live." Examples of other class projects include the monthly collection by all the students of specific items needed by local food banks, and the preparation of casseroles and salads by older students for the local battered women's shelter.
Before a lunch of egg, tuna and fruit salad, bagels and lox, Rabbi John Schechter gave the group a tour of the sanctuary and spoke about the history of the synagogue. Rabbi Schechter led the original B'nai Israel services in 1990 and has served as the spiritual leader since 1995. During the tour, the children performed a few songs for their guests.
The presentations began after lunch, with the children rotating from table to table so that the seniors could hear each child talk about their famous Jewish Americans. Some of the famous Jewish Americans presented were Milton Hershey, Levi Strauss, Alla Nazimova, flamboyant star of Hollywood silent films, Emma Lazarus, poet, and Isaac Leeser. Leeser is best known for being the first to translate the Torah into the English language. The presentations were very well received, amid loud applause. "You covered it all", "very well-presented" and "fascinating" were some of the comments from the seniors.
The children had a great time as well. Though happy to be "almost" done with school, they truly enjoyed sitting among the Ridge Oak residents, having lunch and spending time with them. As a parting gift, the children made individual picture frames that will be presented to the Ridge Oak group. In it will be a photograph of all the participants of the day, capturing the essence of the sixth grade curriculum and the true meaning of mitzvah.
