There are many changes going on in She’arim, Israel, and all over the world, but thankfully some things stay the same.  Since its inception, learning about and doing chesed stood as a cornerstone

of the She’arim experience.  Ever since the first She’arim class painted the school’s walls, we have made a point of making sure our ladies are out (and in) doing ‘Good.’  This year’s class is no exception, and certainly hasn’t needed any pushing.  What an enterprising group of women!  When asking students about their extra-curricular activities, chesed is almost always the first subject to come up (FroYo running a close second, of course).  The ladies are quite diverse and there have been projects of all genres throughout the year.  Here are just a few examples of their varied interest.

School-Help:

This class has been incredibly helpful in not only receiving the school’s benefits, but getting involved in helping it work.  One of the best ideas came from the She’arim Leadership Team who created “The She’arim Shoppe” offering healthy foods such as oatmeal and trail mix for purchase in school, the proceeds of which go to tzedakah.  

Everyone-Help: 

By far the most common chesed is helping families.  Many of the girls have become “family members” in homes in Har Nof and beyond.  They help cook, clean, babysit, and whatever the families need before Shabbos or any day.  For so many of the students, it’s a vital life experience to cook in a kosher kitchen, to be part of a ‘frum’ family, and become an integrated part of the Har Nof community. 

Awesome One Timers:

A recent advertisement in the Har Nof Weekly pleaded for people to visit a bed-ridden woman without family in Israel.  One of our students picked up the phone right away and was off to the hospital.  She had no idea who she would be meeting, and she said that the experience was one of the most intense and important of her life.  The woman had a feeding tube and couldn’t speak, so used a wooden board with letters and numbers on it to communicate.  The hospitalized woman was incredibly grateful for the company, and was very moved by how quickly the student had jumped at the opportunity.  Through this chesed, the student also gained a new insight and connection to the laws of shmirat halashon (careful speech, as she expressed, “What a difference every word makes!”

Another student, while at her evening job, received a call from a man who had left his tallis and tefillin in her boss’ office. He had been seriously hurt and hospitalized and was rushing to leave the country for further medical care that evening. He needed his things but was not well enough to get them himself..  Without a moment’s hesitation, this mitzvah-doer gathered the man’s things and rushed them to Modi’in to return his lost items. 

One Mitzvah Leads to Another Help:

She’arim does chesed as a school twice a month.  On one such visit to a residential school for kids at risk, one of our students connected with a young teenager. The initial meeting grew into a “big sister” relationship, as the She’arim student continues to counsel the young girl through the teenage transitions and to serve as a loving role model.

Earth-Help: 

With the Kinneret slowly draining, and a global climate crisis in full-swing, the students have put together some great school initiatives including using the water from hand washing to water the plants, turning off bathroom lights after use (and sometime even when they are in use), and recycling everything down to the toilet paper rolls (which are sent to local kindergartens for the kids to use for art projects!)…

The Most Fun Help:

Students have learned about the mitzvah of hachnasat kallah first hand! Each new engagement brought wholehearted joy to the student body. They danced, they arranged the details of weddings, collected tzedaka to help pay for weddings of their friends who couldn’t afford even the basics, and even threw an impromptu reception – complete with shtick – for a student who was getting married in America. What greater joy than to help a bride and groom begin their life together!

Some things never change. In helping others, we bring ourselves the greatest joy!