Don’t let the light go out / Let it shine through our love and our tears
Peter Yarrow, ladies and gentlemen! We were so proud this week to have Peter Yarrow lead our community in a sing-along. Community members of different generations sat and sang together, as Peter led us through songs that have become the soundtrack of our lives. It was an absolutely magical moment, to be remembered for a long time.
More than singing songs, Peter served as a reminder of our roles in enacting social justice. In between songs, he spoke of “the extraordinary connection” that the Jewish people have with advocating for justice. The drive to give strength to vulnerable populations is a deeply rooted Jewish value. In Jewish tradition, the world is a broken place; yet we have hope and faith that our efforts matter. Together, we can repair the world. We refer to this belief as tikkun olam, or, fixing the world. In our community, at our nursery school, we strive to embody this value.
We have come this far believing / That justice would somehow prevail
Please join us for two opportunities to express this value in the coming days. On Tuesday May 12th and Wednesday May 13th, our nursery schoolers will be running a bake sale in the Common Space. All proceeds will be going to support victims of the earthquake in Nepal, through the American Jewish World Service. The bake sale will take place from 8:30-9:00AM and 12:00-12:30PM both days. We will also be collecting essential items (see below for a list) to be donated. Please come by and support our nursery schoolers as they play an active role in repairing the world!
Then on Sunday, May 31st, join the nursery school community as we march in the 10th annual Hemophilia Walk (details below). This is a walk that was started by a JCC nursery family right here, and has since grown to include walks all over the country that have collectively raised millions of dollars. The strength of this walk grew from our school community’s support, and this year we are asking you to join us once again. Our very own hero, Coach Darren, has led the walk since its inception and will be leading us again this year. Please join Team Zakophilia to walk for Zak, a JCC nursery alum who is the guiding inspiration behind the walk. This is an opportunity to pitch in that should not be missed! This walk has been part of our identity for the past decade, and we can’t wait to celebrate the 10th walk together as a community.
Supporting those around us who have vulnerable aspects of their lives is a Jewish value we hold close. This is something we discuss in our classrooms on a regular basis. Come participate in these events with us as together we build an environment in which our children come to embody our Jewish value of social justice, empathy, and repairing the world.
Peter Yarrow finished his concert by singing Blowin’ In The Wind, in a duet with our very own Paul Wolf, who has this to say about the power of music: “Songs about social justice aren't nearly as common today as they were during Peter's time. The ones that do exist don't have the same effect on the masses. I told Peter yesterday that I love keeping songs of his era alive for the youth of today. Their ideals can still be planted as seeds within our children's hearts and minds.”
How many ears must one man have / Before he can hear people cry?
As a Jewish community, our ears are open. We are often engaged in efforts to support vulnerable populations within and around us. Please join us for the bake sale next week and the Hemophilia Walk on May 31st as we enact this value together.
Shabbat shalom,
Noah