sun-sentinel
On Sept, 21, students from the Lubavitch Educational Center in Miami prepared for the holiday of Sukkot by building their own sets of the lulav and esrog, the species Jewish people need to do the blessing on the holiday.
The students also pledged to use them to go to the streets, malls, nursing homes and hospitals to help as many people as possible to perform the mitzvah of lulav and esrog.
“I’m proud of these children,” said Rabbi Yakov Garfinkel, the school’s program director. “To know that they’re going out there and giving up their free time and helping other people, especially those in serious need of if it, really makes the school super proud.”
Last year for the project, the students helped well more than 2,500 people perform the mitzvah, some for the fist time in their lives, and the school got at least 80 percent full participation from the student body. This year, the students have pledged to double the numbers and reach 5,000 as the school expects a much higher percentage of full participation for student body than last year.
Garfinkel said that so far, a group of children went to Mount Sinai Hospital and that the students are teaching their parents about the message they’re learning.
“I’ve already gotten e-mails with pictures of children helping out others during the holiday,” Garfinkel added.
Rabbi Benzion Korf, the head of the school, also commented on the children’s participation.
“It’s a feeling that hopefully we’re preparing this group of students to be the future leaders of the Jewish people,” he said. “This is a continuing effect. It’s not just for one day or for this moment. It will affect hundreds of thousands of people in the next generation.”
Mendy Catan, a fifth grade student at the school, said about the project, “It’s exciting. You get to do a lot of stuff and you do a good deed every time you do it.”
Mendy Rudd, a third grade student whose been to Mount Sinai several times to visit for the project, has helped his parents with it and they in return are excited that he really wants to spend a few hours at the hospital during his free time. When asked how this project will help him become a better leader in the future, Mendy responded, “I think that since I’m learning now, it’s going to help me because at first I really didn’t know what to do and now I do.”
yehuda cohen your bunk mate
So nice to see you!!
Your favorite Aunt & Uncle
Bentzy & Devorah
you guys rock from ny miss you
cus
tx
from yossel
Mendy G, your the best. Always giving your time and of yourself to do a mitzvah and help out. Brochos to you and Hatzlacha in your learning this year. Morristown has a gem amoung them!
Menachemu r amazing… Especially all the mivtzoimu did with your lilac and esrog set!!!
Go Mendy !!!! your the best!!!!
from your big sister that miss you!!!
GO GARFINKEL U ROCK THE HOUSE I LOVE UR IDEAS UR DA BEST #1!!!!
guess who?!
we rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your the best! your camper in queens
we want to here you sing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rabbi Y.Garfikel you are one of a kind! We are so impressed with how you r always coming up with these wonderful ideas that get the kids excited about mitvos/mivtzoyim…way to go !we need more of you in our schools!
ur cuz;)
Garf and the dolfins!!!!! mini dolfin, your like a collive magnet!!! from the guy that was with you you on col last time.
Garf i love you!!!!!
go yossi and nosson stolik!
go nosson, yossi, and tzvi!!
mendy rudd you are amazing! Keep up the good work!
daniel all into it
Elkayim YOU ROCK!