Return to flip book view

Children are more thoughtful and kind than we'll ever know. This year, each early childhood morah read a particular story about caring for their class. The illustrations showed that just like a bucket can be filled with sand, each person’s self-confidence can grow from another person’s kind words or actions. The next day, the beloved puppets Simcha and Baila, starred in a show to further demonstrate this concept. When either of them did or said something nice to the other, a bucket was filled with acrylic jewels. The children watched with interest but the morahs were curious if they “got it”.Later that day, the morahs took the nursery classes out for recess. While on the playground, Moshe* looked particularly sad, and his Morah went over to find out what was bothering him. She was soon followed by Moshe’s classmate Shimon. Filled with his natural curiosity, Shimon took one look at Moshe’s downcast face and asked him, “Do you want me to fill your bucket?”The Morahs who heard Shimon’s genuine thoughtfulness and concern, were speechless. How satisfying it was to see a student put their lesson into immediate action. You see teaching isn’t only about the valuable knowledge that he morahs impart, but about inspiring the next generation. The Early Childhood division lays the foundation for the years of education that follow. Lessons on the alef-beis are interlaced with excitement about mitzvos and middos development. Colors and shapes are taught alongside the beauty of Shabbos. The notion that Hashem loves each of us and sustains the wonderful world in which we live is reinforced day after day. You generous support makes you a part of that solid foundation and a part of everything that is built upon it. At the Cheder we are building the next generation of klal Yisrael, one Shimon at a time. *Names have been changedhe T hk You eportAugust 2023 • Issue 11More than Puppets and BucketsSOMETIMES WE WONDER WHAT LITTLE CHILDREN “GET.” THIS WILL MELT YOUR HEART.Shimon took one look at Moshe’s downcast face and asked him, Do you want me to fill your bucket?Reporting back how you have made a difference with your generosity

For many talmidos the art program is a great creative outlet that is the week's highlight. That’s because the lessons and themes explored during the week are incorporated into their art projects. Sometimes, it’s to strengthen a lesson from the parsha. Other times it’s to explore a midah that the girls have been focusing on. The specialty art period is not necessarily a break from learning but another way for the girls to be expressive, learn, and shine. The opportunity to be creative while engaging in learning helps the girls know that what they learn goes beyond their tests and grades. It’s a chance to explore their personal connection with the life lessons that are fundamental to the chinuch you and I value. The Bais Yaakov art program is dedicated l'ilui nishmas ןימינב תב אלעטס who devoted her life to her family and children. She was a talented artist who used her art as a way to uplift those around her and spread Simcha, positivity and light. May her neshama have an Aliya.to all the people that took the initiative to participate as a fundraising team in the Cheder/Bais Yaakov Education and Beyond crowdfunding campaign.The Cheder & TheBais Yaakov BoardElimelech AdlerRabbi Yonah AmentAbraham BaruchovBaruch Chai BaruchovBergstein FamilyBennish FamilyJe & Aliza BloomBogachkov FamilyBrager FamilyYisroel & Rivka Breuer Emil and Julie BuchmanErica BuchmanChava & Adam BucksteinThe CantorsCohen FamilyY CohenAvraham & Ayelet CraneChana DanzigerMindy DaumDavis FamilyDevora & Yosef Dombro Dubin Family Dworetsky FamilyEisenbach FamilyEisenberg FamilyRabbi Elchanan & Dassi ErlangerTeam EstherFeder FamilyShaul and Elisheva FeinsodBrian & Ayala FriedmanTzvi & Chani FriedmanGamzo FamilyEli & Nechama GelbThe GershansMrs Rina Gilden The GoldbergsTali GoldfarbMrs. Rivky GrossYaakov & Aliza Grossman Amalia Grunhaus & Faigy Pollack Gudema FamilyGutstein FamilyMendel & Bracha HoerRabbi Simi Hollander Hurwitz Family Jacob FamilySimcha & Devorah JacobowitzJacobs FamilyThank YouThank YouThank YouThank YouLevin Family Team LewisZev & Suzy LitmanLord FamilyMorah Jenn & the Lowy FamilyMathias FamilyMazaud Family Elisheva Mezei MiarasJerry and Anita MilchYitzy & Rachel MittelAharon & Basya MuehlgayNussbaum FamilyDasi PerlmuterYehoshua & Devorah PinkusPeretz & Chanie RapoportAkiva and Tova Reich Rabbi Shmuel ReischerRothenberg FamilyJoy RosenbergRosenblum Family Gavriel & Malka RudinRabbi SalzmanRabbi Dovid SchulmanCarter Saadya Schwartz Naomi SchwartzJacobson FamilyDaniel & Shaindy Jacobson Kagan FamilyMrs. CR KaplanZev & Chani KarpelRabbi Yisroel Meir KatzMendel & Esther KibelSara KlarbergKlein Klein FamilyAvraham & Amy KleinKlotzkinsKlug FamilyKohan-ZionYaakov & Simi KoppeleKovacs FamilyRabbi Motti and Bracha KovalMoshe KrupnickTeam LammMrs. Ruchie LandySender and Nechama LarkinChagit Lasowsky Rabbi Yonah & Ilana LazarThe LehrfeldsBasya Malka LevitRabbi Yehuda Leib SelengutRabbi Yosef & Elisheva SeldowitzSegal FamilySettenbrino FamilyShacham FamilyShapiro FamilyShifrin FamilyRabbi Elimelech Silber & FamilyRabbi Nosson & Miriam SilbermintzSolomon FamilyBoruch and Dvora SpektorSputz FamilyStimmel Family Stolzman FamilyR. SzpilzingerMrs. Rivkie Teitz Unger FamilyVann FamilyThe Vinnik FamilyMoshe & Yisraela Weinstein Weitz familyRabbi Netanel & Sara WiederblankRabbi Menachem WiedermannThe Wilk FamilyRabbi Dovid WolfWhat type of impact do you think an art program has?

The lunchroom was buzzing withexcitement. The boys planned on helping Jewish patients at St. Mary’s Hospital by collecting food items to bring to the Shabbos room at the hospital. Patients and their families would now always have refreshments and nourishment while they are there, sometimes arriving without enough time to prepare and bring food of their own. “Do we get to visit the hospital?" asked Yisroel Meir excitedly. This unlikely yet lovely idea was embraced by students (and staff alike). The enthusiasm for the new project was contagious. Coming out of the assembly, there was already a bag of pretzels placed in the donation box by one of the boys. Teachers had to make sure that students weren’t going to donate their entire lunches. By the end of day one, the first full box of food was ready to go to the hospital.Inspired by Yisroel Meir, Mrs. Gildin arranged for the fourth grade to make the first delivery. The hospital staff was overcome by the excitement the boys had to bring the food they had collected. The Shabbos Room suddenly became the most important room in the hospital, as they recognized that these young boys were on a mission and how much it meant to them. But they were overcome by some else as well. The “please, thank you, and have a nice day” that seemed so natural for the boys to say made an extra special impression. The staff felt the sincerity and warmth and, in return, gave the boys gifts to take home.What do you think happened next? A second donation box was full just a week later. As the third graders prepared to deliver water bottles, paper goods, and snacks, they thought that they should be sure to thank the staff for the gifts from the week before, and even more so, for the hospital having a Shabbos Room for the Jewish patients. Along with their food delivery, the boys brought flowers and a big “Thank You!” poster. Our Bikur Cholim project had now also developed into one of hakaras hatov. Soon Shavous was coming, and the boys decided to make cards and flowers for the people who would be in the hospital over Yom Tov. Yisroel Meir finally had his opportunity to deliver a box of crafts to the hospital. The hospital staff were moved beyond words. They sent additional gifts to the Cheder for every child in the program – showing their own hakaras hatov. The boys, very clearly recognized how they made a Kiddush Hashem when they received this message from one of the hospital staff members:“I hung up some of the cards you sent in a patient’s room and she was so so touched! She is so bored lying in bed for hours upon hours. These long shabbosim are especially hard. The cards meant the world to her. How do I know? Her daughter in another state reached out to thank me but I told her it was all these special kinderlach from the Cheder!It’s your generosity that creates an environment where the staff only has to plant a single seed and the students are given the ability, support, and space to make it their own and grow that seed into anything they can imagine. Thank you!How many mitzvos can start with a bag of pretzels?Sincerity, warmth and care, that’s your impactHer daughter in another state reached out to thank me but I told her it was all these special kinderlach from the Cheder!

You and I understand that a large partof the chinuch is not only teaching how to live aTorah life but also imbuing the love of Yiddishkeit. One exciting project the sixth and seventh-grade boys always look forward to is making Tzitzis with their rebbeim. While the activity was busily underway, Yitzchak, who was in seventh grade and recently celebrated his Bar Mitzvah, made his way to Rabbi Wiederman's Pre-1-A classroom.While the Pre-1-A boys were engaged in an activity, Rabbi Wiederman was carefully tying one of the segments of Yitzchak’s pair of tzitzis. Rabbi Erlanger approached and asked Yitzchak if there was any way he could help as it seemed he needed a Rebbe's assistance.Yitzchak replied, "No, I don't need any help, I just made two of the four corners of the beged and for the last two corners, it would mean a lot to me if each rebbi would create a segment of it for me." He then asked Rabbi Schulman to create the next segment for him. Rabbi Erlanger was astounded by the sincerity of this young bochur, “This talmid, Yitzchak, is one of the many at the Cheder who show through their actions that their connection to their Rebbeim is vital to them. The relationships that they have is something they want to walk around with daily on their very own begged of tzitzis” This nachas and growth are because of you. Your generosity gave boy a special pair of tzitzis that reminds him of the mitzvos; and each day, he will remember every rebbe that taught him those mitzvos; to think of how each one personally took part in his journey; and how each one took the time to fulfill his request to be a part of his mitzva for years to come. Thank you for making this possible. *Names have been changedClifton Cheder • 1333 Broad Street • Clifton, NJ 07013 I Bais Yaakov of Clifton • 123 Industrial East Clifton, NJ 07012 www.cliftoncheder.orgSeeing is ConnectingYour support is teaching more than skills. It’s building a meaningful connection.