Magic Mountain

Today, 140 kids, divided into groups, visited 8 locations over 3 hours. They went to day care, old age homes, a historic park site, a clothing charity, a JCC. They made dolls for kids in hospitals (Rachmana Litzlan) to be shown what need to be done on them. They moved and sorted and packed clothes for poor pious Israelis. They sang and danced and baked with senior citizens. They chopped wood and enhanced park facilities. I put this day together with G-d's help.

I needed nine chaperones. Easy in a school with about 80 teachers, right? I am forever grateful to the nurse, and guidance counselors, and the librarian, and assistant principal, as well as the couple of teachers who were able to come through. We did it! I am also grateful to the students who put in effort and time and heart to make this happen.

After I thought it was all ready to roll, the hardest part turned out to be getting out. Getting 150 people onto 7 buses is quite a job. I have not felt as stressed and pressured in a long time as I felt during the brief (in retrospect) time that it took to get things going.

When I arrived with my group at Dunroven Rehabilitation Center (what used to be called a nursing home) I entered a world. There were calls back and forth from the other nervous chaperones, but that didn't stop the place I was now in from hugging me. For two and a half hours there was wall to wall warmth and joy for everyone in that space. The workers got as much of a boost as the residents. And the kids were uplifted too. It brought out the side of them that most needs to be brought out; awareness and care for the other.

One of the workers at this place said that all the kids are going to be talking about this experience at home at their dinner tables. I wonder how many sit around a dinner table? Still, I get her point, the kids were touched.

The most nervous chaperone, with a tough all boys group, was pleased in the end. One of the other chaperones looked at her list and said I might as well have given her axe murderers. In the end those kids came through. Something good happens when people are asked to help others.