In October, our school took in families from Israel. We provided a safe and secure home for their children to continue their education while the adults navigated an extremely challenging situation. Our community welcomed each family with open arms. Below is a heartfelt letter from the mother of one of those students:

In Israel, we have a saying, "May you always be amongst the givers." You might hear it when giving צדקה–Tzedakah (charity), on the street or in the shuk (market) – a blessing that you continue to prosper, and that you never find yourself so desperate that you need to rely on the kindness of strangers to meet your basic needs. Whenever I receive this blessing, I make sure to take a moment of gratitude – giving thanks that I am in a position to give. Being on the giving side is a comfortable place for people – it supports our feelings of dignity, of agency, and of control. 

The events of October 7th severely rattled my family’s sense of dignity, agency, and control. While we are undoubtedly among the fortunate ones – in the scary, chaotic, unimaginable days following Simchat Torah, my husband and I did NOT feel safe in Israel. We made the decision to leave our home in Tzfat and travel to the United States to spend some time with family in Chicago. 

We are so blessed that my sister-in-law, Lauri, immediately, kindly, graciously, and cheerfully offered up her empty nest to the five of us. Lauri, whose two adult sons, Noah and Ethan, are BZ alumni, reached out to the school, and the BZ community immediately swung into action. A family onboarding process that normally takes several months was accomplished in just a few days! While still in Israel, we set up a time to come visit BZ with our youngest son, Zohar. Within days of our arrival in Chicago, Zo was very cheerfully ensconced in Mrs. Alicia Levy’s fourth grade class – carried in on a wave of gift baskets, Cubs swag, and celebrity status. 

Having Zohar at Bernard Zell was a lifesaver for our family – an island of kindness, stability, and support in a stormy emotional sea. At BZ, my Israeli kid made strides in his English reading and writing, and deepened his understanding of American culture in social studies class, in PE and on the playground. (Pros: learning about American geography, holidays, and football; cons: learning that in America, kids go out to play in temperatures that Israeli parents would consider grounds for a lawsuit.) Zohar strengthened his literacy and math skills, flexed his curiosity and innovation muscles in the maker lab, and engaged in creative Jewish learning and living. He created spirit-nourishing music and art, and ate body-nourishing food that was always fresh, varied, delicious, and healthful – and I didn’t spend even a single second preparing any of it! Zohar made new friends, and got to be an active member of a vibrant learning community committed to excellence, kindness, diversity, and maximizing each child’s potential. He even got to teach Hebrew class one day, hold a letter chet pronunciation intensive, and extolled the virtues of the sufganiya over the doughnut. Zohar’s Israeli and Jewish identity were celebrated as a joy and an asset – not something that I take for granted in today’s climate. 

Zohar’s classmates were thoughtful, curious, and kind; the parent community was welcoming, caring, and supportive. The BZ educators are sensitive, creative, dedicated professionals; the administrators unfailingly helpful, empathetic, and generous; the security team and support staff incredibly friendly, firm, and vigilant. BZ has created an exceptional community that walks the talk of mutual responsibility in the most genuine and thoughtful way – you all have a lot to be proud of! 

The circumstances under which we got to know BZ were pretty dreadful; nevertheless, we feel so fortunate to have become part of the BZ community. What otherwise would have been a stressful time of boredom and frustration for Zohar was transformed into an incredible opportunity for learning and growth! 

Common wisdom teaches that it is better to give than to receive – but really, that is like saying it is better to exhale than to inhale. One can not exist without the other, and they are always in constant flow. Every day, we are, each and every one of us, part of one tremendous organism of giving and receiving.

עולם חסד יבנה (מ״ג, תהילים פ״ט, ג) 
The world is built and rebuilt, each moment, by infinite acts of lovingkindness, divine and human.

May we all be blessed with many long, peaceful years of inhaling and exhaling, receiving and giving, repairing the world, one small act of kindness at a time. 

Another thing we say and hear a lot in Israel these days is – may we repay your kindness on happy occasions. This time, my family and I were on the receiving end, and we are so grateful. I pray that we are given the opportunity to pass it forward, in joy, with the sensitivity, grace, and compassion we experienced when the BZ family stepped up for us.