The Middle School will be celebrating Purim in many ways, including practicing Matanot LaEvyonim – gifts for the poor. In their Tagliot class, students were divided into groups about different issues that they care about. 

The Gender Equity Group is focusing on the importance of access to menstrual hygiene products for those in need. Did you know that 1 in 5 people in Chicago do not have access to pads, liners, tampons, cloths, etc.? For Purim, on Tuesday, March 10, all grades will be participating in community service projects. The 8th grade will be working with The Period Collective (https://theperiodcollective.org/). The Period Collective provides people in need with menstrual hygiene products. 

For their service, students will be packing pad bags! "Pad bags" consist of 30 pads and 22 panty liners. In order to do this, they need each family to bring in pads and panty liners. The more they have, the more pad bags they can make. The more pad bags they make, the more people we can help. Please have your child bring in pads and panty liners by Friday, March 6. 

They can be given to Estie, Eliza, Mia, Ruby, Elsie, Rebecca, Ms. Sanzenbacher, or any 8th-grade advisor. 

From March 2 - March 9, the Middle School is also hosting a drive to collect as many travel-sized toiletries as possible to fill hygiene kits for the Night Ministry, an organization that works with adults and youth who are currently struggling with poverty. Please send any travel-size shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and the like to school with your child. On the day of Purim, 7th-grade students will assemble the kits. Donations will be accepted in room 323. If you're curious about the Night Ministry, or would like to see a more complete list of what they need, visit https://www.thenightministry.org/other-ways-to-support at your convenience.  

Thank you for helping us honor the true spirit of Purim!