This week, Senior Kindergarten students participated in a meaningful study of  צדקה  (tzedakah). To many, tzedakah is synonymous with charity, but the word actually derives from the root צ ד ק (tzadee, dalet, kuf) meaning ‘justice.’ Students spent time learning and reflecting about what tzedakah is, why it's important to give back and conversing with each other to find new ideas for giving tzedakah.

Next, the class put their ideas on paper which resulted in an enormous list that identified a great number of ways a Senior Kindergartener can help people. Many students were proud to share that they already find ways to help others and participate in a variety of beautiful activities that allow them to help repair the world.  

After completing individual writing assignments where they wrote what they wanted to do with the tzedakah they earned, students designed their own tzedakah box and sketched how they wanted to decorate it. They then painted their tzedakah box and added embellishments. They also decided how they would want to use the tzedakah they earn/collect to help the world. Each student came up with a beautiful way to help others and were so excited to bring their special tzedakah box home to fill it up, help as much as they can and then repeat the cycle all over again. Ask your SK friends what they want to do with the tzedakah they collect and check out some of their lovely ideas with the list below!

I’d like to earn tzedakah to help…

Teddy: People who don’t have enough money to buy anything

Kylie: Help other people

Stella: Help people who need food

Poppy: Don’t destroy animal homes

Ellie: Poor people

Joey: Homeless people

Tal: Food organizations

Sam: Help a guy who needs money because he doesn’t have money and wants to buy things

Jacob: The animals in the shelter

Quinn: Help people in the hospital get blankets and toys

Josh: The environment

Ari: Poor people

Max: People that don’t have tzedakah

Lev: Animals that are endangered

Brock: Help poor people

Lily: People get blankets

Haley: Help people eat

Sam: I am going to give money to a homeless shelter to plant trees

Sloan: With my dad and my brother, I give homeless people food

Ari: Get blankets for animals

Simon: Homeless people

Ella: Give money to poor people

Dovi: Animals