Am Yisrael Chai lunch club going strong
The key objective was to foster a connection to Israel and strengthen students' Jewish identity, particularly with growing global antisemitism.
In the wake of the tragic events that have unfolded since October 7 last year, Jewish experiential educators at The King David School (KDS) responded with a meaningful initiative in the form of a lunchtime club for the junior school called Am Yisrael Chai.
The key objective was to foster a connection to Israel and strengthen students’ Jewish identity, particularly with growing global antisemitism.
The club ran every week after October 7 throughout 2023. This year it takes place once a month on Rosh Codesh.
Louise Lowinger, Learning Area Leader Jewish Studies said, “The greatest thing we can do with young students in particular is to give them the opportunity to come together, to share in activities, to feel a sense of joy and to celebrate as they are finding who they are and what it means to be a young Jew, to give them joyful experience and memory.”
At the beginning of the month of Elul, students made Shana Tova cards for their families using apple-shaped stamps made from wine corks and red diamantes for the seeds of a pomegranate, representing the 613 mitzvot in the torah.
The activity allowed for an expression of gratitude, hope and wishes for renewal in preparation for the new year.
Earlier in the year, year 5 students mentored younger students in creating blue and white loom band accessories, reinforcing the values of cooperation and leadership within the school community.
Israeli flags are part of the decor in a Jewish school and Lowinger explained that during one of the Am Yisrael Chai lunch clubs students hand painted one of the largest flags now on display.
“It is not just a symbol of Israel, but it’s actually a symbol of their belonging to a broad Jewish worldwide community whose own land is Israel. Each one of them added a handprint to the canvas.”
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