Better Together
“At the end of By Aliza Chanales, MS Assistant Principal the day, they are or the past two years, Yeshivat Noam has been the beneficiary of a generous grant just versions of called “Better Together™” from a well-renowned national foundation. As part of the you, but with grant, the Sixth Grade travels every month to the Daughters of Miriam nursing home in many more Clifton, NJ. There, they gather around tables, young and old sitting together, talking and memories and sharing. On every visit, the students and residents participate in a joint art project related to the upcoming Jewish holidays, they talk about traditions and about school and life, and then much more life they sing, accompanied by Rabbi Dr. Alex Mondrow on the guitar. experience.”
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It is a pleasure and a privilege to see our young students put aside their own lives and focus on the mitzvah of hiddur pnei zakein, glorifying and respecting the elderly. The repeated visits, along with the carefully planned activities by Ms. Barbra Solomon, allow the students to become increasingly comfortable sharing and learning from the seniors. They become invested in their lives, seek out their stories, and look forward to seeing them again. Connecting with the older generation allows the Sixth Graders to begin to imagine the lives they have ahead of them and the experiences they want to fill them with. And, of course, it also brings smiles and energy to the faces of the wonderful people who call Daughters of Miriam their home. When asked to reflect on her experience, Sixth Grader Maya Krause wrote a letter from her 90-year-old self to her current-day self, which beautifully captures the depth of the experience: “Once my skin wrinkled and I started using a cane, it was as if the younger me became invisible. Now people talk to me like I am a child. It is frustrating because I know I have so much experience to share. My voice may not be as loud, and my back may not be as straight, but underneath I am still that strong woman… Think of a senior in your life. Instead of just saying a quick hello, or giving them a pleasant smile or hug, try something different. Ask them questions about their life and their memories. Get their advice. Give them the same attention you would want someone to give you today. Take advantage of all their life experience …They may look different. They may need help eating or getting out of their bed. They may talk more slowly…But at the end of the day, they are just versions of you, with many more memories and much more life experience. When you hold their hand and ask them questions because you really want to get to know them, it will bring a smile to their face.” We hope all of our Sixth Graders, as they reach gil mitzvot and approach adulthood, will internalize these values of caring about other people, understanding them, and learning about them. We know they will carry this experience with them for many years to come.
6 | DARCHEI NOAM
MIDDLE SCHOOL