When I began to plan a year of Mitzvot for the Hebrew High School, the task seemed overwhelming. But as we continue our activities, I feel this program is both successful and rewarding.

Maimonides said, "The purpose of the Mitzvot is to promote compassion, loving kindness and peace in the world."

Our goal is to have students come away from their experiences with a greater understanding of their Jewishness, with an understanding that what they have done and learned is part of their growth as Jews.

Twice a month students participate in a mitzvah program, such as helping to build the synagogue’s sukkah. They’re also engaged in kibud zekaynim (honoring the elderly) and ma’achil re’evim (feeding the hungry). We’re very proud of our students for always taking part in m’aasim tovim (good deeds).

I’d like to share with you some thoughts of two students who were involved in the mitzvah program.

As part of our Continuing Our Jewish Education (COJE) program, the students participate in activities that benefit the outside community or further our awareness of what it really means to be a Jew.

On October 29, we visited Temple Oheb Shalom in South Orange, which a few times a year serves as a food distribution for people in need. Our job was to carry the food packages to transportation sites. We also helped to make packages of juice, bread and miscellaneous items, such as soap or shampoo.

The next week, we went to a senior citizens’ residential center where we talked one on one with residents, learning about each other’s lives and sharing experiences. We helped them decorate picture frames. Then the group leader took a picture of each resident with a student, and each picture was mounted in the frame for the resident to take back to his or her apartment. Merrill Silver played the piano and led the group in singing Yiddish songs.

--Samuel Eichner

Last week, a few friends from my COJE class and I went to the Harel House in South Orange to do arts and crafts with senior citizens. We aided in the decoration of frames and we visited with the residents.

 I thought that the visit was very good. It felt good to help the people who could not do the art projects by themselves. They enjoyed making the frames and they also seemed to enjoy our company. I was glad I went and I would do it in the future.