‘Day of Kindness’ in Memory of Sandy Hook Victims

The thread of kindness was spread through the hallways of Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy (LYA), in Longmeadow, MA on Wednesday, December 25, as almost 120 guests, parents and students participated in a day of Tzedaka (charity) and Kindness.

LYA chose this theme in recognition of the Sandy Hook Families. On their new memorial website, http://mysandyhookfamily.org/, the families, on the site’s description page, request that people perform an act of kindness to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy. “In this way, we hope that some small measure of good may be returned to the world.

Fourth and Fifth grade students began their day of kindness at the Jewish Nursing Home. While there they read stories and played games with the residents.

In the afternoon LYA Judaic staff prepared a variety of interactive activities for the children and their parents to enjoy. Charity boxes were decorated and children designated their personal money for almost twenty different charities. Designated charities included: Cancer Research, Chabad Houses, Friendship Circle, IDF, Ruth’s House and The Red Cross.

Cookie decorating was a big hit as children delicately decorated two cookies. One they enjoyed during the program and the second they designated to give as a gift to someone outside of school.

In the drama room children acted out a story explaining how it is within everyone’s ability to spread the thread of kindness. Following each play, participants wrote down how they will spread kindness in school and at home.

Interactive games involved discussions on how to treat others with kindness. Children enjoyed sitting down and listening to kindness stories. Activities engaged preschool students through eighth grade.