AT WEIZMANN DAY SCHOOL, the staff works hard to foster compassion in the community.
Toward this end, Weizmann proudly partnered with PJTC and B’nai Simcha in October to help local refugee families from the Middle East and Africa. Kristin Burke, founder of Second Families (an organization that helps ease the transition to the U.S. for refugee families), met with our 4th through 8th grade students. Ms. Burke spoke about the importance of support for refugee families. Weizmann students then brought in household cleaning supplies and toiletries for refugees living in the El Cajon area. These refugees have escaped war, persecution and other horrific conditions. Although the families have moved on to better living conditions, they often require assistance with meeting the basic needs of everyday life. Weizmann is happy to have been able to help these families with their personal needs. In doing so, the students—many of whom are new to America themselves—learned the value of compassion for fellow human beings.
In November, Weizmann will reinforce this value in its annual Thanksgiving Mitzvah Project. First, students will learn about the work of Pasadena’s Union Station Homeless Services, an organization that has worked since 1973 to end homelessness in our community. Next, students will collect money from family and friends to support Union Station’s mission. Then, students will go together to shop for supplies to make sack lunches.
On November 22, the entire school will join with the community – including parents, grandparents, friends, neighbors, etc. – to make sandwiches and put together sack lunches that will go to Union Station to feed the Union Station community. They will conclude the morning with a special concert, singing songs of gratitude and Americana. The lunch-making will occur between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m., and the concert will be from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please join us for some or all of the morning’s events!
Weizmann’s Mission: to provide an enriching education, rooted in Jewish traditions and values, which fosters critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, character and compassion. To schedule a tour, inquire about the school, or make a donation, please cal(626) 797-0204 or visit www.weizmann.net.
