Last week, Bruriah students participated in an inspiring Yom Chesed. They were privileged to hear divrei torah from Rabbi Daniel Kalish, renowned mechanech and Menahel of the Mesivta of Waterbury. Rabbi Kalish outlined the fundamental perspective regarding why we do acts of chesed: namely, to recognize and value the holiness of each and every Jew. Rabbi Kalish explained that it is imperative for each of us to break down our preconceived notions of what makes someone a Jew, and when we recognize that all that matters is us and Hashem, then we will come to perform acts of chesed with the purest of intentions.

With this in mind, students participated in a meaningful chesed activity of assembling teddy bears to be distributed to children at several local hospitals. Students had fun stuffing, dressing, and accessorizing the bears, and then packaging them with thoughtful handwritten notes to raise the spirits of the recipients. Students will be giving them out at local hospitals in the days leading up to Purim as a way to spread added simcha in the month of Adar.