This past Friday, RYNJ launched the third annual Rabbi K. zt”l Chesed Day. In the merit of Rabbi Kaminetsky zt”l, the entire school devoted time to a special activity to keep his memory and life’s lessons alive. This year, we partnered with Tomchei Shabbos of Bergen County and The Friendship Circle as students throughout the school were engaged in helpful activities of kindness to benefit these community organizations.

RYNJ early childhood yeladim created a “Shabbos Is Coming!” banner for the Tomchei Shabbos building. Grades one and two designed colorful labels for black and white cookies that were sold to support Tomchei Shabbos. Grades three through five colored postcards and wrote messages for Friendship Circle campers in the summer. The middle school girls created friendship bracelets with encouraging messages for Friendship Circle group home campers and middle school boys packed snack boxes for children for Tomchei Shabbos.

For me and my peers in the middle school boys division, it started with Rabbi Kaminetzky zt”l’s son, Rabbi Yisroel Kaminetsky, who introduced the day and shared what chesed meant to his father. Afterward, we packed over 130 boxes which had juice boxes, candy and potato chips in them which will bring smiles to children’s faces. We also sold cookies.

The day of chesed was something Rabbi K. zt”l stood for and lived by. All around it was a great day of learning and kindness—just a few of the ways to show what Rabbi K. zt”l meant to everyone.

By Akiva Parver Class of 2021