Students at SINAI Shalem at Ma’ayanot teamed up with Bear Givers, an organization that aims to spread happiness with personal visits, handwritten notes and the gift of a soft, cuddly teddy bear, to perform their own acts of chesed.
At the Jan. 13 program at SINAI at Ma’ayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls, the girls decorated T-shirts for the teddy bears and wrote notes to their future recipients, residents of a senior nursing facility. The students will deliver the bears to the residents.
Bear Givers, run by founder Joseph Sprung, president Michele Mirman and Executive Director Diane Lempert, provides children with disabilities the opportunity to experience the fulfillment of being givers. SINAI students have thrived as both recipients and givers through their interactions with the organization, which, since 2014, has generously sponsored SINAI’s Annual Unique Inspirations Art Show as part of their EmpowerART Program.
With smiles on their faces, the girls enjoyed both preparing the bears for donation and having a cuddle with them. “It was cool, we got to dress the bears,” said one SINAI at Ma’ayanot student about the experience.
“Acts of chesed are part of daily life at SINAI at Ma’ayanot. We consistently engage with different organizations, and commit to doing acts of chesed,” said SINAI at Ma’ayanot Director Ilana Picker. “We are privileged to partner with an organization such as Bear Givers, who reinforce our values of Tikkun Olam. Knowing that the bears will be given as a source of comfort to elderly people who are not well is incredibly gratifying for our students, who understand that no matter who you are—you have a responsibility in this world to do this work and give back to the community.”
Bear Givers will receive the Community Partner Award at SINAI’s Annual Benefit Dinner on Feb. 23 at the Glenpointe Marriott in Teaneck. Avi and Aviva Vogel and Abigail Hepner Gross will also be honored at the Dinner. Find more information, make your dinner reservations and donate at sinaidinner.org or email [email protected].
