In a heartwarming display of its commitment to its core values, The Leffell School ushered in the new academic year by embodying the principles of midot u’gemilut chasidim (character) and kehillah (community). Students across all three divisions of this k-12 independent Jewish day school, located in White Plains and Hartsdale, engaged in various acts of chesed, or kindness, during the past month.
The school’s annual BBQ Bash event in early September saw lower school students extending Rosh Hashanah greetings to local seniors by crafting and decorating cards that were later delivered to assisted living facilities, offering a simple yet profound gesture that brought smiles to the faces of elderly residents.
In the middle school, eighth graders dedicated a morning to assisting community members who needed help constructing sukkot in preparation for the holiday. To identify those who might need assistance, Leffell communicated this opportunity through its weekly newsletters and social media. Armed with a list of homes in need, students divided into groups and eagerly embarked on the task of assembling sukkot, enabling those who may not have built their own to fulfill this mitzvah.
High school students at Leffell have embraced multiple opportunities for community service since the school year began. The ninth graders visited three nearby fire stations before 9/11, where they prepared and served a hearty brunch to the firefighters. Inspired by the shared memories of a school parent who survived the World Trade Center attack and their personal interactions with local fire safety staff during fire and lockdown drills, the teens were eager to acknowledge these vital community members.
Meanwhile, in 12th grade, students enrolled in the environmental science elective undertook a “reverse taschlich” project. They collaborated with the Westchester Park Foundation to clean up the Bronx River, focusing on removing the litter that mars its shores. In addition to casting bread into a body of water on Rosh Hashanah to represent the casting away of sins, during “reverse taschlich,” the students actively beautified the natural surroundings by cleaning and cataloging trash along the riverbank. This initiative allowed them to explore the impact of pollutants on the environment, exemplifying how The Leffell School seamlessly integrates learning across general studies subjects and limudei kodesh.
While The Leffell School prides itself on its academic excellence, it places equal importance on nurturing a culture of kindness, chesed and kehillah. This commitment is exemplified by various programs and activities throughout the year, including a student Kavod and Kindness Committee and an annual Yom Chesed in the lower school, meal preparation with the high school’s Friendly Fridge Club to combat food insecurity, and a transformative 10th-grade trip to Washington, DC, where students engage with the city’s homeless population and lobby on Capitol Hill to advocate for improved services for those living in poverty.
The impact of Leffell’s focus on these midot is evident. As one senior stated when asked if he plans to continue volunteering in college, “Yes, of course. My whole life. I want to do community service my whole life.”
