Yavneh Academy launched B.I.G. Week—Buy Israeli Goods Week from May 10-16. B.I.G. week is a project spearheaded by seventh graders as part of their Advisory program unit “Do Not Stand Idly By” as they attempt to combat the BDS movement which discourages purchasing Israeli products. The unit called “Do Not Stand Idly By” focuses on the fact that we are responsible for one another and when injustice is happening we cannot stand idly by and must be “upstanders.” Now Israel needs our support more than ever!

One way to stand up to the BDS movement is by going out and buying Israeli products. The campaign was two-fold. First, students contacted the local kosher supermarkets who agreed to hang a banner in their windows that said “Join Yavneh Academy’s BIG Week and Buy Israeli Goods.” Then Yavneh families were asked to go to one of the participating supermarkets, and after they purchase Israeli products to take photos of themselves holding the items.

The second piece of the campaign was to sell Israeli products in school to the middle school students on Yom Yerushalayim to raise funds for Stand With Us. The sale was an overwhelming success, raising $250 and was single- handedly coordinated by the seventh graders.

Yavneh Academy thanks local kosher supermarkets Cedar Market, Glatt Express, Grand and Essex and Ma’adan for their support in this campaign. Students who sent in photos holding the Israeli products were featured on the Yavneh BIG DAY bulletin board!

After participating in BIG Week and their Advisory unit, students realized that even though they may be “small” they can achieve “BIG” things for others and for Israel!