Years ago, the focal point of a typical 8th grader’s future centered on which high school he would attend that fall. Today there is so much more to think about. With this in mind, Magen David Yeshivah (MDY) encourages and guides today’s 8th` graders with an abundance of programs to instill possible career paths.
Recently, 8th graders participated in “Career Soup Day.” All 8th graders helped create soup—cutting and peeling vegetables—to be given to Sephardic Bikur Holim. But there is more to it. Using a soup recipe as an example, adding ingredients to a recipe, is compared to adding components to a career path. While learning and interviewing people in various careers, students will be creating a career cookbook. This is just one of the interactive career activities Beth Goldberg and Yosef BenChaviv have introduced to students as career advisors in Magen David Yeshivah.
The 8th graders of MDY and their parents were invited to an informative morning that helped explore the many different career paths and opportunities available. As a firm believer that it is never too early to choose, or ponder, a career path, I was pleased to attend MDY’s Career Day.
After morning prayers, faculty members, parents and students enjoyed an elegant breakfast catered by Magen David’s kitchen staff, led by David Shamah and Joe Chea. Focusing on the theme at hand, Norma Cohen creatively designed “career path” centerpieces, which were displayed at each table.
Rabbi Baruch Hilsenrath, principal of Magen David, greeted the students and parents with an introduction to the morning’s activities. While enjoying breakfast, Mr. Jeff Sutton addressed the crowd with a powerful speech. By breaking down each school subject, and giving examples of the roles each subject can play in everyday life, he caught the attention of all the students, as well as the parents. I think this was an integral part of the morning.
“In a few months you will be graduating and will embark on your new life. What are your goals? Everyday you can move closer to achieving your goals and learn how to implement what you learned in everyday life,” said Jeff Sutton.
After breakfast, students were handed ‘passports’—to inspire thoughts of traveling through the future, to be stamped at each career booth. You could feel the students’ excitement and enthusiasm as they listened to each presenter. Each booth presenter had six minutes to speak about his/her profession, and hoped to leave an impression on the students. Magen David’s gym was transformed for the fair, under the guidance of Yeeshai Gross. Each booth was built to resemble a stage set, centering on each profession presented. Members of the community represented the fields of medicine, law, party planning, wholesale, photography, finance, interior design, architecture, becoming a rabbi, therapy and nutrition. They offered a wide spectrum of ideas to the students to guide them. The students worked hard to create brochures for each booth, and even lent a hand in painting the sets.
The day was coordinated by Dr. Howard Kurtz, our parent liaison, at MDY. “The concept of career day emanated from the vision of our president Mr. Eddie Esses and Rabbi Hilsenrath. They realized that for our children to be self-sufficient, education and career must be placed at the forefront. It is this hope of inspiring our children that got all our distinguished presenters, Yeeshai Gross and myself involved,” said Dr. Howard Kurtz.
Magen David would like to thank Barbara and Abe Chehebar, who generously sponsored the morning in memory of Alfred I. Sutton, A”H. Thank you to Eichler’s Judaica Books and to Rachel and Morris Tabush for donating the MacBook Air. Given the chance to see into the future, the 8th graders were exposed to an early glance of careers that might play into their future. Good luck to the graduates!
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Randi Shomer is a community member, mother of four children, and a freelance writer for IMAGE Magazine.
