RECENTLY, SBH BUSES TOOK 400 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO UPSTATE NEW YORK FOR THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SBH JUNIOR MARATHON. THIS WEEKEND, AND PREPARING FOR IT, TAUGHT THE STUDENTS ABOUT HESED, SELF-ENCOURAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP.
For many of these students, the Junior Marathon is the first time they raise money for charity, train for a 10K, and experience a full weekend away from home. It’s SBH’s goal to imbue the next generation of leaders with hesed, kindness and the dedication to give back.
Esther Naftali, one of the Junior Marathon Captains, shared her thoughts on the incredible weekend, “SBH Junior Marathon is a weekend never to be forgotten. It is filled with excitement, inspiration, motivation, and devotion. The beautiful and delicious Shabbat meals, as well as the fun and games provided, are just one small part of the weekend. From musical chairs to writing Shabbat-o-grams, to dancing in the rain, to running in the marathon, there’s always more excitement coming your way. Running in the marathon helps build one’s confidence and gives the runners that little boost that they can do anything they put their minds to. The speeches given throughout the weekend keep you on edge. The emotions and spirituality one feels during the times of the singing and speeches, won’t only change one’s perspective on hesed, but on one’s entire life as well! As you watch the tears fall and feel the love and connection to the people around you, you will want to freeze time, and live in that moment forever. Being a part of this powerful trip causes you to truly change your idea of hesed. Hesed isn’t only about giving to, caring for, and loving people without receiving anything in return; Hesed isn’t about changing the world and doing something astronomical. True hesed, in its essence, is acts of kindness to others, it’s the small acts done for the ones closest to you. It’s those tiny little acts that will bring you to the start of something new. This truly is what the idea of SBH’s Junior Marathon is all about. Taking that first step and desiring to do that hesed without it feeling like a chore, getting that feeling of accomplishment, and most importantly, giving you that push and opening your eyes to what SBH is all about. Hesed is a ripple effect. Trust me, once you start, you will never want to stop.”
The SBH Youth Division has hesed events every night of the week.
