One good deed leads to another, and when this deed is done as a group, the results can be very inspiring.
Recently, Magen David Yeshivah Celia Esses High School’s 11th graders spent an afternoon performing several acts of hesed in conjunction with several organizations in our community. The day proved to be an uplifting experience that promoted unity while instilling in the students awareness about the needs of the community.
The members of the MDY student government worked together to create a program 
that would enable them to work with different organizations, giving the students several opportunities to engage in hesed. The day provided hands on experience to the students who were directly involved in organizing it.
They helped the autistic children from Reach for the Stars, prepared food in the Masbia Soup Kitchen, helped paint in a school, and assisted with the SBH clothes drive. What they each gained was both gratifying and fulfilling and the teachers got to see their students perform in a very positive light.
“The goal was to take what they learned in class and to live it. One day made such a tremendous impact, and the kids got so much out of it,” said Charles Anteby.
Upon returning to school, the students immediately created a slideshow about the experiences they shared together as a group.
Since the project was so successful, MDY is planning to have several more hesed days, for all of the other grades. Thanks go to the student government: Alberto Sameke, Rosie Cohen, Eddie Haber and Abie Franco, for spearheading the project, 
Charles Anteby and the faculty members who participated in the afternoon and to all the organizations that participated—Reach for the Stars, SBH, Masbia Soup Kitchen, Yachad, and Ohel.
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Randi Shomer is a community member, mother of four children and a freelance writer.
