Happy Chanukah!!
It is really such a delight to walk down the streets in Israel and see all the lit menorot that the municipality puts up. There are shining chanukiot on the street lights and Chabad has put up their menorah sans fire truck in the center of town. The chanukah cheer is further reinforced by the amount of sufganiyot consumed. For some reason these fried doughnuts bring a joy and happiness that surpass all other treats.
This week was not all fun and sufganiyot though – I traveled North to learn about one of the OU programs called the Oraita Jack Gindi program. Below are my thoughts upon returning from the auspicious trip. Looking forward to hearing what you think.
Chag Sameach.
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Having grown up in the tri-state area, when I think of drugs, vandalism, violence, warring gangs, broken homes - I think of Harlem. I think of the uneducated, struggling to get by, yet somehow stuck in a vicious cycle and not being able to claw free. I’ll tell you what I don’t think of. I don’t think of the gangs wearing yarmulkes, or the vandals going home to eat a Shabbos meal, or a dealer saying a bracha on the food he eats after he sells his stash.
Today I thought of those things.
Today I saw kids, Jewish kids, struggling to solidify their identity in a world where they can’t claw free. These children are surrounded by their enemies, other gangs who spread rumors of their violence and who threaten their lives every day. These Jewish souls feel forgotten and lost; they have no clear direction, and no hope for the future.
I feel — the only term I can really think of right now – is heartsick. I wish that these children could experience a care-free childhood. While that is not possible, I am grateful for one salvation for these kids. One haven where they get to forget about toughing out the streets, taking care of their broken families, or proving they have the right to live. This program is called D’oraita. It provides a safe place where there are trained professionals who care and know what these kids are going through. The professionals lead sessions in self discipline, in education and in safe -fun, provoking a vision of a brighter future. Through D’oraita these children learn how to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Today I was with D’oraita as they journeyed around Acco, giving out Sufganiyot to families who couldn’t afford it and dancing and singing with those who hardly ever utter the name of G-d. Today, these children toured the Prison of Acco, now a museum, and learned they are not the only ones who fight to preserve their identity. They learned that there are those who fought before them and that those people made a difference. They learn, every time that take a part in a D’oraita event or program, that they are not alone.
I learned that there is much work to be done and so many need help. And I want to help.
