By Andrew F., Seventh Grade, Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation
The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented schools from holding many of their annual traditions. At the Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation, one program that was sidelined during the height of the pandemic was “Friend-to-Friend,” in which students from different grade levels interact and learn many lifelong lessons.
Rabbi Marci Jacobs, KSDS’s middle school head of Jewish life, co-leads the program and teaches Jewish history and Bible classes.
“The purpose of the program is to foster connections between students across different grades,” she says. “It’s really a chance to allow students to engage with each other and feel a sense of community and shared purpose beyond just the individual class.”
Rabbi Jacobs says Friend-to-Friend is a great way for older students to grow as leaders and for younger students to learn from peers. She is a big advocate of the program because of the values it teaches, including being part of a Jewish community. When students interact with people who they don’t know and likely don’t share much in common (due to the age differences), it strengthens their value of קהילה (community).
In the future, Rabbi Jacobs says she would like to see the Friend-to-Friend program develop and grow even more.
“This year we are planning [Friend-to-Friend] activities once a trimester,” she says. “We did one for Thanksgiving, and we’re planning for one during the next Jewish holiday.”
Toby Kaplowitz is in charge of the Jewish life component at the lower school at KSDS. She co-leads the Friend-to-Friend program.
“Our goals are really to develop relationships between the younger and older students, and we hope that those relationships will continue outside of the program,” she says.
Kaplowitz says the school tries to foster connections with student peers.
“Now that KSDS is not divided into lower school and middle school, one of the ways that we’re trying to bridge the students is by having more programs between the younger and older kids,” she says, noting that these connections can lead to positive meetings in the hallways that really lift kids’ spirits.
Ann Berman, a longtime third grade Hebrew and Judaic studies teacher at KSDS, says the program has always been a highlight of KSDS.
The Friend-to-Friend program is embraced by KSDS students as well. Ben S., a seventh-grader, says it is a great program that allows younger and older students to bond and share experiences with each other.
“It’s just a great overall program,” he says.
Ben A., a fellow seventh grader, explains that as an older student, the program allows him to share what he has learned with younger students. He also says it’s a fun way to spend Friday mornings engaged in meaningful activities.
Despite the hiatus during quarantine, the Friend-to-Friend program has returned to KSDS in full force and has been embraced by students and teachers alike.
Andrew F. is seventh grade student at the Krieger Schechter Day School of Chizuk Amuno Congregation.
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