Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By richards on December 9, 2014

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) Students from a local Jewish elementary school are doing something a little bit different this holiday season.

The grade seven students at Vancouvers Talmud Torah Elementary have been busy preparing Hanukkah packages to send to Burnabys Ismaili Centre school in hopes of building a connection based on tolerance, curiosity and pride. In return they will receive packages teaching them about an upcoming Islamic holiday.

I am really happy and excited that we can learn about their religion and that they are going to learn about ours, explains student Ben Bogdonov. We try to give our utmost respect to everybody.and it feels really good to put a package together to teach kids our age about our holiday.

Student Alisa Bressler says all the kids in the school have helped put the gifts together. I think what we are really trying to accomplish is to encourage people to be themselves and really celebrate diversity.

No matter what race you are or religion you are, you can make a difference, adds student Zevi Kline. I really dont know anything about the Muslim [faith] and I want to learn about other religions because I dont just want to know about one thing, I want to know about everything.

Camille Millman notes this wouldnt be possible without her teacher Shoshana Burton,she makes us want to change the world, and change how we look at other people..we have this amazing teacher that inspires us in so many ways.

I hope that everyone from the Muslim school and everyone [else] realizes that diversity is really special and that we should teach everyone that diversity is beautiful, Millman explains. Its really inspiring actually because not many schools can say that we got to teach another faith about what we do on Hanukkah and lot of people cant say they got to learn about other faiths.

This exchange is the beginning of a partnership that will continue in February where the kids will have the opportunity to meet in person.

Talmud Torah is also sending gifts to St Augustines Catholic school and a First Nations elementary school on Vancouver Island.

Originally posted here:

A student gift exchange spreads the message of diversity this holiday season

Category: Talmud
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