Busy Day - Community Service by Eileen Krause

By Eileen Krause:  Today was our final day at our school - an elementary school in a south Tel Aviv neighborhood.  There were  six volunteers tutoring English fluency and conversation to students in grades 3 - 6.  All of the students had smile on their faces daily.  They were a pleasure to instruct each day.   Today was an extraordinary day. We observed the English teacher teach a lesson to a  Grade 6 class.  The children stood up and applauded as we entered the room.  They were so excited.  We watched as the teacher taught the lesson.  Three of us were asked to participate in the lesson - really fun.  Finally, we were asked to go to the Teachers' Room.  Several of the 6th graders stood together.  They sang to us.  Then they read alone original poetry.  It was so moving  Their faces told the story - we had touched them to their core souls.  They too had touched us to our souls - something  very special.  The principal and English teacher spoke to us, praising our work at the site.  They requested we return next year. We were given a cookbook made by the students and parents from the community.  Their family traditions and stories were included in with the recipes.  A beautiful ceramic magnet and a school newspaper  and a book of letters from the students were given to us to take back home. Finally the principal and the 6 of us posed for a photo.  Again,  she suggested we might return, G-d willing, next year!  What can I say...took our breath away!

This morning we started the day with Community Service.....observe CAARI at work!