Consuls General Visit At Hillel For Invited Dignitaries

Honored guests and invited dignitaries

By Dupè Aleru
    Last Friday, Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy hosted its “Consuls General Visit” during a school-wide assembly  which honored those who responded to the December fires that broke out in Haifa, Northern Israel, claiming 42 lives.
    Hillel Academy was a segment of those who quickly responded to the fires. Its student council immediately organized an assembly the following day, preceding the fires.  The agenda of the assembly was to educate the school staff and students on the Israeli fires as well as come up with a response in lending a hand to the Israel community. Hillel immediately began to include Shacharit davening (morning prayers) into its daily routine in addition to collecting funds that will help purchase blankets and bedding for a dormitory school who was victim to the fires. Hillel’s gratitude was given to those who quickly responded and came to the aid of their brothers and sisters in Israel, by writing letters.
    “It is very important for us to know that while we are doing very difficult work here in Israel–children from Los Angeles are thinking of us and sending us strength. We received all your letters to pass them on to our friends–the firefighters,” said Israeli firefighters David, Eitan and Motti.
    The journey is not over. Hillel’s eighth grade girls went to Israel last week on their student exchange program. They will use the funds raised to purchase and personally hand deliver the blankets and bedding to the school in Northern Israel on Jan. 25.
    From performances by Hillel’s choir and presentation letters read by students to flowers given to invited dignitaries and closing remarks by Rabbi Y. Boruch Sufrin, one can say that the “Consuls General Visit” proved to be a victorious celebration. It showed that an individual or group of young children can make a difference in the world by showing acts of kindness, compassion and strength to one another. Job well done Hillel!