Temple Israel's littlest hands make a big difference

Temple Israel's L'Dor v'Dor youth group for students in second through fifth grade put tikkun olam into action by learning about composting during their first activity of the school year on Sunday, Sept. 8. The group, which is open to MAGAL religious school students from Temple Israel, Temple Shir Shalom, and Congregation Beth Am, meets every other month after Sunday religious school to focus on community concerns, Jewish heritage, and simply socializing with friends.

After reading the PJ Library book, "26 Big Things Small Hands Do," the children discussed some of the ways they can make a difference, from being kind and helping friends to recycling and taking care of our planet. To continue with the overarching theme of tikkun olam during this gathering, the kids made posters encouraging congregants to recycle as well as reduce waste. They discussed materials that can be recycled, talked about what their families recycle at home, and then dug a little deeper into composting and collecting food waste. Since MAGAL families gather for Shabbat dinners throughout the school year, students talked about doing something with the food waste from those dinners.

To put their plan into action, the kids decorated a large collection bin with their names and handprints. During each dinner, the food waste will be collected in the bin, dropped off at a participating Orlando-area famer's market (Parramore, Orlando, or Audubon Park), sent to an anaerobic digester, and converted into electricity!

To learn more about the City of Orlando's Food Waste Drop-Off Program or to request a free compost bin, visit https://www.orlando.gov/Initiatives/Food-Waste-Drop-Off. For more information about L'Dor v'Dor, visit https://www.tiflorida.org/learning/temple-israels-youth-programs.