Teaching Tu B'Shevat

Each year, the madrichim at PSJC have to plan lessons to teach to our classes on our own. This year, I plan to teach Kitah Gan about Tu B'Shevat, the birthday of the trees. In previous years, we have made seder plates or played Hebrew Boggle, so this year seems slightly boring in comparison. We will be making dirt and worms from pudding, Oreos and gummy worms, doing a sticker activity and reading The Lorax. What I'm most excited for is reading The Lorax, one of my ultimate favorite Dr. Suess books. While reading it for the lesson, I found myself with goosebumps. But, how could you not react to the words of the Once-ler, reflecting on his wrong doings and the lifting of the Lorax. He says, "UNLESS someone like you cares a who awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." And I think that pretty much sums up our role as teens, as madrichim, as Jews, as students and as people. I guess, in a very basic sense, it is my job to be passionate about something, be it learning or tzedakah. That passion, more than anything else, is what I hope to find and to teach to my students.

I'll let you all know how the lesson goes, and, of course, when I find things that I truly do care an awful lot about.

-Julie