The Tobin Students say “Thank You!”
Over 100 students at the Maurice Tobin K-8 School, the Boston public school in Roxbury with which our Temple is partnered, received winter sweat suit-uniforms thanks to the generosity of BJS members who donated to our Chanukah gift fund.
Feedback from BJS family members in whose honor donations were made in lieu of typical holiday gifts has been very positive. All involved in this effort – the BJS community, Tobin School staff and families, Rabbi Berman who encouraged congregant participation and Merle Marquis who developed the focus of this year’s Chanukah collection – are thrilled that our small congregation has made a significant gift of winter clothing for Tobin children.
Help Provide Food
Can you help organize Food Bank provisions into family sized portions on Thursdays from about 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.? The Tobin Food Bank, supplied by the Greater Boston Food Bank (where our BJS Yom Kippur food donations were sent) is held twice a month at the Tobin School on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month.
They need support for this program, which is currently staffed by Tobin parents and neighborhood volunteers. Afterschool program families (often the neediest) receive these portions when they pick up their students at the end of the day.
Please email email us if you can help on upcoming Food Bank dates:
January 12th, 26th and February 9th.
Reading Volunteers Get Organized
On December 22nd, the first group of BJS volunteers met with Stefani Harvey, Tobin coordinator of community partner programs, for an informative training session organized by Bob Frank. Second through 5th graders (ages 7-12) enrolled in the afterschool session will read with BJS volunteers, offering students fun exposure to reading with native English speakers.
The ‘Tobin Reading Buddies’, a program developed specifically with the skills and scheduling needs of BJS members in mind, will begin on Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., starting January 5, 2012. The afterschool director will pair volunteers with a student for reading and, possibly, help with homework.
Congregants and their friends who are available for at least an hour should contact Bob at frankro@rcn.com to volunteer. It is not necessary to attend each week in order to participate since student/reader pairings are organized weekly, depending upon which BJS members are present. A short orientation and ID processing for CORI screening (for criminal record) is required before joining the program.
Help provide winter school uniforms for Tobin School students. Please consider a donation to help purchase winter sweat suits in Tobin navy blue with the "Team Tobin" logo. You are welcomed to honor family and friends with this special Chanukah gift, a meaningful way to commemorate the holiday while supporting undeserved Boston school children. BJS will send a letter of acknowledgement to your designated honoree with the following notation:
"Winter clothing for students at the Maurice Tobin K-8 Boston Public School has been purchased in your honor by (your name).
Happy Chanukah from Boston Jewish Spirit and Tobin School children!"
Sweatshirts and pants are priced at $15.00 for each piece, t-shirts are $10.00 and a three-piece set is $25.00. Donations marked Tobin School Chanukah gift can be mailed to BJS or dropped off at any BJS event in a donation envelope.
Tobin Community Food Bank
2nd and 4th Thursdays each month
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Join Tobin family volunteers to help sort food into individual family portions. These will be distributed to parents of children in the after school program, who tend to be the neediest. Three to five BJS volunteers would be very helpful on the upcoming dates:
December 15
December 29
January 12
January 26
We will continue on the second and fourth Thursdays each month throughout the school year. Please email us if you would like to sign up.
The Reading Club
Thursdays 3:00 - 6:30 PM
Read with a student in grades K, 1 or 2 to help them gain fluency in speaking and reading English. Most Tobin students are Hispanic and will benefit from hearing a story read by native English speakers. As volunteers arrive during the time period of the after school program they will be assigned a student and book to read together. Come for an hour or more. You do not need to attend every week to be involved in this program.
Please contact us to volunteer. Once we have a minimum of 10 volunteers a training session will be scheduled.
FALL 2011 TOBIN SCHOOL CLEAN UP
Pictures are better than words. Enjoy the happy faces as BJS donated school supplies to our entire "adopted" sixth grade and volunteers joined other community groups for the Annual Fall Clean-Up the next day.
More information to come about other BJS volunteer opportunities including our Kindergarten Literacy Program, assistance at the twice monthly community food bank based at Tobin, a Chanukah Book Drive and the continuation of our Speakers Program.
Please consider all the Bar and Bat Mitzvah candidates you know who might want to do a Mitzvah Project of book or winter wear drive for Tobin students. Leo can tell you his book drive last May was a terrific success for him and our students. We would be happy to guide a family or company through this process.
The Social Action Committee is looking for a few more members as we expand our projects at Tobin. Please contact us volunteer.
TOBIN AT BJS
Principal Cheryl Watson-Harris and Mrs. Nancy Araujo, teacher of our “adopted” fifth grade class, were warmly welcomed by Rabbi Berman and congregants at the June 10th Shabbat service. Expressing gratitude for BJS outreach, the Tobin School representatives shared positive observations of our inaugural year activities and suggestions for expanding the partnership.
It was an exciting and inspiring evening, sure to guide us as we grow this special relationship.
LEO’S BOOK FAIR
Congratulations and thank you to Leo Saitz, grandson of Phyllis and Alan Silver, who chose to share the joy of his recent Bar Mitzvah with Tobin School students. For Leo’s Mitzvah Project, guests were asked to bring new and gently used books for 3rd through 7th graders.
All involved were thrilled a few weeks later when Leo and his parents Robin and Sumner, assisted by Tobin and City Year staff, offered almost 400 books for pleasure reading to students and to teachers for classroom library collections.
Principal Harris has thanked Leo and BJS for this wonderful gift to students, many of whom were unable to purchase books at a school sale the week before.
If you know a Bar/Bat Mitzvah candidate or organization interested in a similar project, we would be happy to facilitate a collection of books or of children’s winter outerwear for Tobin students.
BJS AT TOBIN FOR SPRING CLEAN-UP
The clouds finally parted during this rainy season as BJS members joined other neighborhood organizations to enhance the outdoor learning environment for Tobin students. Expanding our social action partnership with this K-8 Boston public school in Roxbury, the Annual Spring Clean-Up gave BJS city dwellers a fun opportunity to renew their gardening skills while serving our community.
We gathered to clean, plant, build and paint alongside Tobin families, teachers and staff, City Year, Sociedad Latina, N.E. Steering Committee of the DNC and other local groups. Green spaces surrounding the school were cleared of winter debris, bushes were pruned and a beautiful array of donated annuals and perennials including herbs and vegetables were planted. A play yard, with outdoor classroom seating and a Caleeb Neelon mural, was created for younger students. We shared breakfast and a pizza lunch.
And we all experienced the satisfaction of working with our neighbors in the spirit of Tikkun Olam in support of the students of our city.
Social Action Committee Members
Amy Bizar
Bob Frank
Caren Peters
Harriet Finkelstein
Jennifer Coplon
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