Vision for Conservative Early Childhood Programs: A Journey Guide

For class discussion:
1. Which job would you want in the sandwich making?
2. Why do Helen and her friends come every week to make peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches? Talk with your children about tzedakah, the importance of helping
others, and the ability of each person to help.
3. What is the difference between ma’achil r’ay-vim (feeding the hungry) and
tzedakah (righteousness/charity)? Why is it important to do both?
For class life:
1. Find a homeless shelter or soup kitchen in your town that would appreciate the
donation of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and set up an assembly line in
your classroom. Invite the parents to help with supplying the ingredients, making
the sandwiches, and delivering them to hungry people.
2. What happens to leftover snack or lunch items in your classroom? Can it be used
for ma’achil r’ay-vim?
3. Encourage parents to get in on this mitzvah by stocking granola bars or
McDonald’s gift certificates in their cars to hand out when they see people asking
for money at the side of the road.
Vision for Conservative Early Childhood Programs: A Journey Guide
USCJ Department of Education
Maxine Handelman
Handelman@uscj.org
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