The Heschel high school reintroduced grade-wide Hesed days this year. The goal of Hesed day is to expose students to different volunteer organizations. Hesed days fulfill Heschel’s core value of giving back to the greater community, allowing students to participate in volunteering initiatives they might not have otherwise explored.  

For each grade’s Hesed day, students chose to volunteer for one of several organizations. Once assigned an organization, students split into small, randomly assigned groups to work on tasks together. These groups allow students to bond with peers with whom they do not usually interact, while participating in acts of Hesed.

One organization students volunteered with was the New York (NY) Common Pantry. Students took a bus to the Bronx and spent the morning unboxing, packing, and sorting food. The organization provides pantry items for New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity. 

“I originally did not want to go to the pantry, because it was not my first choice,” junior Maya Feldman said. “But after spending the day there, I honestly would go every Sunday.”

Heschel high schoolers also volunteered with Manhattan Children’s Center (MCC), a school for children with autism. The children at MCC benefit from social interactions with volunteers. During Heschel’s Hesed day, students learned about MCC’s work and interacted with younger children with autism.