My first students of the week at the Scheiber Sandor School were a group of sixth graders who seemed as nervous about me, as I was about them. But, as I greeted each student with a hand shake and smile, the tension seemed to melt away. I wrote “WHO AM I?” on the chalkboard, and asked them to create a list that we they would use to design a t-shirt illustrating these details. After the teacher explained my instructions again in Hungarian, the brainstorming began. In just 45 minutes I learned about their best friends, the sadness that came from their parents divorce, their beloved pets, and a variety of American YouTube videos that they watch on their computers. The surprise came at the end of the lesson when I learned that this was more than an icebreaker, it was a “wall-breaker.” The children of Hungary are not taught to think or talk about themselves in this way. My lesson really had opened their eyes. This compliment was both flattering and heart breaking. Can you imagine how absurd that comment would have sounded had it been about American students? We are so fortunate that our students are taught from an early age to have a strong sense of self and identity. That is not to say that the students at Scheiber Sandor do not possess this, it is simply a fact that the concept of expressing identity is not taught in the Hungarian schools, nor is it a value that is nurtured in most homes.
Following our tour of Budapest, my mind drifted back to the unanswered questions. Despite the fact that the Jews were well established, productive members of Hungarian society, they were hated, exiled, and killed. For those who dared to return, they found little left of their beloved city, their homes or their Jewish identity. However, the next generation desperately needs our time, money and help to strengthen their schools, their synagogues, and the Jewish Community Centers. They deserve the opportunity to once again enjoy a thriving Jewish life in Budapest, Hungary.
It is both an honor and a privilege to collaborate with the teachers and students of The Scheibor Sandor School. I look forward to a long and prosperous partnership
