Dear Friends,
You are soon arriving home.
This was our third time that we had spent together. The third, but not the last. That is why we can surely be happy and optimistic.
I am sure that all of us think that the more often we see each other, the closer we will get.
When this project started, we had not known each other. We had Glynis and Alan, who had been dreaming about the idea of bridging Jewish communities. The way they have been building it up together with us all is just wonderful. Now, I am telling you, we are like a big family.
In this letter I would like to express how much we are grateful to all of the included members, especially for the children. Children are our future. And these children of ours have proved throughout these days that they deserve to be our hope for the future.
We will never forget the moment of the BT students’ arrival in our school. As they were walking towards each other with SSG students in the hall of our school, was a moment that none of us will ever forget. As our children first met and the next moment they were holding each other’s hands – this is a picture that was imprinted in all of our hearts and this picture will never fade away.
The way they behaved from the very first moment to the very last is impressing, touching and amazing.
The students of Beth Tfiloh showed a role model to all of our children, their peers, and they will be role models for not just the kids involved in the project, but all the peers around them, we hope.
We are really grateful to all th BT educators, Halaine Steinberg, Rochelle Sullivan, Lisa Warren, David Green and Jason Dougherty, who have had amazing lessons which our kids in Scheiber Sandor Gimnázium will never forget. We would like to say thank you for all your sacrifices to make these days so wonderful to all of us.
Rabbi Soskil Mordechai, now you are a legend in our school, the way you educate and bring all the kids up is just amazing. We would like to thank you for the unforgettable Shabbaton. The kids not just simply love you, but they all respect you and I can say they look up on you the way a child can look up on their father. You were the father of all the kids including SSG kids as well. This Shabbaton was the first Shabbaton for some of us, which was the other reason for it is being so precious.
Halaine Steinberg has shown our kids through slam poetry the real values in life. She did not just educate them, but also paid extra attention to those in need. The topics that were touched on her lessons have been so much up to date recently. Tke kids have learnt that you should always be honest, no matter what the consequences are.
Rochelle Sullivan, the real facilitator, led all the conversations with the kids into the right direction. You are the living example how to make the kids be really creative, you help them find the way to respect each other, you help them be able to talk about all the things they might not want to talk about without your mediation.
Lisa Warren, it was fantastic to see how energetic you were all the time you spent together with the kids. You always smile which brings happiness to all of us.
David Green, our kids will never forget your lessons, nor the wise advice they were given by you for the future. Your personal example of how to get grown is a moral that they will never forget.
Jason Dougherty, it is so amzing how you support the kids any way you possibly can. You are always there for them all, always saying something in the best place and in the best time.
Last, but not least Joel Monroe, we missed you so much, but you were still with us with your kind and important words that you wrote to us.
The way how all the educators collaborated with each other was more than professional. We are a perfect team, this is for sure.
The most difficult part of this week was to say Goodbye to each other. But our kids will never be apart from each other from this moment. The distance is just physical, they surely became brothers and sisters which means that wherever they are, they will always be together in their soul.
Dr. Schorr, thank you for your support and thank you for those meaningful words that you have had for us in your letter. You have a wonderful team of educators and amazing kids who you can be proud of. Wherever they go in the world from now, that part of the world will always remeber the name of your school.
Now that the third part of our project has come to an end, we, SSG educators are ready to start and get ready for our fourth upcoming period. The difficult part for us is now coming, which is to choose the twelve students of ours, those who will go on participating the Morim. If you wish to give any comment to this blog, either SSG or BT members, or anyone involved, please do not hesitate to add it. It would really be appreciated by all of us, I think.
In the name of all SSG teachers I can say that we are all looking forward to meeting you soon and working together with you again.
Let me finish this blog with something that Rabbi Soskil told us, which is: we should evaluate what we do have. There might be someone who would also like to have it, but they cannot.
Thank you again, Glynis and Alan, you are the wonderful representatives of our team. Without you it would have been impossible to get students from such a distance together.
Best regards,
Violetta V. – in the name of the SSG team
